LASIK Eye Surgery

A. LASIK eye surgery is a safe, highly successful type of laser refractive surgery used to treat a variety of refractive disorders of the eye including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism—treatment of vision loss. Normally, clear vision is achieved when your cornea (the front "window" of the eye) focuses light onto the retina (back part of the eye) to create an image. If the cornea is not perfectly shaped or if the eyeball is longer or shorter than normal, a distorted image is projected onto the retina resulting in blurry vision. For many years the only solution to this problem was corrective eyewear. LASIK eye surgery involves using an excimer laser (a cool beam of light) to reshape the cornea in order to decrease or eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses. LASIK eye surgery works by removing tiny amounts of tissue from the cornea, slightly changing its shape and the angle at which light enters through it and is projected onto the retina.

A. Typically, you will see an immediate improvement in your eyesight. The objective of LASIK eye surgery is to produce vision of 20/40 of better without glasses or contact lenses. Your vision may be somewhat hazy for several days following the surgery. Most patients' eyes stabilize within four to six weeks of surgery. Some patients may require a second procedure known as an enhancement. The need for an enhancement may be caused by several factors including high degrees of refractive error or the simple fact that each patient's corneal cells will absorb the laser's energy slightly different.

A. A mild sedative and anesthetic drops are administered before your LASIK eye surgery. You will be fully conscious, yet relaxed, throughout the procedure.

A. Your eyes will be covered with protective shields until the next day. These shields are clear to permit sight while protecting against foreign objects entering your eyes. Your eyes may feel scratchy or tear up for about two hours after surgery.

For the first month, you will wear flexible shields at night to make sure you don't accidentally rub your eyes while you sleep. You will administer prescription eye drops for a designated time after laser refractive surgery. One prescription is an antibiotic and the other controls inflammation.

Most patients can return to normal activities one or two days after LASIK eye surgery—keep in mind, however, that every patient is different, so your recovery might be a little longer. Try to keep your recovering schedule as flexible as possible.

A. The majority of patients can resume most activities a day or two after the procedure. Your vision will continue to stabilize over the next three months, and in some case, over a longer period. During this stabilization period, you can usually work, drive and carry on with most daily activities.

A. Most people who are older than 40-45 will probably need reading glasses for close work, just as they would if they were wearing glasses or contact lenses after laser refractive surgery. Others may require glasses for some activities such as driving at night. Some patients may still require glasses or contact lenses for regular activities, depending on the severity of their pre-LASIK eye surgery condition.

A. Blade-free technology uses the IntraLase laser to create the corneal flap during laser refractive surgery. Some surgeons make this flap manually during LASIK eye surgery using a blade called a microkeratome.

A. Some patients have reported seeing halos around lights at night immediately following laser refractive surgery. In 99 percent of patients, the halos either disappear or become small enough that they are not a problem within a few months.

A. Some insurance providers cover LASIK eye surgery and PRK eye surgery, although most do not. Check with your insurance provider to see if they cover laser refractive surgery. Financing options may be available and you can also use HSA, FSA dollars or Ophthalmology Associates does accept CareCredit that offers 24 month interest free financing upon approval.

 Finding the most effective Medical Savings Plan for LASIK eye surgery is no different than finding the right surgeon to perform it. That's why at Ophthalmology Associates, we offer you the information you need to make the best overall decision for your vision care needs and treatment for vision loss—including ways to save on the cost of LASIK eye surgery.

A. Most laser vision correction patients find LASIK eye surgery to be slightly uncomfortable but not painful. Some patients may experience discomfort during the first 12-24 hours. Anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye just before LASIK eye surgery begins and you will also be giving a mild sedative to help you relax. After your LASIK eye surgery your eyes may feel some irritation for a few hours, but most patients are quite comfortable after taking a short nap. You will be given instructions to purchase over-the-counter artificial tear eye drops for your eyes to counteract any dryness you may experience in the days following laser refractive surgery.

A. Some potential complications include conditions such as dryness, night glare, under or over-correction and loss of best-corrected vision. The risks of surgery should be discussed fully with the doctor prior to the vision surgery. Additionally, proper post-operative care helps to identify and address any potential healing complications from LASIK eye surgery.

Like any treatment or operation, complications can occur. Many can be easily treated. The most common side effects include temporary haziness, halos, dry eyes, sensitivity to bright lights and fluctuating vision.

A: The LASIK eye surgery usually takes less than 15 minutes. The actual laser time is approximately one minute. LASIK eye surgery is performed in a laser refractive surgery suite using state-of-the-art laser technology for vision surgery. Once in the suite, the patient will be comfortably positioned on a bed specifically designed for the laser. Eye drops will be put in the eyes to make them numb so no pain is felt during LASIK eye surgery. An eyelid speculum is then placed to keep the eye safely open during the procedure. The first step in LASIK eye surgery involves creating a partial thickness hinged flap through the cornea. By creating a flap in the cornea, the surgeon is able to perform the treatment for vision loss on the inner layer of the cornea, which practically eliminates any patient discomfort and allows for a rapid visual recovery. The flap is then gently lifted and folded over. Once the flap is securely folded back, the laser produces precise pulses of energy that remove a small amount of tissue to accurately reshape the cornea. During this portion of LASIK eye surgery, the patient is asked to look straight ahead at a guide light. Due to sophisticated eye tracking systems with modern lasers, small movements of the eye can be tracked so the laser can deliver precise pulses despite small movements of the eye. The flap is then replaced and adheres naturally and securely to the underlying cornea. Eye drops will be placed in the eye and a shield will be placed over the eye for protection. The procedure is then repeated on the other eye.

A. Photorefractive Keratotomy or PRK is a safe, highly successful type of laser refractive surgery used to treat a variety of refractive disorders of the eye including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism—treatment of vision loss. Normally, clear vision is achieved when your cornea (the front "window" of the eye) focuses light onto the retina (back part of the eye) to create an image. If the cornea is not perfectly shaped or if the eyeball is longer or shorter than normal, a distorted image is projected onto the retina resulting in blurry vision. PRK eye surgery involves using an excimer laser (a cool beam of light) to reshape the cornea in order to decrease or eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses. PRK eye surgery works by removing tiny amounts of tissue from the cornea, slightly changing its shape and the angle at which light enters through it and is projected onto the retina. PRK eye surgery has been approved as a laser refractive surgery method since 1995.

A. Both procedures use a laser to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In LASIK eye surgery, the corneal surface cells are lifted to one side and the laser is applied to the underlying corneal tissue. During PRK eye surgery, the corneal surface cells are discarded, so healing takes longer and there is a more gradual improvement in vision.