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LASIK & Refractive Surgery Co-Management

eye with laserLASIK in Dallas and Carrollton, TX

The doctors at our Eye Care Clinic have extensive experience in the pre-operative evaluation and post-operative care of LASIK and other vision correction procedures.

We will evaluate your eyes and discuss your visual goals to help determine if you are an appropriate candidate for LASIK, PRK or Cataract Refractive Technology. If you have appropriate goals and there are no contraindications for the procedure, we will recommend a pre-operative evaluation to determine suitability for refractive surgery. This evaluation includes:

  • Counseling on refractive surgery options
  • Eye dominancy testing
  • Review of eye history and refractive stability
  • Medical evaluation of the cornea and eye
  • Current Refraction Status

If after the pre-operative evaluation, the decision is made to proceed with surgery, your information will be forwarded to the surgeon, a pre surgery consult with a surgeon will be scheduled. Post-operative management will be provided by our doctors, and includes multiple visits over a period from the date of surgery to include medical evaluation and management of the vision and corneal healing. Evaluation of any additional needs such as reading glasses, sunglasses, or enhancement laser procedures is also included.

LASIK is currently the most popular vision-correcting or "refractive" surgery available. But there are other options as well. We will help you find the ideal solution for your problem and partner with the best surgeon to perform your procedure.

Introduction to LASIK in our offices in Dallas and Carrollton, TX

LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive surgery procedure. You may hear people calling it "LASIX," but the correct name is LASIK, which is short for "laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis."

Why is it so popular? LASIK has advantages over other vision correction procedures, including a relative lack of pain afterward and the fact that good vision usually is achieved by the very next day.

An instrument called a microkeratome is used in LASIK eye surgery to create a thin, circular flap in the cornea. Another, newer way of making the flap is with a laser.

The surgeon folds the hinged flap back out of the way, then removes some corneal tissue underneath using an excimer laser. The excimer laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove ("ablate") very tiny bits of tissue from the cornea to reshape it.

When the cornea is reshaped in the right way, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before. The flap is then laid back in place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed.

Both nearsighted and farsighted people can benefit from the LASIK procedure. With nearsighted people, the goal is to flatten the too-steep cornea; with farsighted people, a steeper cornea is desired. Excimer lasers also can correct astigmatism by smoothing an irregular cornea into a more normal shape.

Learn more about Vision Surgery including LASIK, PRK, Corneal Transplants and more.

Questions and Answers about LASIK SURGERY with Dr. MEGAN SULLIVAN

Q: What is LASIK surgery?

Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, known as LASIK or laser eye surgery, is a type of refractive surgery in which a flap is cut in the cornea and a laser is used to reshape the underlying layers.

Q: How painful and how safe is it?

LASIK is a very safe procedure and has been used widely since about 1991. The eye is completely numbed and you remain awake for the whole surgery, which usually takes about 10 minutes. Some common side effects are glare and halos at night and dry eyes. If you already suffer from dry eyes, we recommend getting having a dry eye evaluation at our office before considering surgery.

Q: I wear contact lenses to see far away and my parents wear glasses to read up close. Can LASIK fix our eyes?

People who need correction to see far away are called myopic. After a certain age, everybody needs reading glasses to see up close, this is called presbyopia. LASIK is widely used in the correction of myopia, but there are options like monovision that can correct for vision far and near after a certain age. We always recommend trying monovision in contact lenses before getting surgery.

Q: Is it true that Laser surgery can fix any eye condition?

LASIK is approved to correct varying levels of myopia, astigmatism, and hyperopia. For most people, this procedure provides a long-lasting alternative to glasses or contacts.

Q: I have heard that Laser is used in the treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetes in the eyes.

Although LASIK does use a laser, it is a different type of laser and a different procedure to treat refractive issues only (like being near-sighted). Other conditions can be treated with different laser procedures.

Q: What is involved in the post-Lasik follow-up?

Generally, you will be seen for a 1-day post-op the morning following surgery with the surgeon. You will also be seen for a 1 week and 1 month follow-up, these visits are usually done with your primary Optometrist. At these visits, we will check your vision, look for any complications with the surgery, and ensure you are using all the prescribed drops correctly. Most people achieve fairly clear vision by day 1 that gradually sharpens to 20/20 over the next few days.

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