LASIK Common Questions

Here are answers to the most common questions that we hear about LASIK.  If you have additional questions, please make sure to let us know during your complimentary consultation.

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  • Are there risks to having LASIK?

Although having LASIK does carry some risk (just like everything else in life), almost no one has experienced loss of vision because of LASIK. Most risks are related to quality of vision issues such as dry eyes and reduced night vision. However, even these risks have been significantly reduced by advances in laser technology.

LASIK has actually been declared by the American Academy of Ophthalmology as safe and effective for most people. Over 12,500,000 Americans have had LASIK since the 90’s and their surgeons have reported a complication rate of less than 2%.

Factually, there is more risk from prolonged use of contacts than something going wrong during the LASIK procedure.  However, confirming that you are a good candidate in the first place is the best assurance that you will have a successful outcome.

  • Aren’t contacts safer?

Both contacts and LASIK can be a safe alternative to glasses, but don’t assume contacts are the best alternative for all vision correction. Some studies have reported increased risk of infection from contacts due to prolonged wear and poor maintenance, or forgetting to take them out when you sleep. When performed on people that are good candidates for the procedure, LASIK is a precision, permanent, no-maintenance solution to poor vision due to refractive error.

  • Can I really stop wearing glasses?

While everyone’s vision is different, getting rid of glasses depends on your age.  If you choose to have LASIK from ages 18 to 45 from an experienced surgeon using the best technology like Dr. Henderson and Dr. Falknor, you will have a very high probability of being able to get rid of your prescription glasses.

Around the age of 45, a condition known as Presbyopia begins to occur.  Presbyopia is a result of aging and regardless if you’ve had LASIK, you will likely still need reading glasses due to the reduced flexibility of the lenses of your eyes.  However, even presbyopia can be effectively handled through a special LASIK technique known as monovision that has given thousands the ability to see both close up and far away.

  • Will LASIK work for me?

Most people over age 18 suffering from nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism can be helped.  Some of our patients can’t believe that they’ll actually achieve 20/20 without lenses – until they open their eyes after the procedure.  This is a genuine case of seeing is believing.

Some physical or medical factors such as corneal thickness or particular forms of diabetes may rule someone out as a LASIK candidate.  The only way to know for sure if LASIK is the answer to your poor vision is by having a full and comprehensive LASIK evaluation.

  • Will it hurt?

LASIK is virtually painless in the hands of an experienced surgeon who is using advanced technology such as all-laser bladeless.  You can expect to feel a slight sensation of pressure.  Inserting or removing contact lenses or just rubbing eyes tired from wearing glasses can produce more discomfort than an all-laser LASIK procedure.  After a good night’s sleep you can expect to awaken to the joy of seeing the world clearly and without lenses – usually for the first time in many years – and without the discomfort and irritations of lenses.

  • When can I return to work? How much work will I miss?

Most people are able to return to work within 24-48 hours after their LASIK procedure.  Immediately after the procedure you’ll be asked to go home and take a nap so the healing process can get off to a good start.  You’ll also be given eye drops that will reduce the risk of infection as low as possible.  On the day following surgery your vision will generally be much improved, although some people experience some fluctuation of vision.  Therefore, it's best to plan for two days away from the office after the procedure.  However, many people schedule their procedure one day and then return to work the next – lens-free

  • Isn’t all LASIK the same?

If LASIK was the same no matter where you went for the procedure, all ophthalmologists would be able to report the same results.  The truth is that although each LASIK procedure is similar, the main factors that affect the outcome are technology, the thoroughness of the pre-op exam, and the surgeon’s expertise.  Because our surgeons insist on using the best technology for our patients, and because they have performed over 2,500 procedures, our surgeons can say they have had to enhance less than 7% of their patients.  This means more than 93% of their patients achieve their visual goals with only one procedure.

All-laser or blade-free LASIK is the best known and most popular refractive correction procedure and is performed only by an ophthalmologic surgeon.  However general optometrists in some states other than Texas are permitted to perform a procedure known as Photorefractive Keratectomy or PRK, and sometimes refer to this as “bladeless LASIK” - a very misleading statement.

PRK is a less comfortable procedure than LASIK and involves the use of a chemical solvent to remove the protective outer layers of the cornea, rather than using a laser to create a corneal flap.  After PRK, the eye can take up to two months to achieve the level of vision that LASIK can deliver in just a day or two.  PRK is necessary for some eye conditions where the cornea is too thin to create a protective flap, but on average, only around 5% of patients will require it.

  • What if I can’t keep my eyes from moving during the procedure?

This is not an issue.  Sometimes patients worry that they will affect the surgery by nervous or uncontrollable twitches or jumps of their eyes, called saccadic eye movements.  The lasers used by Eye Clinic of Austin are married to an ultra high-speed eye tracking system with a response time of milliseconds – much faster than your eye can move.  This eye tracker completely neutralizes these eye movements to assure a quality treatment and increased patient safety.

  • What about nighttime side effects?

Most of us have night vision issues whether we have had LASIK or not. But you may have heard about difficulty driving at night after refractive surgery due to halos, starbursts and glare around lights, particularly if the patient had large pupils.  These were significant problems with LASIK until about five years ago.  But with current technology, pupil size has been determined not to be related to halos, and corneal reshaping has been refined to reduce significant halos to an uncommon problem.  These effects, if they occur at all, usually diminish as the eye heals in the first three months.  In extreme cases additional touch-up (enhancement) procedures will be recommended.

Additionally, the advent of the VISX S4 IR™ laser has expanded treatment zones and has actually improved night vision in many cases.  This advanced technology has enabled many patients who once may not have been candidates for LASIK to now be treated successfully.

  • Do I really need to care what laser will be used on my eyes?

Yes!  Since the first procedures in the 1990’s, LASIK technology has advanced by leaps and bounds.  For example, the original technique for creating the corneal flap involved a vibrating hand-held blade called a microkeratome.  This has been surpassed by an advance that employs a precision laser to make the flap, resulting in greater accuracy and more stability.  This technique is known as blade-free or all-laser LASIK.

The earliest excimer lasers that correct the corneal irregularities also had limitations that meant some patients could not be considered candidates.  Today, lasers like the IntraLase™ and the VISX S4 IR™ have considerably expanded treatment zones and precision of outcomes.

To address this concern, just ask your doctor if he has updated his equipment in the last 3 years.  Staying up-to-date with the best technology means a significant financial commitment by the surgeon, and many centers do not upgrade their lasers.  But, when it comes to your eyes, you don’t want anything less than the best possible quality.

  • Can’t I wait until LASIK gets cheaper?

This question is usually prompted by concerns about affordability.  Unfortunately, the cost of LASIK has been rising since the 90’s and is likely to keep on rising.  Like when you buy a new car, it isn’t cheaper than five years ago.  Neither are clothes, restaurants, and cosmetics.  Even with today’s highly advanced technology, LASIK is very definitely a hands-on, personalized service provided by highly trained and qualified medical professionals using millions of dollars worth of equipment.  So, although some centers quote attractively (but unbelievably) low prices, the truth is, as with anything in life, quality and assurance come at a price.

The good news is that the one-time cost of LASIK works out to be less expensive in the long-run than the ongoing expenses of glasses and contacts.  With the payment options at Eye Clinic of Austin, many people find their payments can be equivalent to what they are currently spending on glasses and contacts.

  • How can someone choose the best surgeon?

This is definitely the most important question of all.  Although LASIK is marketed as a commodity, it is a medical procedure and in the final analysis the skill and care of the surgeon are the most significant issues.  Look for a local surgeon who will personally oversee every step of the procedure and take the time to answer all your questions.

 

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