Lasik Frequently Asked Questions
Am I nearsighted or farsighted and can laser vision correction treat it?
LASIK or another advanced refractive procedure can correct either nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Being nearsighted, or myopic, means you cannot see things clearly in the distance. Nearsighted people need glasses to drive or to watch television, and some people with more extreme prescriptions may need glasses even to see the alarm clock in the morning.
If you are farsighted, or hyperopic, you may have trouble seeing things up close. Without glasses or contacts, reading, eating or even talking to friends can all be difficulty.
I've heard so much about astigmatism. What is it? Does LASIK correct it?
Astigmatism refers to an asymmetric curvature of your cornea. A "normal" cornea is round, like a basketball. If you have astigmatism, your cornea is shaped more like an American football. Astigmatism can occur alone or in addition to either nearsightedness or farsightedness and can be corrected with LASIK
A large percentage of nearsighted, farsighted, and astigmatic patients are potential candidates for LASIK. Patients who are 18 years of age or older, have healthy eyes are suitable. Along with being medically suitable, the best candidates are people with a lifestyle or occupation in which they are dissatisfied with their contact lenses or glasses. By having a free evaluation, examination, and consultation at the LASIK Surgery Clinic at Angeles University Medical Center, the doctor will be able to determine if you are a good LASIK candidate.
How long does LASIK take?
In our practices, LASIK is performed as an office procedure in the comfort and convenience of an excimer laser eye surgery suite. The entire treatment takes about 5 to 7 minutes per eye or approximately 15 minutes for both eyes.
Is the Effect of LASIK Eye Surgery Permanent?
Yes. Following an initial healing period of two to three months, the effect of the treatment is lifelong.
Will I Need Reading Glasses After the Treatment?
Generally, patients under 40 years of age read well without glasses following the treatment. Patients over 40 may need magnification for reading fine print. Presbyopia is the term that refers to the natural weakening of the focusing muscles that occurs in our early to mid 40s, causing us to need the magnification that reading glasses provide. The LASIK treatment does not correct or prevent presbyopia. We also will be glad to discuss another option called monovision
What is the difference between LASIK and PRK/LASEK?
LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) and advanced surface ablation procedures like LASEK and PRK are all laser vision correction techniques used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. They each use a computer-controlled excimer laser to reshape the cornea, and each has excellent post-operative results.
LASIK involves the creation of a thin corneal flap and the use of the laser on the internal tissue of the cornea. The surgery takes only a few minutes per eye and is generally painless. Afterwards, there is very little discomfort, and patients are often able to return to work the next day. Post-operative care typically involves at least three office visits.
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