LASIK/PRK

During the procedure, a Ziemer femtosecond laser cuts a thin flap on the surface of the cornea. Patients are given anesthesia drops so they don’t feel the instruments. The flap is then lifted and a different type of laser, called an excimer, is used to reshape the cornea. Farsighted patients’ corneas are steepened and nearsighted patients’ corneas are flattened. The flap is then closed and heals around the edges within the first few hours.

The entire procedure takes only 5 minutes per eye, and patients are often ready to leave within an hour or two.

Antibiotic and steroid eye drops will be prescribed for a few days, along with other post-operative instructions. Full recovery takes a few weeks.

LASIK is approved for nearsightedness from O to -10.0 diopters, farsightedness from O to +3.0 diopters and astigmatism up to +5.00 diopters.

We will perform a thorough evaluation of each patient. The exam usually lasts 2 hours and you will be dilated with strong drops. Your eyes may remain dilated for several hours and occasionally into the next day. The dilation drops affect reading vision but your distance vision should remain close to normal. You may need sunglasses to drive home. Soft contacts should be left out of the eyes for 7 full days. Hard or gas permeable lenses should be out for a full 14 days. Both types of contacts should be out these time frames prior to evaluation and surgery. This is very important to your visual outcome.

We will see you one day after the procedure, one to two weeks after the procedure, 3 months after the procedure and 12 months after the procedure.

The LASIK procedure takes approximately 5 minutes per eye. Patients can expect to remain at the laser center for about two hours on the day of the procedure.

Yes. Most surgeons operate on both eyes on the same day.

The advantage of bilateral surgery is the convenience of having both eyes done at once. It also restores your balanced vision as quickly as possible, especially if you are unable to wear a contact lens in the unoperated eye. If you prefer to have your eyes done separately, please discuss this with your surgeon.

The procedure is painless. Most patients feel a pulling sensation on their eyelids and a pressure sensation on their eye. The eye may feel scratchy for the first 24 hours after the procedure.

The only type of anesthesia used is anesthetic eye drops. These are very effective in making this a truly painless surgery.

It’s normal to be nervous before eye surgery. We will prescribe a mild sedative to take by mouth before the procedure.

We will help position your head during the surgery. You will be asked to look at a blinking light during surgery to keep your eye still. The laser has a tracking device, so that small movements of your eye are compensated for by the laser.

Most patients have 20/40 vision or better 24 hours after the surgery. 20/40 vision is the legal limit for driving in the state of Georgia. With LASIK surgery, the majority of patients can return to work the next day, although it is advisable to take 24 hours off following surgery on both eyes. While most patients can function normally at work the day after their LASIK procedure, we recommend you not schedule any appointments or meetings for that day.

In the event that you are under corrected or overcorrected, it is possible to perform an additional treatment. Typically, re-treament with LASIK takes place three months after the original procedure. With LASIK, the corneal flap does not need to be reformed. Using specialized instruments, the surgeon can gently lift the pre-existing flap and perform additional laser work. Recovery time is similar to the original procedure. There is no charge for enhancement surgery if performed within the first year of the original surgery, depending on the amount of correction. The chance of needing enhancement surgery is less than 3%.

For patients in their mid-forties who are already experiencing difficulty with reading, it is possible to treat one eye for near vision and the other for distance vision, thus decreasing the necessity for both near and distance glasses. If you are considering this blended vision (monovision), it is advisable to try it out with contact lenses before proceeding directly to LASIK surgery. If you have already been successful with monovision in contact lenses, you will most likely enjoy this type of correction following LASIK. If you are over 40 and hope to avoid glasses altogether in your life, this is presently the only way to accomplish this. The disadvantage of monovision is that it decreases depth perception. Because of this, patients often choose to wear driving glasses for driving at night, to balance the distance vision in both eyes.

Many patients seeking refractive surgery do so because they have dry eyes and are unable to wear contact lenses anymore. It is important that your dry eyes be treated. This usually involves the use of tear supplements and punctum plugs (tiny silicone plugs placed in the tear drainage openings of your eyelid) that delay the drainage of your own tears so your eyes will stay moist. After the procedure, your operated eye may feel temporarily drier because the corneal nerves are severed during LASIK surgery, causing the eye to make fewer tears. This condition is temporary and typically lasts three to six months. Dry eye symptoms can be particularly noticeable if you use the computer frequently, read for long periods of time, or drive extended distances. These types of activities exacerbate dry eyes because they cause you to stare and not blink as often. It is important to use ample lubrication, especially during the first few months after surgery.

It is extremely rare for anyone to need contacts after LASIK surgery. Even though the corneal shape is altered, it is still possible to wear contacts, should the need arise.

Anyone whose prescription is actively changing a moderate degree over time.

Pregnant or nursing mothers.

Anyone who feels that he or she must absolutely gain 20/20 or "perfect" vision without glasses or contact lenses. It is impossible to guarantee 20/20 or "perfect" vision.

Anyone unwilling to accept the possible risks and complications of LASIK surgery.

Anyone with an uncontrolled or untreated eye disease. Certain corneal dystrophies or a history of a herpes infection in the eye may be relative contraindications, as are certain arthritic syndromes and other autoimmune disorders.

Anyone on certain medications (Accutane, etc.)

Some insurance companies will provide an allowance for the procedure, but that is the exception rather than the rule. Many companies offer flex spending accounts which allow you to pay for the procedure with pre-tax dollars.

Every surgical procedure carries some risk. Fortunately, serious risks with LASIK are extremely rare. The two most serious risks of LASIK are infection and ectasia. Infection is a rare event after refractive surgery. Sterile procedures are meticulously followed and antibiotics are administered routinely before and after surgery. In spite of these measures, infections will occur occasionally. It has been estimated that the risk of infection is 1 in 20,000 procedures. Another serious complication is ectasia. Ectasia occurs when the cornea becomes excessively thin and structurally weak following LASIK surgery. It can also occur in eyes that have not undergone LASIK or other surgery. In these cases, it is termed keratoconus. With ectasia and keratoconus, the cornea has an abnormal tensile strength. The cornea can become progressively thin and this leads to nearsightedness and astigmatism. Mild cases can be treated with glasses. Moderate cases are treated with rigid gas permeable contact lenses. Severe cases may require corneal surgery. Preoperative screening is aimed at excluding patients who are at risk to develop this condition. Unfortunately, screening is not 100% accurate and some patients can rarely develop this condition with normal pre-operative parameters. Although very rare, LASIK does increase the risk of this condition. It is estimated that the risk of ectasia is 1/5,000 procedures. To avoid these types of complications, we insist on being personally involved in your pre-operative screening.

"I am very happy with the results from my LASIK surgery. The process was made very easy by this office and the entire experience has been positive. It is great not to have to wear contacts or glasses anymore."
- Lauren S.

"It has been 30 days since I had LASIK surgery. I cannot begin to tell you how awesome this entire process has been for me. I began wearing glasses when I was around 10 years old. While in my 40s I decided to have LASIK surgery. To immediately see without any form of glasses has been so incredible for me. I felt like a child reading signs that I haven't seen since I first began reading. When I saw abcnews.com on television I knew then that everyone should have this surgery. Do not believe anyone who tells you it is painful. In fact, do not think it will be painful. I didn't feel anything! It took less than 5 minutes per eye and as the song goes, I was blind, but now I can see!"
- Patricia T.