Questions (FAQ)

What Are the Risks?

More than 5,000,000 Americans have already had LASIK and the number is growing. Experienced LASIK surgeons report a less than 1% complication rate. Many ophthalmologists believe the long-term risk of wearing contact lenses can exceed the one-time risk of LASIK by a factor as high as 5X, and the most recent studies, including an Advisory from the FDA, suggest that contacts represent a serious risk to eye health.

Is LASIK Safer Than Contacts?

More than 30 million Americans use contact lenses. In addition to offering flexibility, convenience, and a "no-glasses" appearance, "contacts" help correct a variety of vision disorders, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia. But contact lenses also present potential risks. In the past six years the FDA has posted an increasing number of advisories concerning risks associated with contacts lenses. "Because they are worn directly on the eye, they can lead to conditions such as eye infections and corneal ulcers," says James Saviola, Branch Chief for FDA's Division of Ophthalmic and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices. "These conditions can develop very quickly and can be very serious. In rare cases, they can lead to blindness."

Dr. William Mathers at the Oregon Health & Science University, reported that daily contact lens wearers have about a one in 100 chance of developing a serious lens-related eye infection over 30 years of use. “One shouldn’t just assume that contacts are safer [than LASIK],” Dr. Mathers reported. “This may have been true at one time, but for the average person this is certainly not the case anymore.”

Can I Really Get Rid Of My Glasses?

By choosing LASIK with the right doctor and advanced technology, the typical person age 18 to 45 will not need prescription glasses at all. Sometime between age 40 and 50, the typical person will likely need reading glasses whether they have had LASIK or not due to the reduced flexibility of their eye’s lenses.

This condition is called Presbyopia and can be effectively handled through a special LASIK technique known as monovision which has given thousands the ability to see both close up and far away. If you are considering LASIK and are using reading glasses, you should ask your LASIK surgeon if monovision will work for you.

Will LASIK Work For Me?

Most people over age 18 who suffer from nearvision, farvision or astigmatism can be helped, but a thorough eye exam is the only way to determine if LASIK can achieve your expectations. The exam should include full corneal mapping (topography), corneal thickness measurement and measurement of your pupil size to ensure that LASIK is right for you.

Your doctor should discuss your goals and expectations as well as the risks and benefits of the procedure. You should feel comfortable with your doctor’s assessment of your anticipated outcome.

Will It Hurt? When Can I Return To Work?

LASIK in the hands of an experienced surgeon is virtually painless. You can expect to feel no pain at all, and perhaps just the slightest sensation of pressure. Inserting or removing contact lenses – or just rubbing tired eyes from wearing glasses produce more discomfort than an LASIK procedure.

After a good night’s sleep the typical person awakens to the joy of seeing the world clearly and without lenses - usually for the first time in many years. Most people are able to return to work within 24-48 hours of their LASIK procedure.

What Is PRK?

Procedures such “epi-LASIK” and “LASEK” are really just forms of PRK: a type of vision correction where the laser treatment is done on top of the eye, instead of under the protective flap of LASIK. PRK is necessary for certain eye conditions where the cornea is too thin to create a protective flap. PRK is a less comfortable procedure than LASIK and can take up to two months to achieve the level of vision that LASIK can deliver in just a day or two but is better, when necessary, than the alternative of wearing contact lenses or glasses.

Isn’t All Laser Vision Correction The Same?

No. Many of the discount centers want you to believe that LASIK should be purchased like a commodity and that surgeon experience, laser technology, diagnostic technology and follow-up care don’t matter. Laser vision correction will affect the way you see for the rest of your life. You should make your decision to have laser vision carefully, not quickly.

What About Night-time Side-Effects?

You may have seen news stories about people having difficulty driving at night after refractive surgery. Night-time side-effects may include halos, starbursts, and glare around lights and blurry vision. These effects usually diminish as the eye heals in the first three months. In extreme cases additional touch-up (enhancement) procedures will be recommended.

However, the advent of Intralase and WAVELIGHT EYE-Q lasers has expanded treatment zones and many patients may once not have been candidates for LASIK can now be treated.

How Do Choose the Best Doctor?

This is definitely the most important question of all. Although LASIK is marketed as a commodity, like computers or cell phones, it is a medical procedure and in the final analysis the skill and care of the surgeon are the only significant issues. Look for a local surgeon who will personally oversee every step of the procedure and take the time to answers all your questions. Remember, the only ‘dumb’ question is the one you don’t ask.

Ensure you feel at ease with the surgeon and his staff and that you’re being treated with the respect and care that you deserve as an individual.

Finally, find out if your surgeon provides a 20/20 Money Back Guarantee - in writing. Don’t accept excuses or discouragement on this point. LASIK is an extremely precise procedure and a surgeon who is thoroughly skilled and expert, with a superb track record, knows precisely what results he can achieve for you. There may be no guarantees in medicine but you can and should expect a written commitment that you will get your full procedure fee back if your results are less than agreed.