LASIK

What is LASIK?

LASIK is a popular laser refractive surgery available for correcting vision problems. Each year, more than one million LASIK procedures are performed in the United States. LASIK is quick and painless with little to no discomfort after the procedure. Vision issues that can be corrected include nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. With the use of a special technique called monovision, it can also reduce the need for reading glasses among patients over age 40 who wear bifocals.

Am I a good candidate for LASIK?

Good candidates for LASIK should be at least 18 years old, have healthy eyes, and have adequate corneal thickness. Having chronic dry eyes, corneal diseases, or other abnormalities may disqualify you from having LASIK surgery. To find out whether you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery, a comprehensive eye exam is required. Some questions that may be asked to determine your candidacy for LASIK might include:

• Are your eyes healthy?
• Are you an adult?
• Is your vision stable?
• Are you pregnant?
• Do you have trouble seeing far away or up close?
• Would your career or business activities improve if you were to become less dependent on glasses and contacts?

What is the LASIK procedure like?

LASIK is an elective procedure. During the procedure, the eye surgeon creates a thin, hinged flap of tissue on your cornea using either a laser or an instrument called a microkeratome. This flap is folded back and the reshaping of your eye begins. The actual procedure takes about 15 minutes to perform on both eyes. After the LASIK treatment, the flap is repositioned and you are free to leave the surgery center on the same day.

What are the advantages of having LASIK surgery at American Eye Institute?

The blue-chip team at American Eye Institute possess extensive expertise and experience and the widest array of leading-edge technology and surgical approaches, including:

• Wavefront LASIK, which uses 3-dimensional measurements of the eye to enhance the lasers ability to re-shape the front surface of the eye. This provides a more precise assessment than ablations that are determined only using an eyeglasses prescription. Several studies show wavefront-guided ablations provide sharper vision than conventional, non-wavefront LASIK and may reduce the risk of nighttime glare and halos.

• Bladeless surgery, or IntraLase surgery, preferred because it entails fewer risk and potential complications. It differs from other LASIK surgeries because the flap is created using a laser instead of a manual blade.

• PRK laser treatment is an available alternative to LASIK. With PRK there is no corneal flap, which is better suited for some patients, such as those with thinner corneas, irregular astigmatism, or those who’ve previously undergone eye surgery.