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 Frequently
Asked Questions About Laser Eye Correction
Below is a list of questions commonly asked by people considering laser
vision correction. Click on the question below to link directly to the
answer. Use your browser's "Back" button to return to the list of
questions. If you are unable to find an answer to your specific question
here or elsewhere on the site, please email us. We will be happy to
respond directly to you.
What Do I Need to
Know Before Laser Vision Correction Surgery?
What
Will Happen During LASIK Surgery?
What
Can I Expect After LASIK Surgery?
What
Do I Need to Know Before Laser Vision Correction Surgery?
How do I know if I am a candidate?
Most people who are in good health and are either nearsighted or
farsighted or have astigmatism are candidates for some form of laser
vision correction. In general, you should:
-
be at
least 18 years of age or older
-
have had
stable vision for at least a year
-
have no
health issues affecting your eyes
-
be in
general good health
To find
out if you are a candidate, take our "Am I a
Candidate?" quiz. Then schedule a free, no obligation LASIK eye
evaluation to find out more.
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Am I nearsighted or farsighted and can laser vision
correction treat it?
As long as your prescription falls within FDA-approved limits, LASIK
or another advanced refractive procedure can correct either
nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Being nearsighted, or myopic, means you cannot see things clearly in the
distance. Nearsighted people need glasses to drive or to watch television,
and some people with more extreme prescriptions may need glasses even to
see the alarm clock in the morning.
If you are farsighted, or hyperopic, you may have trouble seeing things up
close. Without glasses or contacts, reading, eating or even talking to
friends can all be difficult. Click here to see how laser vision
correction can improve your vision.
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I've heard so much about astigmatism. What is it?
Does LASIK correct it?
Astigmatism refers to an asymmetric curvature of your cornea. A
"normal" cornea is round, like a basketball. If you have astigmatism, your
cornea is shaped more like a football. Astigmatism can occur alone or in
addition to either nearsightedness or farsightedness and can be corrected
with LASIK.
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Is there a vision correction procedure to help me
get rid of my reading glasses?
As we age, our eyes lose the ability to focus on images up close. We
continually move an image, such as a book or newspaper, farther and
farther from our eyes in order to bring it into focus. This condition is
called presbyopia. When presbyopia progresses to the point that our arms
are not long enough, we need reading glasses or bifocals. Our machine
schwind excimer has been installed a presbyopia software (one of the
world's exceptional machine) to treat presbyopia in a single eye with
laser.
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What is
monovision and how our machine is better equipped to treat Presbyopia with
Multi focality ?
Monovision is an option
to help correct both your distance and near vision. The procedure corrects
the focus of one eye for distance vision and the other eye for near
vision. One eye will see things close up, the other eye will see things
farther away, and the brain will integrate the visual information from
both eyes and filter out any blur. It is similar to the sound you hear
from stereo speakers. A different sound comes from each one, but they work
together to provide the entire range of sound. Monovision has been used
successfully for over 20 years. "Blended Vision," created with the CK
procedure, is similar to monovision and is being used to treat presbyopia.
But schwind excimer is programmed to treat single eye with Multi focal
vision as seen with progressive glasses for Presbyopia.
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What is Wavefront technology and Custom LASIK?
Wavefront LASIK (also referred to as Custom LASIK) is a highly
customized laser vision correction technique that can correct your vision
more accurately than ever before. Originally invented for NASA telescopes,
Wavefront technology measured 217 different points on your eye in
currently available wave front devices, but schwind is equipped with wave
front topography and aberrometry which measures 1479 different points on
your eye, so makes customized treatment with much sharper resolution. creating a
3-D Wavefront map of your eye. This information, as unique to you as your
fingerprint, is transferred electronically to the laser, enabling the
surgeon to guide the laser and customize a solution for your unique visual
requirements.
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Who can benefit from Wavefront LASIK?
Most people, including those with higher-order aberrations, can
benefit from Wavefront LASIK. Until Wavefront was developed, those
patients with a significant amount of higher-order aberration had less
satisfactory results with conventional LASIK than others. Over 90% of
people who currently wear glasses or contact lenses for nearsightedness,
farsightedness or astigmatism can now benefit from some form of laser
vision correction. The best way to determine how a customized procedure
may benefit you is to have a comprehensive eye evaluation and obtain a
WavePrint™ map of your own individual visual "fingerprint."
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What is the difference between LASIK and PRK/LASEK?
LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) and advanced surface
ablation procedures like LASEK and PRK are all laser vision correction
techniques used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and
astigmatism. They each use a computer-controlled excimer laser to reshape
the cornea, and each has excellent post-operative results.
LASIK involves the creation of a thin corneal flap and the use of the
laser on the internal tissue of the cornea. The surgery takes only a few
minutes per eye and is generally painless. Afterwards, there is very
little discomfort, and patients are often able to return to work the next
day. Post-operative care typically involves at least three office visits.
Unlike LASIK, PRK and LASEK do not involve the creation of a flap. With
PRK and LASEK, the epithelium (skin layer of the eye) is either removed
(PRK) or moved gently aside (LASEK), and the laser operates on the surface
of the cornea rather than internally. Again, surgery takes only minutes
per eye and is generally painless. Post-operative recovery for PRK and
LASEK, however, takes a little longer than recovery from LASIK. To assist
healing after PRK/LASEK surgery, a clear bandage contact lens is placed
over the cornea during the 3-5 days needed for the epithelium to re-grow.
Additionally, LASEK/PRK patients typically use steroid drops for 3-6
months, and there is somewhat more discomfort during the healing process.
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What is the difference between LASEK and
PRK?
LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis) and PRK (photo-refractive
keratectomy) are both advanced surface ablation procedures to correct
vision by using the excimer laser to gently reshape the surface of the
cornea. With PRK, the epithelium (skin layer of the eye) is fully removed
and the laser is applied to the surface of the corneal tissue. During the
LASEK procedure, the epithelial layer is lifted gently to the side and
then replaced after the laser treatment. In each case, a clear bandage
contact lens is placed over the cornea for 3 to 5 days to allow the
epithelium to re-grow. Each procedure can be suitable for certain
prescriptions and under certain conditions.
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What are the risks?
As with any surgery, there are certain risks. Fortunately, however,
the risks of laser vision eye surgery are low and patient satisfaction is
high. The main risks include infection, overcorrection or undercorrection
of your prescription, halos, a flap that shifts after surgery, and dry
eyes.
-
Infection - The risk of infection is VERY low, affecting only about 1
patient in 5000 procedures. Dr. Furlong will prescribe antibiotic drops
for use after surgery and monitor your eyes to ensure that there is no
sign of infection.
-
Overcorrection or undercorrection of your prescription - Since the
cornea is living tissue and everyone's eyes are different, it is possible
for your vision to be slightly overcorrected or undercorrected after
surgery. If your eyes are over- or undercorrected, it is usually possible
to do an enhancement to correct the remaining prescription.
-
Halos
- After surgery, patients may see a "halo" of light around bright lights
at night. For most patients, this occurs only for the first week or two
after surgery, but some patients continue to see halos longer. During your
pre-operative evaluation, Dr. Furlong will advise you of your risk for
seeing halos long term.
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Shifting flap - It is possible that the flap created during LASIK may
shift slightly immediately after surgery. This is most often a result of
bumping or rubbing the eye early in the post-operative period. Twenty-four
hours following surgery, the risk of the flap shifting decreases greatly.
You should contact Dr. Furlong if you experience any sort of eye injury
within the first day or two after surgery.
-
Dry
eyes - The eyes are typically drier than normal for the first week or
two following surgery, though some patients may experience dry eyes for a
longer period of time. It is important to use lubricating drops
frequently. If the eyes are uncomfortably dry for a prolonged period of
time, Dr. Furlong can prescribe other drops or suggest techniques that can
help.
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How long has laser vision correction surgery
been performed?
The FDA approved the use of the excimer laser for laser eye surgery in
the U.S. in 1996, although the microkeratome that creates the corneal flap
has been used in other types of eye surgery since the late 1950s. Since
the mid-1990s, LASIK has become increasingly popular with leading eye
surgeons throughout the world, with over 6 million successful procedures
performed to date. With the advent of aberrometry the schwind excimer
laser is now capable of treating patients with not just custom cornea
treatment, but a real aberrometry guided C-LASIK (TAG LASIK).
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What
Will Happen During LASIK Surgery?
How long does the LASIK procedure take?
The procedure itself takes 5-10 minutes per eye, with the actual laser
treatment time lasting less than one minute per eye. Patients are usually
in the surgery suite for no more than 15 minutes and at the center for no
longer than an hour and a half.
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What if I blink during the laser treatment?
A small restraining device is used to keep your eyelids open during
the procedure and prevent blinking. You will not be able to blink and
affect the outcome of the procedure.
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Am I awake during the procedure?
Yes. All you need to do is relax and focus on the red light.
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What if I don't keep looking at the red target
light?
The procedure is performed using a SCHWIND EXCIMER LASER (WITH CE
MARK). These advanced systems will track any small eye movements and
automatically make any adjustment needed. Dr. is in full control of
the laser at all times during the procedure. The laser will not fire if
your eye movements take you outside the treatment zone.
The biggest advantage of SCHWIND EXCIMER LASER is that it is the only
laser in the world equiped with the fastest active eye tracker (330 htz.)
so it can sense even finer or grosser movement of the eye and respond to
it automatically.
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Is the LASIK procedure painful?
Patients experience virtually no discomfort during LASIK, and eye drop
anesthesia to numb the eye is administered prior to the procedure. If you
experience post-operative discomfort, you may use tablet metacin or ibuprofen
during the first day or two after the procedure.
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Can I have both eyes treated at the same time?
Usually we perform bilateral (both eyes) procedures on the majority
of LASIK patients. However, it is always an option to have each eye
treated on a different day.
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How much time do I need to take off from work?
On the day of the procedure, you will be at the laser center for about
1-1/2 hours. After surgery, we recommend that you go home and rest,
keeping your eyes closed as much as possible. Most patients do not require
medication for pain. Sleeping or listening to the radio or a book-on-tape
is a good way to pass the time. Watching TV or going out to dinner is not
recommended. On the day following surgery, most patients are able to
return to work and other normal activities. Surgery can be done on a
Friday if a patient wishes to have the weekend to rest before returning to
work.
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What
Can I Expect After LASIK Surgery?
What kind of results can I expect?
Many people notice an immediate improvement in their vision when they sit
up after surgery, although there will be an initial haziness that should
clear by the next morning. The vast majority of LASIK
patients see 20/40 or better the day after surgery. Often patients drive
themselves to their first post-operative visit.
Approximately 98% of patients can see 20/40 or better after conventional
LASIK, and Wavefront technology and Custom LASIK have the potential to
make these good results even better. Six months to a year after having
Custom LASIK, 91.5% to 98% of patients said that they could see 20/20 or
better, and 40% said they could see better after their vision was
corrected with Wavefront surgery than they did with glasses or contacts
before surgery! Of course, your individual results may vary depending upon
your pre-surgical prescription and the condition of your eyes.
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What precautions do I have to take after
surgery?
You will be given plastic shields to wear over your eyes immediately
after surgery and for the five nights following surgery to protect your
eyes while sleeping. For the first month, care should be taken to not
touch your eyes for any reason, and patients should avoid getting sweat,
dust, or smoke in their eyes. It is also better to avoid swimming for two
weeks, but with care, there is usually no problem with showers.
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Are there any visual side effects?
Any visual side effects from LASIK are usually temporary. The most
common ones are a "ghosting" or lighter second image around the edge or
border of objects, nighttime halos (a rim of light around bright lights at
night), mild fluctuations of vision, and light sensitivity. These effects
can last anywhere from days to weeks and, in some cases, may last for
months. There is also a possible decrease in your ability to see well in
low contrast situations, such as driving at night, although there is
evidence that Custom LASIK can reduce the chance of these night vision
problems and glare.
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What is an "enhancement" and will I need one?
There is no guarantee of 20/20 vision following LASIK or any of the
other vision correction procedures. It is possible, however, to have
enhancement surgery if Doctor feels that it is medically safe and
will improve your vision. An enhancement is a second LASIK procedure, used
to "fine-tune" vision not corrected in the original surgery. The healing
time after the enhancement is the same as after the first surgery.
Since everyone's eyes heal differently, no one can predict a patient's
outcome with 100% accuracy. Generally, the worse your vision was before
treatment, the greater the chance that you will need an enhancement.
Enhancements are done no sooner than 2-3 months following the original
surgery, allowing time for the eye to heal and the vision to stabilize. On
average, approximately 6% of patients need an enhancement.
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Will I need to have this surgery repeated in the
future?
The vision achieved with LASIK is generally the vision you will have
for the rest of your life. The correction achieved with LASIK is long
lasting and very little vision change has been seen after years of patient
follow-up in clinical studies. Cataracts or other eye health-related
problems may occur later in life, but are not caused by or directly
related to LASIK.
LASIK does not, however, prevent presbyopia, the age-related condition
that makes people need reading glasses.
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Will I ever have to wear glasses again?
Since almost 98% of conventional LASIK patients achieve 20/40 vision
or better and 98% of SCHWIND & CARRIAZO Custom LASIK patients see 20/20 or better, very
few choose to wear glasses again. Those who do, generally use them only in
certain circumstances such as driving at night or in the rain. For most
people in their 40s, though, whether they have had LASIK or not, reading
glasses may be necessary.
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