What to Expect When You Have LASIK

The Examination

At the time of your free consultation you will be able to discuss the different methods of correcting your vision through refractive surgery and which would be best for you, as well as risks, advantages and disadvantages. You may then decide to return for a scheduled examination, or stay and continue the evaluation that day. As a courtesy to you, your payment for the preoperative examination is deducted from the cost of the surgery. There are no extra or hidden surgical costs that you must pay for. You may want to have someone with you for the exam since drops are used to dilate the eye and your vision may be slightly blurry for a few hours. Most people however can drive themselves home after the exam. The eyes are dilated to obtain a pure prescription measurement and to allow Eric Donnenfeld, M.D., F.A.C.S. to visualize the inside of your eye. A tear quantity test, corneal mapping, glaucoma check, corneal thickness determination, and microscopic examination of the eye are also performed. You will also be taught pre- and post-operative care including the use of eye drops, and any applicable restrictions.

The Surgery

It is important to have a ride home after your laser surgery. You will not be able to drive home. When you arrive at the laser center an assistant will again review the surgical consent with you and answer any additional questions. You will be given anti-inflammatory medications and eye drops. In the laser, room numbing eye drops will be applied and you will be asked to look up into a ring of lights with a center red target. Eric Donnenfeld, M.D., F.A.C.S. then positions your eye and you will hear a popping sound as the laser fires. It is normal for the lights to go out and the vision to dim during the procedure. You may smell a faint odor as the laser gasses are released. This is the non-toxic gas that is energized to produce the cool beam of concentrated light energy. The laser application itself takes less than a minute. You will be escorted into an examination room following the surgery where Eric Donnenfeld, M.D., F.A.C.S. makes a final check before your discharge home. You should expect to be in the office about 3 hours the day of surgery.

Follow-up

You will be expected to return to the office the day after surgery. This could be scheduled in the early morning if you plan on returning to work that day. Eric Donnenfeld, M.D., F.A.C.S. will examine the eye and you will be instructed in the use of your eye drop medication. You should expect to make a few return visits to the office to follow the progression of healing over the next 2-6 months.

Expectations

You should begin seeing better the next morning after LASIK surgery. Most people find they can drive and return to work the day after surgery. There will be a period of visual change and fluctuation while the eye heals but commonly people return to their routine the next day. Night glare and halo are common immediately after the surgery and will improve as the eye heals. Those candidates for refractive surgery in the 40-year old age group will have to consider near vision alternatives as they age. For this your vision may be corrected for distance vision, near vision, or monovision. Monovision is when one eye is corrected for distance and the other for reading. All options of visual results will be fully discussed with you before the surgery. You will decide which is best suited to your lifestyle.