LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK eye surgery (‘laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis’) is the most widely performed laser eye surgery to correct short-sight, long-sight, astigmatism and presbyopia (the need for reading glasses). Learn about the A-LASIK procedure developed at Anaheim Eye.
LASIK Eye Surgery at Anaheim Eye
- is considered pain-free by most patients
- is performed as a day-case with the whole visit lasting 2 hours
- treatment completed within 10 minutes for both eyes
- gives excellent vision in 4 hours for most patients
The most important step is to find the right surgeon, as it is the single biggest factor affecting the quality of your vision after treatment. At Anaheim Eye, you will have a world-class clinician perform your LASIK eye surgery. After consultation, if we find that you are not suitable for LASIK eye surgery, a number of other vision correction options could be available. Alternative procedures include: PRK (also referred to as LASEK) and phakic IOL surgery (ICL), where an additional lens is placed inside your eye. We will determine if one of these procedures is suitable for your eyes and, if so, which technique will be best.
At Anaheim Eye Institute, our goal is to treat you as a special guest and provide you with exceptional care and attention. Our kind, friendly staff makes your LASIK surgery a pleasant experience with minimal stress and no discomfort. As you consider LASIK, we encourage you to ask questions and share your concerns. We want you to be completely knowledgeable about LASIK -how we perform the procedure and what you can expect during your procedure.
Anaheim Eye Institute is proud to offer our patients the most advanced LASIK Laser Vision Correction available. LASIK (or Laser- assisted in-Situ Keratomileusis) is a very safe procedure to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness in people who no longer wish to wear contact lenses or glasses. Over 10 million people have successfully undergone LASIK and most report seeing better than they ever thought possible. At Anaheim Eye Institute we utilize the latest advancements in LASIK technology and offer custom LASIK which uses two extremely precise lasers to reshape the front window of the eye called the cornea. By reshaping the cornea, light reflects directly on to the patient’s retina, giving most people20/20 or better vision.
Am I a Candidate for LASIK?
- Are 21 years of age or older
- Have healthy eyes
- Have a stable glasses’ prescription for one year or more
- Have a prescription from -11.00 diopters of nearsightedness up to +5.00 of farsightedness, or an astigmatism of up to 5.00 diopters
- Not satisfied with wearing glasses and contact lenses become uncomfortable or an inconvenience
To ensure that you are a candidate, you will need to have a comprehensive evaluation at our office. There we will determine your candidacy and review all the options and details of the LASIK procedure, including financing options.
If you have been told in the past that you are not a candidate for LASIK, this may no longer be the case! Advancements in technology allow the surgeons at Anaheim Eye Institute to treat a wider range of diopters. Also, treating thinner corneas is now an option due to the addition of blade-free LASIK.
LASIK FAQs
LASIK is a procedure that improves vision by changing the shape of the cornea with a laser and is a very effective treatment for a wide range of vision problems. LASIK continues to grow in popularity and is the number one elective surgery in the country.
Research has shown that there are four main reasons that people choose to have LASIK. They are:
- Life simplification: No longer having to deal with glasses or contacts
- Independence: Freedom from dependence on glasses and/or contacts
- Performance: Ability to perform better in sports-related activities
- Ability to see 24/7 when it counts: Better vision from the time a person wakes up to when they go to sleep. Imagine seeing better than you have ever seen all day long.
LASIK can treat a very broad range of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. The best way to determine who is a good candidate is with a thorough eye exam. Candidates must be 21 years of age or older, in good general health, and have good eye health with no diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma. Click here for more information on LASIK candidacy.
Most patients are in the laser suite for no longer than 10 minutes. The actual laser treatment time takes just 15-90 seconds, depending on the degree of correction required. Total time at the center on the day of the procedure will be about 2-3 hours.
LASIK has proven overwhelmingly successful in reducing dependence on glasses and contact lenses. Clinical studies show that most LASIK patients (with mild to moderate prescriptions) have the potential to achieve 20/20 vision or better. ?Generally, this means they no longer need or have reduced dependence on glasses or contacts to drive, play sports, watch movies and TV, or participate in careers requiring excellent vision. Should we include something here about patient satisfaction? Most people cannot believe the things that they can after LASIK that they were unable to see before–for example, being able to see individual leaves on trees when looking from a distance.
During the LASIK procedure, there is no pain. Instead, there may be a sensation of firm pressure for just a few seconds while the corneal flap is being created.is this still true with all-laser LASIK? Following the procedure, patients may experience some mild scratchiness (usually described as the sensation of having an eyelash or two floating on the surface of the eye) that is relieved by the use of artificial tears and several hours of rest with your eyes closed following the procedure.
There is no discomfort at all during the PRK procedure. Following the procedure, you may experience a gritty sensation with some mild to moderate discomfort which we alleviate by placing a protective contact lens over the treated are and giving you anesthetic drops and pain medication to use during the first 24 hours in the event of discomfort. All discomfort should be completely resolved within 2-3 days as the surface layer fills in to cover the exposed area. Discomfort should be completely resolved within 2-3 days except in the rarest of cases.
Most patients undergoing LASIK prefer to have both eyes treated on the same day since it is more convenient for them, however this is a decision entirely between the patient and the doctor.
Yes. Your doctor will ask you to look at a blinking light within the laser during the procedure. This will ensure that the laser treatment will be centered properly over the center of your vision during the treatment.
Your LASIK surgeon will continuously observe your eye and head position during the laser treatment. If necessary, he will stop the laser treatment if your eye (or head) moves too much, but this almost never occurs.
The first day after LASIK, most patients have experienced a large improvement in their vision, to approximately 20/40 or even better. This greatly depends on your preoperative prescription. You can expect to regain approximately 75% to 80% of your vision in the first two to three days after LASIK. The remainder of your vision will improve gradually over several weeks. If you have significant astigmatism, or are very nearsighted/farsighted sight recovery and stabilization are slower.
Most procedures have a fairly short recovery time and the majority of patients are able to return to work and normal activities as early as the next day.
You can shower or bathe the day after procedure. Avoid getting soap or water in the eyes or immersing in the ocean, in a pool or in a Jacuzzi for at least 2 weeks after the procedure.
Affordable Financing Options
The decision is clear.
Putting off vision care postpones wellbeing. It doesn’t have to be that way. Whether you’re considering LASIK, need cataract surgery, or it’s simply time for new glasses or contacts, CareCredit can help you see clearer, sooner.
We offer CareCredit©, a card designed specifically for your vision and beauty needs. CareCredit can help you move forward with getting the procedure you’ve always wanted. With convenient monthly payment options, no up-front costs, no prepayment penalties and no annual fees, you can get your procedure sooner.
Carecredit.com offers financing options for all your eyecare and oculoplastic needs. If you need cataract surgery and want to afford one of the new premium intraocular lenses available or you want an eyelid/cosmetic surgery that isn’t covered under your insurance, now there are more options available to you.
CareCredit offers excellent customer support as well as several financing options that are specific to your financial needs. They have No interest payments for up to 18 months as well as longer financing with a low interest rate.