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Imagine leading an active lifestyle free of eyeglasses and contacts. Imagine doing all the things you love without the daily hassles of finding glasses or cleaning contact lenses. Imagine the money you'll save on eyeglass frames, contact lenses solutions and cleaners. You can! Thanks to LASIK laser vision correction at the Riemer Eye Center.
LASIK or Laser Assisted Intrastromal Keratinukeusis reshapes the cornea by removing tissue beneath the surface of the cornea. LASIK combines the accuracy of the Excimer Laser with the benefits of Lamellar Keratoplasty (LK).
First, a device called a microkeratome lifts a thin layer of the cornea. This instrument creates a precise layer by working very much like a carpenter's plane. This layer, or flap, is then folded back. Next, a cool beam of light reshapes the inner surface of the cornea. The laser treatment typically takes less than one minute, and the flap is replaced in its original position.
LASIK is performed on an outpatient basis and takes only a few minutes. You will remain awake during the procedure and the only anesthetic you will need is eye drops. Anticipate being in our office about 1 1/2 hours on the day of the procedure. Most patients experience improved vision the same day and are able to return to work the very next day. You will take both an antibiotic drop and a mild steroid drop a few times a day for about a week following the procedure.
Some of the advantages of LASIK are little or no postoperative discomfort, waking with good vision the following morning, being back at work quickly, and eye drops are used for less than a week.
LASIK is not recommended for all patients who come for a consultation. Sometime surgery is not recommended and sometimes surface laser correction (LASEK) or other refractive procedure's may be recommended. When you meet with us for your consultation, after a thorough examination and discussion, your doctor will be able to tell you if you are suitable to proceed.
There's a new wave in LASIK. It's called : the laser eye treatment is based upon the very unique visual characteristics of your eye. Up until now, with glasses, contacts and conventional LASIK surgery, corrections were quite similar for each type of prescription - myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
Custom LASIK involves measuring the eye from front to back, using what's called "wavefront" technology, to create a three-dimensional (3-D) corneal map. The information contained in the map guides the laser in customizing the treatment to your individual visual irregularities, beyond myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Prior to the advent of wavefront technology, two people with the same prescription would receive the same glasses, contacts or LASIK procedure.
Wavefront technology is groundbreaking because it has the potential to improve not only how much you can see, visual acuity measured by the standard 20/20 eye chart, but also how well you can see, in terms of contrast sensitivity and fine detail. This translates into a reduced risk of post-LASIK complications, such as glare, halos and difficulty with night vision.
Custom LASIK's advantage lies in the area of quality of vision:
- Greater chance of achieving 20/20 vision
- Reduced chance of losing best-corrected vision
- Reduced chance of losing visual quality or contrast sensitivity
- Reduced chance of night-vision disturbances and glare
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