LASIK Laser Vision Correction

In order to see clearly it is necessary for light entering the eye to focus on the retina correctly. If light enters the eye and falls in front of the retina the condition is called myopia or nearsightedness. The result of this condition is that images far away appear blurry. If light entering the eye falls behind the retina the condition is called hyperopia or farsightedness. The result of this condition is that images close up will appear blurred. If light is diffused because the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball the condition is called astigmatism and images will appear distorted. Astigmatism is a very common condition. All of the above are known collectively as refractive errors. A person may have more than one condition together, for instance, it is common to have myopia and astigmatism. Eyeglasses and contact lenses redirect light entering the eye so that it falls on the retina correctly resulting in clear vision.

LASIK Laser Vision Correction (short for laser in-situ keratomileusis) uses the "cool" UV light of the Excimer laser to permanently reshape the inner layers of the cornea (the outer clear covering of the eye) so that light entering the eye falls correctly on the retina producing clear vision.

The LASIK Procedure at The Ophthalmic Center

Our LASIK procedures start well in advance of the day of surgery. The first step for our patients is to meet with the surgeon to discuss the procedure and determine if LASIK Laser Vision Correction is right for the individual. There are many reasons why a patient would not be a good candidate for LASIK. The obvious ones include physical prohibitions such as a history of ocular herpes, pre-existing damage to the optic nerve, corneas that are too thin, or pupils that are too large in diameter. However, there are other more subtle reasons that would indicate a patient should not have LASIK such as a patient's unrealistic expectation for the results of the surgery, severe claustrophobia, or inability to focus successfully on the task at hand. Our doctors are always sensitive to the individual patient's needs and never assume that "one size fits all". Not only is a patient's corneal topography unique to them, but their desires and expectations are as well.

If, after meeting with the surgeon, the patient and doctor are in agreement to pursue LASIK correction the next step at The Ophthalmic Center is to undergo pre-surgical testing. At this visit the patient will be with us for approximately two hours and will undergo a series of exact tests and measurements to determine the precise degree of corneal correction necessary to achieve the best vision possible. The patient's eyes will be widely dilated. The reason for this is twofold. First, in addition to many other tests we do a cyclopegic refraction where the focusing ability of the lens behind the pupil of the eye is inhibited. This gives the surgeon a better analysis of the focusing power of the cornea by itself. The patient may subsequently find that they are very light sensitive and unable to see print close up. This condition may last for several hours after the tests are completed. Second, the surgeon performs a thorough retinal examination as part of the testing procedure to ensure the best surgical results possible.

We employ Wavescan technology at The Ophthalmic Center. Wavescan is one of the latest developments employed to assist in determining the most exact optical correction for the patient. Using technology derived from astro-physics, scientists employing accommodative optics are now able to eliminate distortions interfering with the crisp imaging of our most powerful telescopes. Wavescan technology sends 10.000 points of light into the eye and then measures the length of time it takes for it to travel back through the eye after hitting the retina. By measuring and computing the time delay of the points arriving back to the sensors, the Wavescan computer determines the shape the cornea needs to be to allow the light to arrive back to the sensors at exactly the same time. We all have these visual aberrations, but the degree and amount of these aberrations affects one's crispness and quality of vision. If, all of the pre-surgical tests performed indicate that the patient is a good candidate for LASIK Laser Vision correction, then surgery is scheduled at the center.

LASIK surgery is performed in our facility using the latest VISX Star ActiveTrak technology. The system combines Wavescan technology, 3D ActiveTrak Eyetracker and Variable Spot Scanning (VSS) to provide the very best in personalized LASIK care. Our laser suite is temperature controlled with a central humidifying system installed to ensure the accuracy of the operation of the Excimer laser. We tell the patient to wear lose, warm comfortable clothing as the atmosphere inside the laser suite is quite cool and somewhat damp. After LASIK has been performed, the patient is escorted to another examining room where they will relax for approximately ten minutes with the friends or family members who accompanied them. The surgeon comes back to examine the patient again under a slit-lamp microspcope and then, only after this re-examination, if everything is absolutely perfect, is the patient instructed on the proper instillation of eye drops, their eyes covered with clear plastic eye shields, is the patient allowed to go home. Once at home, the patient will take one-half of a sleeping pill given to them by the surgeon so that they will sleep as long as possible. Sleeping is the best way to begin the eye's healing process after LASIK. The surgeon will phone the patient later in the evening to check the patient's status and answer any questions he or she might still have. The surgeon then sees the patient the next morning at the center in the first of a full year of postoperative visits.