Do you rely on glasses or contact lenses to get through your day? Are you sick of it? If you answered yes, then you are not alone. Millions of Americans live with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism – but they don’t have to. Permanent vision correction with laser eye surgery is more popular today than ever, and for good reason. Procedures like LASIK surgery are helping patients live lives less dependent on glasses and contact lenses.
LASIK surgery, or Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is the most popular form of laser vision correction in the US. It is a type of laser refractive surgery that can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. These vision conditions have something in common, which is a misshapen cornea. When the corneal tissue is misshapen, light rays do not focus correctly on the back of the eye, the retina, which leads to refractive errors such as those mentioned above. In order to permanently correct these vision problems, the cornea must be reshaped.
LASIK surgery has a great track record and many patients who undergo LASIK achieve 20/25 vision or better.
AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR LASIK?
LASIK surgery isn’t for everyone. There are many factors that may disqualify you from undergoing LASIK. You will need to meet certain criteria for LASIK surgery, including:
Over the age of 18
Not pregnant or nursing
No previous eye injury or disease
Have generally good health
The only way to know for sure whether or not you are a candidate for LASIK surgery is to book a consultation with a LASIK surgeon.
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Dr. Nguyen and her staff were all so kind! They made sure I knew exactly what expect leading up to my LASIK procedure, and the procedure itself was painless, quick and not scary! My vision is perfect now and I’m so thankful to Dr. Nguyen and the team!
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THE LASIK PROCEDURE
LASIK surgery is a straightforward procedure that has been performed millions of times, and it takes only 5 to 10 minutes to treat each eye.
To begin the process, your LASIK surgeon will numb your eyes, and you will be given a mild sedative to ease any nervousness. Your eyelids will be kept open with a lid speculum, which will prevent you from blinking during surgery.
Once your eyes are prepped, your eye doctor will begin by creating a thin, circular flap on your cornea using a femtosecond laser. Once this flap is created, it is pulled back to expose the inner layers of your cornea. From there, your surgeon will use an excimer laser to reshape the cornea to an extremely high degree of precision. Once the necessary adjustments have been made, the flap will be smoothed over. There are no stitches required after LASIK surgery, and this thin flap will heal on its own with no impact on your vision.
RECOVERY FROM LASIK
Before you leave after your surgery, your eye surgeon will give you detailed instructions about the proper post-LASIK aftercare. You should make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions to avoid any complications or infections. These are extremely rare after LASIK surgery, and usually only occur when proper aftercare is not observed.
You will be asked not to go swimming, lift heavy objects, or participate in contact sports or vigorous exercise for the first week or so. You will attend a series of follow-up appointments to ensure everything is healing properly.
LASIK RESULTS
In most cases, well-qualified LASIK patients achieve excellent vision once the healing process is complete and will no longer need corrective lenses to see clearly. However, the results can be influenced by factors such as other existing eye problems you may have. It is rare for your vision to change after the healing process is complete, but if it does then you can choose to have a “touch-up” procedure. LASIK also does not prevent other eye conditions such as cataracts.
LASIK IN ARLINGTON, VA
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pay for Lasik?
We offer a few options to our patients. We take cash, credit, and cashier check. We also offer our patients financing with Wells Fargo Financing and Care Credit.
How long does eye surgery take?
The surgery itself can take less than 3 minutes per eye, but youre in our office at least 1 hour. We like to go over all questions patients have for us before surgery as well as all post-op instructions.
How long is the recovery for Lasik surgery?
For most patients, they are functioning normally by the next day. With PRK, recovery is a bit longer and in most cases patients can resume normal activities within 1 week of surgery.
Can I work the day after Lasik?
You can work after surgery, although its advisable you take a few days off to recover. Your eyes will be tired and light-sensitive the first few days after surgery.
Can you get Lasik in just one eye?
Yes, you can get LASIK in only one eye. Some patients do not need to do LASIK in both eyes.
Does eye flap heal after Lasik?
Your flap does heal after LASIK, but it does take some time for it to heal. Thats why we ask our patients to sleep and use eye shields for the first week after surgery.
Do your eyes look different after Lasik?
After LASIK your eyes will be watery (tearing) for the first few days after surgery. Your eyes may also develop what we call an eye bruise (bloodshot eyes) after surgery from the suction that keeps your eye in place, similar to how we get bruises on our skin. Bruising can last anywhere from 1-4 weeks.
Does Lasik last forever?
LASIK does not last forever, it depends on how high your prescription is. It can come back a little bit over time, which is what we call regression. If it gets to the point where it bothers you we can go back and perform a touch up.
Is Lasik cheaper than contacts?
Of the course of a lifetime of wearing glasses and contacts, yes LASIK is cheaper. Some patients have astigmatism and need to wear astigmatism contact lenses that are more expensive than spherical contact lenses. Often patients end up buying contacts, glasses, amd prescription sunglasses as well as contact lens solution. In the end, the cost of all those over the course of a lifetime would definitely be more than the cost of LASIK.
How long is vision blurry after Lasik?
Your eyes can be a bit blurry 2-3 days after Lasik surgery. Day by day it will get better and better. Just give your eyes some rest and let them tear naturally.
Can eyes get worse after Lasik?
Yes. LASIK surgery will not prevent other eye related problems from happening, such as age-related nearsightedness, so it’s entirely possible for your eyesight to get worse due to these other factors.
Can Lasik give you 20 20 Vision?
Yes. LASIK is designed to provide 20/25 vision or better. However, it is not guaranteed that everyone can achieve totally perfect vision given that everyone’s vision impairment is different.
Can you get Lasik If you have astigmatism?
Yes. LASIK can be a very helpful surgery for people who suffer from astigmatism. If you have severe astigmatism, your ophthalmologist may recommend other refractive surgeries such as PRK or ICL that would be more able to correct your vision.
Can you get Lasik surgery if you wear bifocals?
Yes. The vast majority of people who need both near and far vision correction can benefit from LASIK. Your ophthalmologist will discuss with you your options, such as monovision or correcting for a single distance.
Do I need glasses after Lasik now?
Usually no. Most people no longer require corrective lenses following their LASIK procedure, but this isn’t guaranteed. Some people still require slight vision correction to see clearly at certain distances or in certain conditions.
Do you need reading glasses after Lasik?
Usually no. Most people no longer require corrective lenses following their LASIK procedure, but this isn’t guaranteed. Some people still require slight vision correction to see clearly at certain distances or in certain conditions.
Can my vision be too bad to qualify for LASIK?
Yes. LASIK can be performed on nearly anyone who requires a prescription corrective lens to see correctly, but there is a limit to what degree of vision correction it can achieve for people with severe prescriptions. Other options such as PRK or ICL may be better in that case.
Will my eyes be dry right after LASIK?
Yes. The surface of your eye will need to heal, which may cause your eyes to feel more dry for several days following the procedure. In the past, it was not uncommon for people to have longer lasting symptoms of dry eye following a LASIK procedure. This is much less common with the current technology, but is still a possibility.
