- Q. Am I a candidate for LASIK?
A. Anyone dependent on glasses and contact lenses, who is at least 18 years old, may benefit
from the LASIK procedure. LASIK can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. A complete LASIK evaluation with your surgeon can determine if you’re a good candidate.
- Q. How do I prepare for my consultation?
A. Soft contact lens wearers should not wear contacts for 1 week and hard lens wearers should not wear lenses 3-4 weeks prior to the consultation. Contact lenses cause changes to the cornea that affect measurements needed to determine your candidacy for LASIK.
- Q. Why is Blade-Free LASIK the preferred procedure at this time?
A. The Blade-Free LASIK procedure is extremely accurate, has less complications, and treats a broader range of patients with a more rapid and comfortable recovery time than other refractive surgery procedures.
- Q. Am I awake during the procedure and will I feel any pain?
A. You are fully awake during the LASIK procedure. Your eyes will be numbed with topical eye drops so you should not feel any pain. Most patients report very minimal discomfort, and report only a feeling of slight pressure on the eye.
- Q. How long does the procedure take?
A. The actual laser vision correction procedure takes about five to ten minutes for each eye. You can expect to be at the laser center for approximately 1-2 hours including pre-operative preparation and post-operative examination.
- Q. How long is the recovery time and what should I expect during this time?
A. Recovery from LASIK is very rapid. Most patients see a marked improvement within 12-24 hours and most can return to normal daily activities the next day.
- Q. What are the risks?
A. The risk of a serious complication arising from refractive surgery is very low. LASIK is one of the safest surgical procedures in all of medicine. All risks will be explained to the patient at the time of their consultation.
- Q. Will I need to wear reading glasses after LASIK?
A. Most patients will not need distance glasses after LASIK. If you are over 40 years old, the majority of patients will need reading glasses unless a technique termed monovision is performed.
- Q. Is LASIK considered permanent or does it need to be repeated?
A. LASIK is very accurate and often does not need to be performed again. If a patient’s prescription changes after LASIK, an enhancement, or touch up, may be needed. This is more common in patients who are moderately to extremely nearsighted or have a lot of astigmatism before their initial procedure.
