For most patients, a procedure called Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) may be the best way to achieve clear and more natural vision. This procedure had its origins back in the 1960s and has evolved over the years into a popular and effective operation. In LASIK, an excimer laser is used to precisely reshape the surface of the cornea. The excimer laser is a unique type of cold laser that does not burn or cut tissue. Instead, it gently breaks the molecular bonds between cells so that controlled amounts of tissue can be literally vaporized away, one microscopic layer at a time.
LASIK has become the procedure of choice - especially with patients in high degrees of correction. The current technique involves both the use of conventional and laser surgeries to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
In performing LASIK, the surgeon first uses a special oscillating blade to make a partial cut through 1/4 to 1/3 of the front surface of the cornea, creating a flap of clear tissue on the central part of the eye. The patient is then positioned under the excimer laser, which is programmed to vaporize away some of the internal corneal tissue under the flap.
Central tissue is removed to reduce curvature and correct nearsightedness. A donut pattern is fashioned for farsighted corrections, thereby steepening the cornea. Astigmatism can be corrected by removing selected tissue to even out the curvature of the cornea. After the laser has removed the selected tissue, the flap is closed over the eye. The cornea has extraordinary natural bonding qualities that allow effective healing without the use of stitches.
During the procedure, patients remain awake with only the designated eye anesthetized with drops. Good vision is often possible on the day following the surgery. Eye drops are used for approximately one week. Protective eye shields are recommended while sleeping during the first few nights. With few exceptions, patients can return to work the next day.
Because of its high success rate and minimal patient recovery time, LASIK is recognized as one of the most effective corrective eye procedures available. The overwhelming majority of patients enjoy significantly improved vision, and most patients return to their normal daily activities within one day of surgery.
LASIK results in less scarring, less corneal haze, and less surface area in need of healing than similar surgical methods, and most patients report only minimal—if any—post-operative discomfort. The procedure itself—which is performed under local anesthetic with FDA-approved tools—is painless.
LASIK is suitable for a wide variety of candidates, including those with astigmatisms. Additionally, because many clinics offer payment plans or special incentive rates, LASIK is affordable to even those patients whose insurance plans do not cover it.
First, it is important to note that LASIK surgery does not guarantee that every patient’s vision will be improved to 20/20; instead, it is intended to reduce each patient’s dependency on corrective eyewear. It is not realistic for candidates to assume that their vision will be “perfect” after surgery. In fact, many patients who wear reading glasses before surgery find that they still need them after undergoing the procedure.
Next, potential candidates must be aware that, as with any surgical procedure, there are risks involved with LASIK. Complications may include excessively dry eyes, corneal scarring, corneal edema, persistent eye pain or discomfort, glares and halos in the line of vision, and a decreased ability to see well at night or in fog.
Finally, since LASIK has only been performed since 1987, its long-term effects are still not known. All potential recipients are encouraged to discuss with their ophthalmologists the risks and procedures of LASIK before committing to surgery.
The most common refractive error—it affects nearly one in four people—myopia occurs when light focuses in front of the retina rather than directly on it. The shortfall impairs one’s ability to see distant objects but does not affect her ability to see near objects. The light may not focus for several reasons, the most common of which are that the eye is too long or that the cornea is too steep.
LASIK is typically used to treat mild to moderate cases of myopia, which are most commonly caused by too-steep corneas. If one’s cornea is too steep, it can be flattened with LASIK. However, if one’s eye is too long—which is usually the cause of high myopia—LASIK is not a viable option.
To find out if your myopia can be treated with LASIK, please contact us today.
Hyperopia occurs when light rays focus behind the retina rather than on it. The deficiency, which allows one to see distant objects much more clearly than near objects, is generally caused by a too-short eye or an exceptionally flat cornea. In cases where the cornea is too flat, hyperopia can usually be treated with LASIK. LASIK will increase the curvature of the cornea, thus allowing light rays to focus properly.
To find out if your hyperopia can be treated with LASIK, please contact us today.
In a normal, healthy eye, the cornea is round. In an astigmatic eye, it is football shaped, which prevents the eye from focusing light in just one place on the cornea; instead, light rays focus at more than one point, blurring near, middle, and distant vision.
LASIK can streamline the surface of the cornea, correcting irregular curvature and improving the eye’s focusing ability. It can ultimately improve near, middle, and distant vision.
To find out if your astigmatism can be corrected with LASIK, please contact us today.
As we age, the lens of the eye loses its flexibility, impairing the eye’s ability to focus and eventually affecting near vision. Called presbyopia, this naturally occurring condition most commonly affects the reading vision of people over the age of 40.
Unfortunately, LASIK cannot be used to treat presbyopia; instead, it is best reserved for those with myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. In fact, it has been found that when LASIK is used to treat presbyopia, reading vision can worsen—making one even more dependent on her reading glasses than before.
To learn what treatments are available for your presbyopia, please contact us today!
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Because they are more likely to suffer complications when a microkeratome is used to create a flap, people with thin corneas are typically not good candidates for LASIK surgery; however, laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) is often a viable alternative. During this procedure, just the outer layer of corneal cells—called the epithelium—is peeled back using a special instrument and a special alcohol solution. The instrument creates tiny perforations in the epithelium, and the solution loosens the tissue. Next, a laser is used to reshape the underlying corneal tissue, and the epithelium is then set back in place and left to heal. LASEK’s recovery period is typically a bit longer than that of LASIK, but most side effects subside briefly after surgery.
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) is a surgical procedure effective in correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. After extensive analysis of the eye, surgeons and technicians work together to program an excimer laser to vaporize away microscopic layers of corneal tissue. With a modified curvature, focusing problems are reduced or eliminated.
The excimer laser is a unique type of cold laser that does not burn or cut tissue. Instead, it gently breaks the molecular bonds between cells so that controlled amounts of tissue can be literally vaporized away, one microscopic layer at a time. The tissue can be removed from the surface of the cornea, as in the PRK procedure, or from the interior of the cornea after a thin flap of surface tissue has been lifted, as in the LASIK procedure. When using PRK to correct nearsightedness, the curvature of the cornea is reduced. In most cases, only 10 to 15% of the thickness of the cornea is removed. Eyes heal impressively well, and the results are very satisfactory, with most people achieving normal or near normal natural vision. Immediate recovery time and time off from work is three to five days. You will need a driver during this time.
PRK was first performed in Berlin, Germany in 1987. Since that time, over 3 million people around the world have found new visual freedom as the result of laser surgery.
The Fingerprint of Your Vision™
Your vision is unique - as personal as your fingerprint or your DNA. WaveScan® technology provides your eye doctor with a map of your vision.
Initially you will meet with your eye doctor for a complete medical evaluation and eye history to determine whether you are a good candidate for the CustomVue procedure. Your doctor will discuss the benefits and risks of the procedure with you. A WaveScan measurement will be taken to map the unique characteristics of your vision. With this map, your doctor will be able to:]
- Accurately assess whether you're a good candidate for laser vision correction. Anyone who is considering laser vision correction should obtain a WaveScan measurement as the first step.
- Along with the other diagnostic tests that your doctor performs, an individualized treatment plan can then be developed to address your unique vision needs.
- Once it is confirmed that you are a good candidate, your doctor will schedule you for a CustomVue procedure. Your doctor will provide details to you on how to prepare for the day of the procedure.
If your doctor feels it is beneficial, he or she may choose to provide you with a PreVue Lens during the consultation. The PreVue Lens enables you to evaluate your potential vision before the CustomVue procedure. Your doctor will place a plastic lens under the laser. Using the information from the WaveScan, your unique correction will be placed on the lens. The lens is then fitted in a trial frame so that you can see your potential visual results. If a PreVue Lens is used in this evaluation, your vision through the PreVue lens is not meant to be predictive of the end result that you might achieve.
On procedure day, you will be seated in a reclined position. Anesthetic drops will be placed in your eyes and a flap will be created on your cornea. Your individualized treatment information is transferred from the WaveScan to the laser in order to drive the CustomVue procedure. The actual laser procedure typically takes several seconds. The majority of individuals feel no pain during the procedure.
After CustomVue, you will notice results immediately, and your vision will continue to improve over the next few days. You will be scheduled for a follow-up visit the next day, and again several weeks after the initial procedure.
Please review the important information contained in the Patient Information Sheet.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the VISX CustomVue™ procedure as a safe and effective method for correcting nearsightedness and astigmatism.
A significant visual acuity result of the FDA clinical study was that six months after the VISX CustomVue™ procedure:
- 100% of participants could see well enough to legally drive a car (20/40 or better) without glasses or contacts
- 94% of participants achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better
- 74% of participants were 20/16 or better
Four times as many participants were very satisfied with their night vision after CustomVue™, compared to their night vision with their glasses or contact lenses.
Overall, many participants were more satisfied with their quality of vision after the VISX CustomVue procedure than before the procedure with use of glasses or contacts. Quality of vision refers to not only what you see, but also how well you see under a variety of conditions, such as driving at night.
Uncorrected visual acuity is the measurement of how well you see without the aid of glasses or contact lenses.
Until now, eye doctors were forced to practice one-size-fits-all vision. An off-the-shelf lens can correct your vision fairly well, but it does not correct it precisely. Now, with WaveScan technology, your eye doctor can custom tailor a correction for the unique characteristics of your vision.
If your doctor feels it is beneficial, he or she may choose to provide you with a PreVue® Lens during the initial consultation. The PreVue Lens enables you to evaluate your potential vision before the CustomVue™ procedure. Your doctor will place a plastic lens under the laser. Using the information from the WaveScan®, your unique correction will be placed on the lens. The lens is then fitted in a trial frame so that you can see your potential visual results. If a PreVue Lens is used in this evaluation, your vision through the PreVue lens is not meant to be predictive of the end result that you might achieve.
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