Frequently Asked Questions
Am I a good candidate for LASIK?
The absolute best way to determine if you're a good candidate for laser eye surgery is to have a consultation with a doctor of LASIK. The basics you need to know is that you need to be at least 18 years old, be in general good health, and have good overall eye health with no signs of cataracts or glaucoma.
What issues can laser eye surgery correct?
Laser vision correction can treat a very broad range of vision issues including but not limited to: nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
I have heard about Custom LASIK. What is this procedure?
CustomLASIK is a procedure the involved the use of a wavefront analyzer and enables your surgeon to create a customized "map" of your cornea so a completely customized laser eye surgery can be designed to exactly fit the needs of your eyes.
What is the difference between conventional LASIK and CustomLASIK?
CustomLASIK uses a wavefront tool to measure how light travels through your eye and creates a unique map of your eye that is used in the reshaping to ensure a completely customized experience.
Conventional LASIK is still an excellent choice for most individuals and simply uses the skill of your surgeon to find the irregularities in your eye and correct them using the same flap and excess tissue removal procedure used in both conventional LASIK as well as CustomLASIK.
What can laser eye surgery do for me?
Laser eye surgery can open up a whole new feeling of freedom from glasses and contact lenses. Individuals that have lost the ability to drive at night or drive at all, can often reclaim their license to drive due to improved clarity of vision. You will no longer need glasses or contacts to drive, play sports, watch movies and TV, or participate in careers requiring excellent vision such as police and fire departments.
How will I know what procedure I need to have?
A consultation with a doctor will be the only way you know which type of laser eye surgery will be the most beneficial for your individual needs. You should schedule a consultation with your eye doctor. Together, you can determine what is right for you.
What does LASIK cost?
The price of laser eye surgery can vary and the reason is that the price of the procedure is usually based on the level of refractive correction required and is therefore a little different for everyone. CustomLASIK is generally more expensive than traditional LASIK.
Will the procedure hurt?
Because of the anesthetic drops used prior to the procedure, there is no pain involved. However many patients report feeling pressure or a slight discomfort when the initial flap is made in the cornea. Talk to your friends or coworkers that have had the procedure and you can get a good idea of what to expect. If you have concerns, also address this with your doctor during your consultation.
What are the risks?
There are risks with any surgical procedure and having laser eye surgery is no different. A decade of study of laser eye surgery results however shows that the chances of having a vision reducing complication has been documented in a number of clinical studies to be minimal. This means millions upon millions of people have received excellent results from laser eye surgery.
