LASIK

What is LASIK?

LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a refractive surgery. It corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. LASIK reduces or eliminates the need for glasses and contacts. This is done using laser technology to reshape the cornea and improve vision.

LASIK enables the physician to measure and correct unique imperfections in each individual’s vision. Many of these imperfections could never be measured before using standard methods for glasses and contact lenses. LASIK surgery is performed on one eye at a time and takes about 5-10 minutes per eye. Most patients have 20/20 vision after LASIK.

Many patients even say that their vision has visibly improved just hours after! Recovery from LASIK is quick, allowing you to return to many of your normal activities in as little as 24 hours.

How Does LASIK Work?

During bladeless LASIK, your LASIK surgeon will use two lasers. The first is a femtosecond laser. The femtosecond laser creates a micro-thin flap on the cornea. Then, an excimer laser reshapes the underlying corneal tissue. LASIK is performed under local anesthesia in the office setting. Patients typically report little to no discomfort during the procedure. Cases typically last less than 20 minutes, and most patients return to normal activities the following day.

Reshaping the cornea allows it to focus light properly onto the retina. By correcting refractive errors, patients are able to see clearly!

• They must be at least 18 years old and have a healthy medical history.
• They cannot have severe medical conditions like dry eye, diabetes, glaucoma, or cataracts

• They must have a prescription that has remained the same for a year or more before LASIK
• They must have thick enough corneas

Preparing for LASIK Surgery

Before LASIK surgery, patients must refrain from wearing contact lenses for 2 weeks. This allows the corneas to reshape to their natural position. The morning of LASIK, patients will need to scrub their eyelids to make sure they are clean. This means no makeup!

When you arrive at Georgia Eye Associates, you’ll have paperwork to fill out. Once the paperwork is complete, you’ll be offered a relaxing medication. We will then put numbing drops in both eyes. These ensure you won’t feel any pain during LASIK! Though bladeless LASIK takes just minutes per eye, you won’t leave immediately. It may take a few minutes to get used to lights and how your eyes interact with the world.

Since anesthetic eye drops are used, you aren’t able to drive yourself home. All patients must arrange a ride to and from Georgia Eye Associates.

Recovering from LASIK Surgery

After LASIK, your vision may be blurry or irritated. This is temporary, but it may take a few days for your vision to clear up. When you get home, rest is key! This means laying down in a dark room with your eyes closed for several hours after LASIK. Even if you don’t fall asleep, keeping your eyes closed helps you begin recovery on the right foot.

While LASIK recovery is fast, you should avoid some activities. Don’t get water in your eyes for the first month while recovering, and cover your eyes while showering. Water can carry bacteria, which could cause infection in your vulnerable post-LASIK eyes. Refrain from wearing makeup for the first week, and throw away all old makeup. Makeup can carry bacteria, so eye makeup like eyeliner and mascara needs replacing.

If you play sports, avoid any contact activities that could result in getting hit in the head or eye. Any injuries to your face or eyes could harm your delicate flaps. You should be able to return to your everyday activities after the first month of recovery.

Ready to see Buckhead and the greater Atlanta areas without glasses or contacts? Contact Georgia Eye Associates to schedule a LASIK consultation at one ofour Buckhead, Atlanta, Braselton and Lawrenceville locations!

What is Wave Scan technology?

Wave Scan technology was originally developed for use in high-powered telescopes to reduce distortions when viewing distant objects in space. This technology has now been applied to laser vision correction, measuring imperfections in the eye never before measured using standard methods for glasses and contact lenses. Wave Scan-based digital technology identifies and measures imperfections in an individual’s eye 25 times more precisely than standard methods. Physicians use this information to treat individuals with Custom LASIK procedure.

Why is Wave Scan technology so important to the Custom LASIK procedure?

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 does not correct it precisely because it is not uniquely tailored to that person’s fingerprint of vision. Now, with Wave Scan technology, we can custom tailor a correction for the unique characteristics of each individual’s vision.