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LASIK eye surgery can benefit a great number of people with myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Candidates should have a strong desire to be less dependent on corrective lenses and willing to accept the risks of surgery. Learn more about benefits and eligibility.
There are a number of factors that doctors must evaluate before they can determine who is an eligible candidate for LASIK vision correction. Some doctors deem certain preexisting conditions contraindications to the procedure and will not perform surgery if you possess them. Other conditions may complicate the laser eye surgery and increase your risk of developing a complication. Patients with these conditions need to consult their doctors in regards to eligibility and expectation levels.
Patients must meet our strict standards to qualify for laser surgery. BACK
You qualify if you are:
- • Age 18 or older
- • In good health
- • Refractivity stable (Your eye prescription has not changed in the past year)
You do not qualify if you have these conditions:
- • Pregnancy or breast-feeding
- • Diabetes
- • Increased eye pressure
- • Cataracts
- • Certain eye diseases (please ask our doctors) BACK
Most surgeons agree that if you are comfortable wearing contact lenses and are not bothered by being dependent on them, you should carefully evaluate the risks and benefits of LASIK eye surgery. Ultimately, it will depend on your needs and lifestyle. BACK
LASIK surgery improves the uncorrected vision one's visual capacity while not wearing corrective lenses in most patients who have the procedure. Over 90% of patients with low to moderate myopia achieve 20/40 vision, which most states and provinces consider good enough to drive without having to wear contacts or glasses, and many can expect to achieve 20/20 vision or better BACK.
However, there are no guarantees that you will have perfect vision. Patients with high myopia (more than -8D) and high hyperopic (more than +4D) should have realistic expectations. People who are most satisfied with the results of laser correction clearly understand the potential risks and complications and possess realistic expectations as to what their vision will be like after surgery.
The effects of the LASIK procedure are permanent. The effects of LASIK eye surgery do not wear off, but it is important to realize that a person's eye can still change internally. That is why many vision correction surgeons recommend having the procedure done after the major eye changes have occurred in one's life. For instance, LASIK eye surgery is not recommended on children because their eyes change a great deal and their vision would need to be fine-tuned in a few years. If the procedure is performed after the age of 18, the chance of long-term stable correction is more likely. Even the eyes of patients over the age of 18 can still change. Therefore, we recommend a good conversation with your eye surgeon so that they can review the changes you have undergone and, if applicable; they can help you make a decision in regards to whether or not you should wait until the changes have slowed down.
Patients should also note that while results are usually stable, they can be modified by enhancement procedures – procedures performed after the initial one – if necessary. BACK
No. Our team of eye care professionals can evaluate your eye prescription and assess your vision correction needs. We also have several locations to complete all of your follow-up care. BACK
Retreatment may be a viable solution to vision changes later in life. However, it is important to be aware that other treatment options also exist. In due course, you should consult your eye doctor to determine the cause of the change and to determine which option is best for you.. At Vision Care of Maine these re-treatments are usually no charge during the first year after your procedure. BACK
The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes for two eyes, including creating the flap and performing the laser procedure under the latter. The actual laser is used less than one minute. Learn more about what to expect before, during, and after the procedure. BACK
Patients may experience some discomfort and/or blurred vision for a few hours after laser eye surgery. In addition, most patients receive a sedative prior to vision correction surgery. Therefore, you cannot drive home after undergoing the LASIK procedure and you should plan not to drive for at least twenty-four hours. As your vision quickly improves, you will be given a written permission after your surgery to obtain a drivers license without corrective lenses. Learn more about our recommended activity schedule after surgery. Please download our LASIK instructions
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The procedure is done with topical anesthetic (eye drops) to numb the eye. Patients may be given a small amount of oral sedative to help them relax. BACK
Patients are given a topical anesthetic (eye drops) to numb the eye, so they experience no pain during the procedure. When the surgeon applies the vacuum ring, the patient experiences a sensation of slight pressure just before his or her vision fades away for a few seconds. The microkeratome – the instrument the surgeon uses to create the flap - and the laser do not cause any pain or discomfort. For several hours after the procedure, many patients describe a mild "foreign body" sensation, such as after opening the eyes while swimming in chlorinated water. Some people feel as though there is a dirty contact lens in their eye. After the first few hours, this uncomfortable feeling usually subsides. BACK
You can have bilateral simultaneous LASIK eye surgery (both eyes done at the same time). In the vast majority of cases, bilateral LASIK eye surgery has been shown to be safe and effective. In fact, more than 95% of people choose to have both eyes done at the same time. If the surgery of your first eye is not perfect, your doctor will likely hold off on proceeding with the second eye. For more on bilateral surgery, consider the following resource: BACK
It depends on your occupation. Certain jobs that require intense clarity of vision (dentistry and surgery, for example) may be difficult to perform for one or two days. Most patients can return to work the next day, assuming their vision is adequate for their job. However, some people may feel fatigued for a day or so following surgery. Learn more about our recommended activity schedule after surgery. BACK
You can resume most normal activities immediately after laser eye surgery. However, for at least two weeks you will need to avoid activities that could cause perspiration to run into your eyes. You should wear safety glasses while playing contact sports whether or not you have had surgery. If you do not routinely wear safety glasses, your eye surgeon may recommend wearing them for at least one month after LASIK surgery. You will also need to avoid certain activities, such as contact sports and swimming, for several weeks. It is important to consult your doctor in regards to the limitations on specific activities following LASIK eye surgery. Learn more about our recommended activity schedule after surgery. BACK
Fast visual recovery characterizes this operation. Most patients achieve good vision the day of surgery and find that their eyes feel fairly normal within a day. However, vision can continue to improve and best vision can still take two to three months to occur, particularly with higher prescriptions. If necessary, adjustments to the surgery, called enhancements, can be done. Patients who undergo hyperopic LASIK eye surgery often need to wait longer to see clearly. Typically, they are unable to see with intense clarity for one or two weeks, with best vision arriving several months following surgery. BACK
Most patients who have the LASIK procedure do not wear glasses for their daily activities. However, patients may need to wear reading glasses if they are over the age of 40. This is caused by the normal aging of the eye, also known as presbyopia. It remains important to note that this condition occurs with or without LASIK vision correction. It is also possible that some patients need a minimal prescription for certain activities, such as night driving. BACK
No. Your eyes will look exactly the same BACK
Most studies show that the LASIK procedure poses minimal risks of complications. The overall complication rate is a fraction of one percent. Even if complications do occur, most of the complications are resolved within three months and do not result in long-term interference with vision. More precisely, the complication rate cited in large studies is between 0.5% and 1.9%. LASIK surgery is a surgical procedure done on a delicate part of the eye and therefore, complications can occur. Learn more about safety. For additional information, read our LASIK Information Booklet. BACK
With LASIK eye surgery, the vast majority of night vision disturbances are eliminated since the area of cornea treated is larger than the dilated pupil size. Some patients may see mild glare, halos or starbursts around lights in dim or low-light conditions temporarily following surgery. These symptoms do not usually interfere with driving at night, or night time activities. For the vast majority, these symptoms are temporary, usually lasting a few days to a week. With this newer technology, it is extremely rare for these symptoms to be permanent.BACK
Although occurring very rarely, all patients should be aware that dry eyes are a possible complication following LASIK eye surgery. The laser eye surgery makes everyone's eyes somewhat dryer afterwards, but only temporarily. Your laser eye doctor will carefully test you for the potential of developing this complication after surgery if you suffer from a history of dry eyes or are severely bothered by contact lenses. After surgery, all patients should use tear drops as required.BACK
Most people in their 40s or older will need reading glasses despite whether their eyes are corrected for distance vision. This is caused by the eye's loss of lens flexibility as we age. This condition, called presbyopia, cannot currently be treated by the LASIK procedure. Learn more about new procedures that do correct presbyopia. BACK
Some patients in this age group choose monovision to correct this condition. This option allows patients to use one of their eyes for distance and the other to see up close. Although monovision proves to be satisfactory for some patients, many are not comfortable with this procedure. BACK
Patients need to discuss the options with their doctors. Most doctors suggest that patients test monovision with contact lenses for a few weeks prior to opting for monovision with LASIK vision correction. Be sure to ask if this trial option is available to you. Learn more about monovision. BACK
If you undergo LASIK eye surgery to correct your distance vision, you can expect clear overall vision. However, images close to you may not appear as clear after having LASIK eye surgery if you are over 40. After the age of 40, expect to need reading glasses for up-close work.
Although LASIK vision correction is not a cosmetic procedure, it is considered an elective surgery. Such surgeries are covered in many European and Asian countries. However, in the United States most insurance policies will not cover the procedure, nor will Medicare usually cover it. BACK
You should check with your insurance company to see if your policy offers partial or full coverage. In some cases, the cost of the procedure can be covered by medical flex plans that allow pretax dollars to be set aside for medical expenses. BACK
PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, laser eye surgery is similar to LASIK eye surgery in the sense that both procedures employ a computer-controlled excimer laser to reshape the cornea of the affected eye. However, during the LASIK procedure, the surgeon preserves the epithelium (the outermost protective layer of the eye) by creating a flap. During PRK vision correction, the epithelium is removed by gently scraping the surface. Anesthetic drops in the eye ensure that the patient experiences as little discomfort as possible. BACK
PRK laser eye surgery is also characterized by a lengthier healing process and greater discomfort than LASIK eye surgery. All patients can have PRK surgery except for those who have autoimmune disorders (Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis) or those who have a history of aggressive scar formation after a skin incision (called Keloids).
Combining some of the advantages of two other refractive surgeries, PRK and LASIK, LASEK can be used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. LASEK is able to correct vision in patients with corneas that are too flat or too steep for LASIK, and can offer less post-operative pain and a shorter recovery time than PRK BACK
As with all refractive surgeries, contact use must be discontinued several weeks prior to surgery. This allows your cornea to return to its original shape. Before beginning surgery a local anesthetic will be administered.. A small blade, called a trephine, is then used to scrape a flap in the epithelium (top layer of the cornea). The eye is then soaked in a 20% alcohol solution for about 30 seconds, and the flap is removed to expose the stroma (second layer of the cornea). A laser is then used to reshape the cornea.
LASEK has developed in recent years as a variation of the existing PRK procedure The laser and technology are the same as with that procedure, but with LASEK a trephine blade is used to remove the top layer of the cornea.
For about four days after surgery a protective contact lens is worn over the treated eye. For about one to two weeks vision is blurry, and a haloing affect can sometimes be experienced longer, but usually goes away after a while.
Patients usually need to take eye drops for up to two months following the procedure, and should refrain from contact sports and swimming.
During the healing process, a number of factors occur that allow the corneal flap to stick back onto the eye.
- The corneal flap made during the LASIK procedure is able to lay flat and aligned for 2 reasons:
1)The Hinge:
The corneal flap is created with a superiorly located hinge. When the flap is laid back down (after the procedure is completed), this hinge allows the flap to remain attached and aligned.
2) The "trough":
When the corneal flap is created, a trough (the "bed") is created in the cornea which is the exact same size as the flap. A flap that is replaced properly will lie perfectly in this trough. This is more stable than a contact lens which sits on top of the cornea and moves with each blink.
- The sequence of events for corneal flap adherence is as follows:
1) Negative suction:
During the first few seconds to the first few hours after surgery, the corneal flap begins to stick with the help of negative suction pressure exerted by the cornea. This is the same suction that allows contact lenses to stick to your eyes.
If the eye is too dry during this time, the eyelid can spontaneously stick to the flap. Friction with the surface can cause the flap to move. This can occur in about 0.1-0.5% of patients. For this reason, it is important that patients ensure that their eyes are well lubricated with artificial tears. Hitting the flap can also gently move it. This is why it is important not to rub your eyes after surgery.
2) Epithelial sealing:
During the first few minutes and up to 24 hours after the surgery, the surface epithelium (the transparent surface skin) grows over the incision and seals the flap. Simple lid contact with the flap should not move a flap with sealed epithelium. Moderately hitting the flap (with a finger, mascara, or a drop bottle) will move it.
3) Cornea stromal scarring:
Finally, after a few weeks to a few months, a scar begins to form around the edge of the flap. This results in the flap being well sealed. Only a severe blow (punch, squash ball) can now move the flap. After 6 months, surgical instruments are required to move a flap. BACK
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