LASIK Q&A's

Most people over age 18 suffering from nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism can be helped. Some physical or medical factors 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.

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, 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.

LASIK is safe and effective for most people, as declared by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Over 12,500,000 Americans have had LASIK since the 90s – and less than 2% of their surgeons have reported a complication rate. It is important to note that your eyes are unique and your results will be unique to you. The important factors of a safe procedure are having the most advanced technology and a skilled and expert surgeon like Dr. Donelson.

Contacts can be a safe alternative to LASIK, however 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.

LASIK in the hands of an experienced surgeon using advanced technology involves minimal pain. You can expect to feel a slight sensation of pressure; inserting or removing contact lenses or just rubbing eyes tired from wearing glasses may produce more discomfort.

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 to reduce the likelihood of infection.

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 Dr. Donelson insists on using advanced technology for his patients, and because he has performed over 2,500 procedures, Dr. Donelson can say he has had to enhance less than 1.8% of his patients. This means more than 98% of his 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 are permitted to perform a procedure known as Photorefractive Keratectomy or PRK.

PRK 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 may 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.

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 advanced lasers used by Dr. Donelson contain 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 for a quality treatment and increased patient safety.

These effects, if they occur at all, usually diminish as the eye heals in the first three months. In some cases additional touch-up (enhancement) procedures will be recommended. It is important to note some patients may experience nighttime vision side effects may not be corrected.

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.

Very much so. The original technique for creating the corneal flap involved a spinning hand-held blade called a microkeratome. This has been surpassed by advanced technology 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 VISX S4 IR and Custom LASIK have considerably expanded treatment zones and precision of outcomes.

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. The truth is that 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 Donelson Eye Associates, many people find their payments can be equivalent to what they are currently spending on glasses and contacts.

In the final analysis of LASIK, the skill and care of the surgeon are the most significant issues. Dr. Donelson will personally oversee every step of the procedure and take the time to answer all your questions. We expect that you will feel at ease and that you’re being treated with the respect and care you deserve as an individual.