Refractive Surgery Consultation

Refractive surgery can correct multiple eye conditions. The most common are:

• Myopia – AKA, “nearsightedness”. This is refractive issue is the most common. This condition makes it difficult to see objects at a distance, though you can clearly see up close.
• Hyperopia – AKA, “farsightedness”. This refractive issue makes it difficult to see up close, such as when reading or working at the computer.
• Astigmatism – This common refractive error prevents light from coming to a single focus on the retina. This can create distorted, blurry, or fuzzy vision.

We offer a free refractive surgery consultation. During that visit we will determine if you are a good candidate for refractive surgery, and if so, the procedure that would offer you the best success rate for your vision. We will perform a thorough eye exam that includes:

• Review of past medical history
• Review of past ocular history
  • Use of glasses or contact lenses
  • Previous infections or other problems
  • Trauma
• Corneal topography – measures corneal curvature and shape
• Corneal pachymetry – measures corneal thickness
• Measurement of refractive error (prescription)
• Measurement of tear production
• Measurement of pupil size
• Biomicroscopic evaluation of all ocular structures to determine overall eye health

During your consultation, you will be provided with information regarding the various procedures for which you are a candidate for, as well as the results from your examination.

There are four main types of refractive surgery:

• LASIK – laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis – This type of surgery is the most popular and widely advertised. A laser and microkeratome are used to reshape your cornea to correct refractive errors.
• LASEK & PRK – These procedures are similar to LASIK, except that a tissue flap is not created. The laser treatment is done on the surface of the eye after removing the outer layer of cells.
  
  LASEK and PRK are suitable for people whose corneas are too thin or too curved to be good candidates for standard LASIK. With LASEK and PRK, healing time is slightly longer than with LASIK, and good vision is achieved in four to seven days.

• Phakic intraocular lenses – verisyse implantable contact lens – People with extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness may not be suitable candidates for LASIK, but may benefit from a verisyse lens, which is a special contact lens that is implanted behind the cornea.
• Conductive keratoplasty – If you have good distance vision and are tired of your reading glasses, conductive keratoplasty, or CK, may be perfect for you. CK utilizes localized radio-frequency energy to gently reshape the cornea. This simple, non-laser procedure, requires no tissue removal. Conductive keratoplasty can significantly improve reading vision in patients who are good candidates for this procedure.

The procedure itself takes approximately 10 minutes per eye, with most of that time being prep for the actual procedure. The laser itself is only activated for somewhere between 15 and 60 seconds.

During the procedure:

• The Ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) will numb your eye and surrounding tissue.
• A flap will be cut into the cornea using a microkeratome or laser keratome.
• You will be asked to focus on a single point – usually a light – during the operation. This is not the laser correcting your vision, but rather a single point that will keep your eyes steady during the procedure.

Once finished, you will be sent home with an eye shield as well as instructions on what to expect over the coming days, weeks, and months.