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• Is it a permanent correction?
  
  Farsightedness, myopia and astigmatism may progress with age. However, the stability results of laser vision correction have been very impressive and most experts feel these results will last a lifetime.
  
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• When can I resume normal activities?
  
  The day of the procedure should be spent resting. The next few days your eyes may be sensitive to light and you may want to take it easy, though many people find themselves actively going about their normal lives. Showering is acceptable, but swimming should be avoided. Soap and water should be kept out of the eyes when showering. Your eyes need to be protected with sunglasses when outdoors and activities should allow you to follow your doctors instructions for eye drop installation. Most people return to work within 3 to 4 days after PRK and 1-2 days after LASIK.
  
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• Should I have both eyes done on the same day?
  
  The laser procedure is usually performed on both eyes (bilaterally), the same day. In the event that this can not be done, one eye will be treated at a time. Bilateral procedures are performed on most people because of less time off of work and you are finished with the procedure during one setting. If a patient's second eye is treated at a separate time than the first eye, one of the following two methods are used to gap the transition period: a) the patient will wear his/her glasses with one lens covered or removed. b) the patient will not wear glasses on the untreated eye and simply use the treated eye. c) Do not wear your contact lens if you are going to have the other eye done. d) The solution that is best for you will be discussed with you by your eye care professional.
  
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• Following waverfront LASIK or PRK, will I see better than I do with contact lenses or glasses?
  
  . In a certain percentage of WaveFront LASIK and PRK cases, patients will see better than they did with their glasses or contact lenses. However, this is also true for conventional LASIK or PRK, albeit not as frequently. One needs to understand that although this vision improvement is possible, it is by no means guaranteed.
  
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• What long-term effects can I expect?
  
  The PRK excimer laser procedure has been prevalent in many countries around the world since the late 1980s. Many clinical studies have investigated the long term effects of the excimer laser on the cornea. All of these studies, without exception, have failed to demonstrate any long term negative effects on the integrity of the eye. Since LASIK is a relatively new procedure (first performed in 1991), no one knows with absolute certainty what the long term effects are. We do know that very thin corneas do not do well. The center of the cornea may bulge forward, this is called ectasia. We do know that we have to keep 250 microns of corneal tissue intact. If after calculation it shows that 250 microns or more of corneal tissue can be preserved untouched then the probability of ectasia after the LASIK procedure is much smaller. Since LASIK was first introduced clinical studies have been unable to show any other negative effects on the eye. Many patients achieve 20/20 vision after their procedure, and today, they are still 20/20 without any difficulties. Patients who require an enhancement procedure will typically do so within the first few months following the procedure, not years later.
  
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• Why is WaveScan technology so important?
  
  Until now, physicians were forced to practice one- size- fits- all vision. An off the shelf lens corrects an individual's vision fairly well, but it is not uniquely tailored to "The fingerprint of your vision". Now, with WaveScan technology, we can custom tailor a correction for the unique characteristics of each individual's vision.
  
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• Do I need to take time off from work after I have PRK or LASIK?
  
  Patients are advised to take at least 3 to 4 days off of work for PRK and 1-2 days for LASIK and avoid strenuous activities after the procedure. This period of time is critical to the healing and stability of the eye. Time off work will vary on the individual and occupation. Individual assessment is required to determine the time needed for recovery.
  
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• Are my eyes patched shut after the procedure?
  
  Your eyes are NOT patched after PRK or LASIK. You will be given clear plastic eye shields to wear during the first 24 hours and for 4 nights, used just while sleeping, after LASIK. Bandage contact lenses are needed for the first 2 to 4 days after PRK.
  
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• Will I have perfect vision after the procedure? Will I still need my contact lenses or glasses?
  
  Experience has shown that laser vision correction has been overwhelmingly successful in reducing myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. While vision improves following the procedure, the degree of improvement may vary from individual to individual. Overall, 98% of typical patients achieve 20/40 vision or better after one procedure (i.e. before any enhancements) which means they can drive legally, play sports and join the police and fire departments, all without their glasses. Most patients are within one or two lines on the eye chart of 20/20 vision. Patients may receive an enhancement procedure to further improve their results if their vision is below legal driving levels. In general, there is a 10% chance that a patient will require an enhancement procedure. This chance is less in patients with mild myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism (approximately 2% chance) and greater in patients with extreme myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism (approximately 25% chance).
  
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• What is Iris Registration Technology?
  
  It's the first fully automated method of aligning and registering wavefront corrections for CustomVue treatments. It's normal for the pupil to shift positions from the point of wavefront measurement to the point of treatment. Iris Registration Technology centers the treatment correctly, independent of changes in the pupil center from measurement to treatment. It also torsional (clockwise or counterclockwise) aligns the treatment automatically. Auto registration relies on computer programs and infrared cameras that take pictures of the iris when the wavefront measurement takes place in the office setting. In addition the VISX S4 IR laser has infrared cameras and computer programs to match the VISX S4 IR laser captured iris image to that of the wavefront machine's previously taken in the office. This assures that when a person lies down under the laser when there eye cyclo torts (rotation of the eye in the socket clockwise or counterclockwise) that the laser head optically rotates to realign perfectly with the eyes position present in the office wavefront measurement setting. With auto tracking if you move your eye while the laser (VISX S4 IR) is on the laser head follows the movement. With auto centering the laser (VISX S4 IR) treatment is automatically aligned with the center of the pupil that was measured at the time when the person had the wavefront measurement in the office setting.
  
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• When will my vision stabilize? When will I have the crispest vision?
  
  After the PRK procedure, the vision will be blurry while the contact lens is in place. When the contact lens is ready to be removed the vision will start to clear. Once the contact lens is removed usually you have good functional vision (good enough to drive a car). The vision then starts to get clear and sharper over time. The sharpest vision usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks after the contact lenses have been removed. However, it can take several months for the vision to reach it's full potential. After the LASIK procedure the vision will be blurry for the rest of the day. By the evening you will notice the vision starting to improve. The vision the following day usually is very good (sometimes good enough to drive a car). On average, vision takes a week to reach full potential and the majority of patients have vision good enough to drive within the week of the LASIK procedure. You will be acutely aware of your changing vision during the healing process and your vision may change and fluctuate after either procedure for up to 6 months.
  
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• Will it hurt? Is it painful?
  
  The procedure itself is painless and usually takes about 10 minutes. There are no needles. Anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye at the time of the procedure. During the PRK procedure a speculum will be placed to keep the eye open during the procedure. It could be a little uncomfortable while the eye is held open. Light will be shined onto the eye to permit the surgeon to work. The surgeon then gently removes the outer layer of skin (epithelium) on the cornea to prepare the surface for treatment. This layer usually grows back within 2 to 3 days. During this time patients may feel a slight irritation or scratchy feeling. After the PRK procedure you will use a combination of drops as well as a bandage contact lens which makes the eye more comfortable. After the LASIK or PRK procedures when the anesthetic drops wear off, you will have some discomfort for a few hours. The majority of patients may experience irritation or a foreign body sensation for a few hours. The amount of pain varies from person to person and drops and/or tablets will be prescribed to relieve any pain that may develop. The following day the eye will be sensitive to light and may feel irritated. This may last 3 to 4 days for PRK and 1 day for LASIK (though the majority of people do not report pain). Dryness in the eyes can last up to two days. Very rarely do patients experience pain. Most patients are able to resume normal activities within a few days.
  
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• Has anyone ever gone blind from Excimer laser eye surgery?
  
  More than 1 million patients in 52 countries have improved their vision as a result of Excimer laser technology. No cases of blindness have ever been reported from either PRK or LASIK procedures.
  
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• Will I still need reading glasses?
  
  Yes, if you are 40 years or older but you may be less dependent upon them. Many patients choose to have "monovision" which allows for good distance in one eye and good reading in the other eye, further reducing the need for reading glasses. Hyperopia is often confused with presbyopia. Presbyopia is a condition that occurs as a normal part of the aging process. The lens of the eye begins to lose it's flexibility, making it difficult to read. This typically occurs between the ages of 40 and 50, requiring the use of reading glasses or bifocals. The laser has no effect on the lens or the focusing muscles attached to the lens. Patients with hyperopia often develop presbyopia earlier and benefit greatly from hyperopic laser vision correction. In general, patients who wear bifocals prior to the procedure will only need reading glasses (non-bifocals) after their procedure.It is possible to set one eye up for distance and the other eye for near so that you can see both at distance and near.
  
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• How long has wavefront LASIK been available?
  
  The first wavefront mapping of the complete aberration profile of a human eye was performed in 1994. The first wavefront LASIK procedure was performed in 1999. The FDA approved the first commercial use of wavefront LASIK to correct nearsightedness in October 2002, and approved the VISX S4 Wavefront LASIK platform for farsighted treatment in 2004.
  
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• Has anyone at the practice had the procedure done?
  
  Yes, many of our staff members have experienced the wonderful benefits of LASIK, as well as PRK. If you would like to speak to them one on one, please be sure to mention it at your next appointment.
  
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• Is laser vision correction covered by insurance?
  
  Most insurance companies do not cover PRK or LASIK, but we encourage you to check with your provider. While PRK and LASIK are deemed elective and not covered, they may be tax deductible. Please consult your accountant. Some employers will set up special pre-tax dollar /medical/surgical accounts to pay for laser vision correction in conjunction with their employees. Paying for LASIK or PRK with pre-tax dollars can be of substantial savings for you. We have financing available through Capital One and we accept cash, check, as well as Visa, Mastercard and Discover as payment.
  
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• How can I tell if Laser Vision Correction is a choice for me?
  
  If you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism and are over 21 years of age, in good health, with healthy eyes and wear glasses or contact lenses most of the time and your prescription power is not changing significantly (no more than 0.50 diopters during the year previous to your pre-operative evaluation) you are a candidate for LASIK or PRK. You must also have myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism in the range for LASIK or PRK. ? Your cornea thickness must be of significant thickness for LASIK. ? You must be informed of the risks and benefits of laser vision correction and have compared them to those of other available options for correcting your nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. ? You must read, understand and sign the informed consent provided by your eye care professional. ? You must have realistic expectations about the outcome of the procedure. ? Every person's situation is unique, in order to assess whether you are a candidate, you must have a pre-procedure consultation with your eye care professional.
  
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