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LASIK & Laser Vision Correction

LASIK – Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis – is an outpatient procedure that can be used to correct myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness) and astigmatism (vision impairment due to a misshapen cornea).

LASIK surgery uses a small laser to reshape the cornea (the clear tissue in the front of the eye), improving its ability to focus light on the back of the eye, reducing or eliminating the need for corrective lenses.

Since being approved by the FDA in 1998, has become America’s most popular vision correction procedure, with over 700 000 Americans undergoing the procedure every year.

Eligibility

Though many people can qualify for LASIK surgery, some may not be good candidates because of existing eye conditions or other health problems. The ideal candidate for surgery: Though LASIK can be used successfully to treat myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism; it cannot be used treat: An Evergreen Eye Center professional can discuss your eligibility for the LASIK procedure and help determine if it is the best option for you. Even if you are not a candidate for LASIK surgery today, the technology continues to advance, which will allow more an more people to undergo the procedure in the future.

The LASIK Procedure:

LASIK surgery takes only a few minutes per eye and patients remain awake throughout the procedure. Only a local anesthetic is used, administered in the form of eye drops.

A suction device is attached to the front of the eye to keep it in place. The surgeon uses a small blade (micro keratome) to cut a small flap in the outside layer of the cornea. The flap is gently pulled back allowing the surgeon to reshape the cornea using an excimer laser.

When the procedure is complete, the flap is replaced. No stitches are required.

IntraLase

The IntraLase Method is a 100% blade-free approach to creating the LASIK flap, the thin flap of tissue that the doctor folds back in order to perform your LASIK procedure.

Traditionally, doctors have used a hand-held blade that moves across the eye, creating the LASIK flap as it goes. This instrument is called a microkeratome. With the IntraLase Method, tiny pulses of light pass harmlessly through the outer portion of your cornea and form a uniform layer of microscopic bubbles just beneath the surface of your eye, and are computer controlled for maximum precision.

The exact dimensions of this layer are determined by your doctor based on what is best for your eye. The IntraLase Method enables your doctor to create an individualized LASIK flap without a blade ever touching your eye.

The Excimer Laser

Refractive surgery has a long history in the United States, but the process was revolutionized in the 1980s by the excimer laser, a device that uses a tiny beam of ultraviolet light to remove microscopic layers of material at a time. Thanks to the excimer laser, refractive surgery has seen significant advancements in safety and precision.

Evergreen Eye Center uses its own on-site VISX® STAR S4™ Excimer Laser System with the VISX® WaveFront™ upgrade. This advanced system scans and measures the unique structure and vision correction needs of your eyes, then uses the data to precisely calibrate the laser. As a result, with the custom WaveFront treatment your LASIK procedure is precisely matched to your individual needs.

After Your LASIK Surgery

Most patients experience significantly improved vision within a few hours of the procedure, with vision stabilizing over a few days or weeks.

Though patients should have someone drive them home afterwards, post-procedure discomfort is usually limited to a dry or scratchy feeling that lasts only a few hours and can be treated with eye drops. Most patients can return to work within 24-48 hours.

Results

Though not every patient achieves perfect eyesight with LASIK surgery, the majority see significant improvement in their vision. Most patients reach at least 20/40 vision after the procedure and many reach 20/20.

At Evergreen Eye Center, more than 90% of patients have achieved 20/25 vision after their surgery – enough to pass a driving test without the use of corrective lenses.

Complications

Though most patients see positive results from their surgery, some experience the following: Serious complications are rare, but there are always risks that must be considered when contemplating any surgical procedure. An experienced Evergreen surgeon will take the time to thoroughly discuss the risks and benefits of the procedure with you.

Beyond LASIK: Vision Correction Alternatives

If you do not qualify for surgery, there are a number of other procedures that can help improve your vision. The surgeons at Evergreen Eye Center work with each patient individually to understand their unique eye care needs and determine the most appropriate surgical approach.

Implantable Contact Lens

Implantable Contact Lens might be the best option for some patients who are not good candidates for LASIK because they are extremely nearsighted, have thin corneas, or have other conditions that might predispose them to complications with LASIK.

A qualified ophthalmologist will insert the Visian™ Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) through a small micro-opening, placing it inside the eye just behind the iris in front of the eye's natural lens. The Visian ICL is designed to stay in position with no special care.

PRK

PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, was the most common vision correction surgery prior to the advent of LASIK. PRK is still an excellent alternative for those with thin corneas that may disqualify them for LASIK surgery.

In PRK, the exterior surface of the cornea is precisely shaped with the excimer laser (the same laser that is used for LASIK). The main difference between PRK and LASIK is that PRK does not require a flap to be cut in the exterior surface of the cornea.

Because the surgical shaping takes place on the exterior layers of the cornea, complete healing and vision improvements from PRK surgery take longer to become evident, usually taking a few weeks or months.

LASEK

LASEK surgery is an option for those with thin or flat corneas that may not accommodate the LASIK procedure. During LASEK, very small incisions are made in the outer layer of the cornea. Then a solution is applied which loosens the edges and creates a flap that is much thinner and more delicate than the flap created during LASIK surgery.

The flap is then held aside with a special instrument while the surgeon precisely shapes the lower layers of the cornea with an excimer laser. Finally, the flap is gently returned to its normal position. Like PRK, healing time with LASEK may be slightly longer than with LASIK.

For more information about LASIK, PRK, or LASEK, or to schedule your in-depth consultation with one of our experienced surgeons, please contact Evergreen Eye Center today at 1 800 MY VISION.