Thinking of freeing yourself from eyeglasses and contacts?
Being free of eyeglasses and contacts dependence makes your active lifestyle much easier and freer. This guide will help you make the right decision whether laser vision correction is right for you.
What is LASIK?
LASIK is a laser-vision correction procedure that millions of people around the world have experienced. LASIK (Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis), the most popular form of laser vision correction, is a precise method of gently reshaping the cornea to improve vision and reduce dependence on eyeglasses and contact lenses.
Am I a good candidate?
A comprehensive eye exam by our doctors is required to determine if you are a LASIK candidate. However, many people benefit from this procedure.
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What if I wear bifocals?
LASIK does not stop the eye’s natural aging process (which causes presyopia, or the loss of focusing ability). However, procedures such as monovision and conductive keratoplasty (CK) can help compensate for natural eye aging. Monovision is a method of distance-vision correction. The dominant eye is corrected as normal, but distance vision of the non-dominant eye is slightly under-corrected to enable patients to continue near-vision tasks, such as reading. Your brain adjusts for the change so you see normally.
Conductive keratoplasty (CK) treats farsightedness by reshaping the cornea to change how it focuses light. A safe, painless, and controlled release of radiofrequency energy heats and shrinks the cornea’s curvature to reduce farsightedness. Eyes do change over time, so treatment results may not be permanent.
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Can both of my eyes be treated on the same day?
Most patients have both eyes treated the same day. Advantages include convenience, less time away from work, and vision balance. Consult with your physician before deciding treatment schedules.
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Does the procedure hurt?
Laser vision correction procedures are usually painless. Topical, anesthetic eyedrops numb the eye. Occasionally, some patients experience slight discomfort a few hours after the procedure. Post-operative discomfort may include slight stinging, excessive tearing, o a foreign-body sensation. Typically, over-the-counter pain relievers ease discomfort. A post-operative nap also is recommended to ease discomfort.
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What if I accidentally blink during the procedure?
It is impossible for patients to blink during the procedure. An instrument gently holds your eyelids open. Because eyedrops numb the eye, the blink reflex is lost and keeping the eye open is painless.
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What are LASIK side effects?
For a few weeks until the eye completely heals, patients may experience increased glare and halos around bright lights. Patients also may experience some blurriness during the first days after the procedure. Since laser-vision correction was first performed in the late 1980s, no proven long-term negative effects on eye strength have been reported.
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How long does the procedure take?
On average, laser procedures take less than a minute per eye. Time in the laser room is less than 15 minutes and total time at the surgery center is generally between two and four hours.
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How long will it take to achieve stable vision?
Each patient heals differently. While most patients achieve stable vision overnight, others may take a few days or, in rare cases, a few weeks. However, most patients say they return to normal activities within a day or two.
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How soon can I resume normal activities?
Most patients can drive and resume normal activities the next day. Patients should not wear eye makeup, swim, put water in their eyes, or be in dusty or dirty environments for at least three days after surgery. Patients should not rub their eyes for at least 10 days after surgery.
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First Step: Screening Consultation
An experienced LASIK counselor will check your eyeglass prescription, discuss your vision, and complete an eye examination. LASIK can correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (irregularly shaped eyes that cause vision blurriness), and presbyopia (blurred near-focus vision). The consultation will also discuss the procedure steps, fees, and payment options.
Fees are comprehensive and cover the pre-surgical evaluation and comprehensive examination, the LASIK procedure and all surgery aspects, plus follow-up visits for three months and enhancements for one year. Punctal plug occlusions are optional but highly recommended. Plug occlusions allow natural tears to work better and help maintain eye wetness to keep them comfortable.
Pricing is based on your vision prescription and required correction, procedure complexity, and other factors. Price may increase if only one eye is treated. Procedure eligibility will be determined by Bettner Vision. If you do not proceed or are ineligible for surgery, a routine $79 exam fee will be charged.
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Will my insurance pay for LASIK?
Insurance companies typically consider LASIK "elective" surgery and do not cover procedure costs. Check with your insurance company for LASIK benefits or with your employer to learn if treatments may be paid with pre-tax medical deductions under flexible benefit plans. Some corporations do offer employee coverage for the procedure.
LASIK is an excellent investment in your personal well being. For this reason, financial considerations should not be an obstacle to vision correction. Although payment in full is due at the time of surgery and can be paid by cash or credit card, we also offer payment plans.
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Pre-Surgical Evaluation
A comprehensive dilated eye exam with refraction is performed to confirm your eyes are healthy, determine the degree of vision correction needed, and any special conditions to address. Several specialized tests are performed to analyze the eye surface (cornea).
The appointment takes one to two hours. Measurements taken during this exam are crucial to allow the doctor to correct eyes properly. Contact lenses must be removed in advance of the pre-surgical evaluation. The following chart indicates how far in advance to remove and discontinue wearing contact lenses based on the lenses you wear.
Contact Lens Type |
Days Removed Prior to Exam |
Soft Contact Lenses |
7 |
Soft Extended Wear Contact Lenses |
14 |
Toric Contact Lenses |
14 |
RGP Contact Lenses |
30+ |
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Procedure
You can expect to feel nervous, anxious, or excited prior to your procedure. These are natural and normal responses.
Bettner Vision's laser center uses FDA approved Nidek EC 5000 and Visc Star S4 lasers.
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Follow-up Exams
Follow-up care is as important as the actual procedure. Your first mandatory post-operative appointment will take place at the laser center within 24 hours after your surgery. Additional post-operative appointments will be scheduled one to two weeks, and two to three months after your surgery date.
Thank You
Thank you for choosing Bettner Vision for your LASIK surgery. We are available to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have. We want you to be very comfortable with every aspect of your care, with our office, and with our staff. We understand this is an extremely important decision, one that could alter your life immeasurably. We are honored to be a part of your important decision and share in your excitement to be free from the dependency of glasses or contacts. We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment.
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