Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Am I a good candidate for LASIK?
A: Contact your eye doctor for a thorough examination. This is the only way to be sure of your candidacy. Proper candidates will be at least 18 years old and in good overall health. Further, they will have healthy eyes - that is, free of diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma.
Laser vision correction is used to help treat conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Your free consultation at the Laser Eye Center, or a consultation with your regular eye doctor, will help you decide whether you're eligible for the procedure. A doctor will explain the details of the procedure and will answer your questions, which you will no doubt have. You and you doctor will discuss the results you can expect according to an analysis of your prescription and your eyes. Laser Eye Center, without exception, aims to do what's right for you. People choose Laser Eye Center because they are familiar with our reputation for excellence in patient care.
Q: What is Custom LASIK?
A: CustomLASIK involves the use of a device called a wavefront analyzer, a cutting edge piece of technology. It allows the surgeon to customize the procedure to the needs of your eyes. This procedure typically results in patients having sharp, clear vision.
Q: What's the different between Custom and Conventional LASIK?
A: CustomLASIK maps the way light travels through your eye using the special wavefront analyzer. The custom 3D map of your eye is programmed into the laser, which treats your eye according to the contours of the map. CustomLASIK treats "higher order" aberrations, or tiny imperfections that may significantly affect your vision. Higher order aberrations are only treatable with CustomLASIK, and not with glasses, contacts or traditional Lasik surgery.
The Conventional LASIK procedure is still an excellent choice for some patients, although most LASIK patients now prefer the customizable nature of CustomLASIK. Your eye doctor will help you to make an informed decision.
Q: What can LASIK do for me?
A: Lasik vision correction has been overwhelmingly successful in eradicating the need for glasses and contact lenses. Do keep in mind that results vary from patient to patient. Although Laser Eye Center cannot promise 20/20 vision, most patients with mild to moderate eye prescriptions attain much better vision - some perfect!
CustomLASIK is an exciting development - studies show that CustomLASIK can the qualitative aspect of your vision and not just the quantitative. In the past, a clumsy chart was used to measure vision. You would read what letters you could and the doctor recorded your vision as a number, such as 20/20. With CustomLASIK, doctors can focus on and improve the actual quality of your vision. Many CustomLASIK patients are now able to see clearer than ever before. As the CustomLASIK procedure corrects the unique deficiencies of the eye, night vision is also likely to be improved. The data attained from tens of thousands of surgeries performed through Laser Eye Center is shared throughout our network. This keeps our doctors on the cutting edge of Lasik eye surgery. Laser Eye Center is confident in the long-term effects of Lasik and stands behind its patients' results for life. That's why we offer the Laser Eye Center Lifetime Commitment SM program which ensures a lifetime of free enhancement procedures for qualified nearsighted patients. All Laser Eye Center locations in North America honor this commitment.
Q: How do I decide which procedure I should have?
A: Your eye doctor can help you in making that decision. Many people find CustomLASIK the most desirable of the procedures. Consult your eye doctor or schedule a Free Consultation with Laser Eye Center to determine which option is right for you.
Q: What does LASIK cost?
A: The price of the procedure will depend on how much correction your eyes need and which particular laser is needed for your condition. CustomLASIK tends to cost more than Conventional LASIK, as CustomLASIK utilizes the most advanced technology in the optical field.
Q: Does the procedure hurt?
A: Most patients who have undergone Lasik surgery report discomfort, but not pain. For most people, the fear of the unknown is more troubling than the procedure itself. The doctor applies anesthetic eye drops before the surgery begins, and a mild sedative may also be given to the patient. Eye irritation may persist a few hours after the surgery, but most patients are fine after a short nap. Patients are given eye drops to alleviate any dryness experienced in the days that follow the surgery.
Q: What can I expect with recovery?
A: Most Lasik patients can see clearly within a day following their procedure. Generally, the higher a person's prescription, the longer the recovery process will take. The rate of visual recovery will depend on the individual patient.
Q: What are the risks?
A: Like any major surgery, there are risks inherent to laser vision correction. However, the odds of a vision-damaging complication are minimal, studies say. Millions of people have enjoyed excellent vision as a result of the procedure.
Potential complications include dryness, trouble creating the surgical flap, under or over-correction, night glare and loss of corrected vision. At Laser Eye Centers, these risks and others are discussed in the Free Consultation and before the surgery. We perform the procedure only when it is medically advisable to do so. We employ careful post-operative monitoring to address any potential complication. You can prevent complications by choosing a surgeon who is experienced in the community. That's the advantage of choosing Laser Eye Center Oklahoma: we only partner with the most excellent eye care professionals.