Frequently Asked LASIK Questions
Most patients who come to Advanced Eye & Laser Center of California, Inc. make great LASIK candidates, however there are some restrictions. LASIK patients must be at least 18 years of age, have healthy corneas, have a stable prescription, and be within a certain range of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. If you are a contact-lens wearer, you must also be willing to refrain from contact lenses for a minimum of three days before your LASIK procedure. If you are not deemed a great candidate for LASIK, don’t worry, there are other vision correction options available like LASEK and PRK. To determine whether you are a good candidate, schedule a free consultation with Dr. Huynh.
The entire procedure should not last much longer than 10 – 15 minutes. The eyes will be numbed with special drops, and the corneal reshaping using the VISX STAR S4 laser takes only minutes per eye. The bulk of time is spent explaining risks and benefits before the procedure, and discussing patient care and healing following the procedure. LASIK patients and their companions should plan on spending about 2 hours at our surgery center on surgery day.
First of all, choosing a VISX laser ensures a level of quality we feel is unmatched by other laser manufacturers. VISX is the manufacturer of choice in this country — over 80% of laser vision correction procedures are performed using VISX laser! Our choice of the VISX STAR S4 excimer laser is based on the extensive research and development that was conducted during the laser’s creation.
The S4 is the most precise, most high-tech laser VISX offers with several new features and unique advantages over previous models like variable spot scanning technology, a larger treatment zone, 3-D active eye tracking and iris registration. Iris registration is an excellent safety mechanism which takes a picture of the orientation of the eye while the patient is sitting up. When the patient lays down for the procedure, the eye rotates slightly and iris registration corrects for how much the eye rotated.
Iris registration allows for the most accurate and safe surgery possible. All this state-of-the-art technology translates into more accurate laser treatment, quicker healing time, less corneal tissue removal, precise targeting despite eye movement, and fewer complications.
Perhaps the most popular LASIK question of all. . . . The LASIK procedure itself is not a painful one — you will be fully anesthetized, and should feel nothing besides some discomfort while your eyes are held open for treatment. Patients will experience different levels of discomfort and eye pressure, but numbing eye drops keep it to a bare minimum and pain reliever can help with any post-operative discomfort.
LASIK recovery is a speedy one, thanks to the accuracy and gentleness of the VISX STAR S4 laser. However, each patient will have their own timetable for the healing process. Talk to Dr. Huynh about ways you can take care of your eyes and encourage rapid healing. You will need to use soothing eye drops for a short time following the procedure, and avoid bright lights and sun exposure as well. You should begin to see vision results almost immediately after LASIK surgery!
Because all surgeries carry some degree of risk, and patients respond differently to corneal reshaping, we cannot guarantee 20/20 vision or better. However, we can share with you our highly successful rates of visual recovery and show you how others have had success with the procedure.
Contact our LASIK surgery center for more information on the benefits of vision correction. Call or email Dr. Huynh and his exceptional team today for your free LASIK consultation.