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1. How does LASIK work?
First, Dr. Lowe will use a microkeratome to create a thin surface-flap on the cornea. Then, the state-of-the-art Visx Star S4 with active eye tracking, which has been pre-programmed with your exact correction, applies a rapid, cool ultraviolet light that precisely sculpts a very small amount of the subsurface of the cornea. These short laser pulses alter the curvature of the cornea, allowing images to be focused clearly on the retina. The flap is then smoothed back down where it quickly bonds back in place restoring a smooth, intact surface.
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2. Is LASIK approved by the FDA?
Yes.
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3. How do I know its safe?
Clinical trials of LASIKhave
been ongoing for many years. The Excimer laser is safe and effective
for the treatment of the great majority of prescriptions. Millions of treatments have been performed in the U.S. over the past decade. Many of the nation's top eye institutes are working on an ongoing basis to ensure that the highest standards
of safety are met. Dr. Lowe's own safety record is excellent.. He
has never had any patient go blind.
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4. How long does the treatment take?
The laser portion itself takes around 10-60 seconds long depending on the degree of correction necessary. Vision typically improves dramatically within 24 hours. You may usually return to work the next day.
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5. Will the procedure hurt?
The LASIK procedure is usually painless. There are
no needles. Instead, anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye just
before surgery begins. After your LASIK procedure, your eye may feel
a foreign body sensation or irritation for a few hours, but most patients
are quite comfortable after taking a short nap. Dryness in your eyes
can occur.. The chance of having a vision-reducing complication has
been documented in a number of clinical studies to be less than 1
percent. The extensive training and expertise of Dr. Lowe reduces
the probability of any risks still further. Our commitment to patient
care means that we will always do our best for you before, during
and after your procedure.
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6. What results can I expect?
While LASIK has proven overwhelmingly successful in
reducing dependence on glasses and contact lenses, the degree of improvement
may vary among individuals. How well and how quickly your vision improves
depends on how you heal and the severity of your prescription. Although
we can't promise patients 20/20 vision, the majority of laser patients
with mild to moderate prescriptions do achieve 20/20 vision or are
within 1 to 2 lines of 20/20 vision on an eye chart. This means they
may no longer need glasses or contacts to drive, play sports, and
watch movies or TV. With Dr. Lowe's results and safety record, he
considers LASIK the procedure of choice for most suitable candidates.
Please ask about alternative procedures such as LASEK, PRK, or the new Verisyse Intraocular Contact Lens.
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7. Am I a good candidate?
If you're at least 18 years old and in good general
health, with no eye diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration,
then you are probably a good candidate. In most cases, LASIK can treat
even patients with the most severe degrees of nearsightedness, astigmatism
and farsightedness. Good candidates also must have realistic expectations.
To find out if LASIK is right for you, schedule a consultation with
Dr. Lowe. During the consultation Dr. Lowe will confirm if you are
a good candidate, explain the procedure, and answer your questions
so that you can make an informed decision. Dr. Lowe will explain what
results you can reasonably expect by measuring your prescription.
Even if you're not a candidate now, you may become one in the future.
LASIK isn't for everyone. Some patients (for example those with corneal
or retinal diseases) will never be candidates. The best way for you
to determine this is with a thorough exam. To schedule a complimentary
eye evaluation call (805) 682-2233 or send email to laserdoc@llei.net.
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8. What are the side effects?
The most common side effect is dry eye. This usually dissipates within several weeks and can be controlled with lubricants. Other possible side effects are a "halo" effect and some glare a night around lights. However, these problems are no worse than what most contact lens and eyeglass wearers often experience and usually diminish or disappear within 1-3 months of surgery. Other risks include undercorrection or overcorrection.
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9. Why can't you "knock me out" for the procedure?
Because it's completely unnecessary. You'll realize just how unnecessary it is when you finally have your procedure done.
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10. Can I drive myself home after the procedure?
No. You'll need to have someone drive you home after the procedure. Although your vision may (or may not) be good enough to drive after the procedure - everyone is different. The Valium we give you prior to the procedure is a mild sedative . . . and sedatives and driving don't mix.
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11. When can I go back to work?
You may go back to work the next day.
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12. What will my recovery be like?
Most LASIK patients usually see quite well the next day, but patients with higher prescriptions may recover more slowly. Although the speed of visual recovery depends on personal healing patterns, most patients notice dramatic visual results within the first few days following their procedure.
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13. Do you do both eyes at the same time?
We typically do both eyes at the same time with LASIK, although that decision should be made between you and the doctor. Since vision comes in so quickly and the post-operative sensation is minimal, doing both eyes at the same time makes sense to most of our patients.
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14. Can children have this done?
Possibly. This is an evolving area with promising results for preventing early blindness. The approved age-range for Laser Vision Correction is 18 to 21. That's because we require a "stable" prescription. Children are likely to have their prescription change over time, just like their shoe size and their height changes with time.
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15. Is there a maximum age . . . am I too old to have Laser Vision Correction?
Although there is no real "maximum age" for Laser Vision Correction, we would first need to determine that the overall health of your eyes is good and that your vision difficulties are not being caused or hindered by cataracts.
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16. What is the worst thing that can happen? Can I go blind? Has anyone ever gone blind?
It's perfectly normal to be concerned about the "worst
case scenario." In actuality, the procedure is relatively safe. Statistically,
there is a remote possibility of loss of vision due to a complication.
However, experience counts and Dr. Lowe has never had a patient go
blind from LASIK. There are other potential (but extremely rare) risks
covered on our "Informed Consent" sheet. The FDA has deemed LASIK
to be safe enough for approval. The American Academy of Ophthalmology
has issued an ophthalmic technology assessment (OTA) that finds LASIK
safe and effective for correcting low-to-moderate myopia and astigmatism,
but less predictable for moderate-to-high myopia and astigmatism.
Dr. Lowe will be happy to discuss any additional concerns that you
may have.
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17. I heard that eventually you become farsighted from this surgery. Is that true?
No. Many patients confuse presbyopia, or the natural aging process of the eye (which occurs in all people in their mid 40's), with farsightedness. When you have Lasik for distance, people over the age of 48 may need a pair of reading glasses to read unless you choose to have one eye done for distance and the other for near vision. Ask Dr. Lowe about this special technique..
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18. What happens if your eyes get worse after the surgery?
Before the decision is made to proceed with Laser Vision Correction, your vision needs to be stable. Long-term results indicate that the procedure itself yields a permanent and stable correction. In the unlikely event that your distance vision decreased later in life, due to a change in your refractive error (prescription), we could generally touch-up the result at that time.
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19. During the LASIK procedure, does the doctor actually cut the eye?
The microkeratome is used by the doctor to precisely create a very fine surface-flap, just prior to the corrective laser treatment. This is entirely different from the incisions made in the cornea during the Radial Keratotomy (RK) procedure.
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20. What if I blink?
Although everyone shares this concern, the answer is simple. The doctor uses a small lid-holder, which cups the upper and lower lids making blinking impossible.
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21. What if I move?
We use an Active Eye Tracker with Iris Registration technology which will follow your eye movements and ensure alignment of the laser.
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22. Is the result guaranteed?
We hesitate to use the word "guarantee" with any medical or surgical
treatment, since there always is (and will be) the possibility of risk or variations in outcome due to differences in the ability of the human body to heal identically. However, the results have been excellent. Lasik has produced some of the happiest patients we have ever seen in this practice. Most of our new patients were referred to us from previous patients.
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23. How long will my LASIK last?
LASIK has been common in many countries around the world
since the late 1980s. In addition, many clinical studies have looked
at the long-term effects of the Excimer laser on the cornea. Studies
performed so far have indicated that there are no long-term negative
effects of the laser on the eye's integrity or strength when performed within the guidelines. Today, most experts around
the world are confident that they will discover no long-term problems
with LASIK. LASIK has become the most commonly performed refractive
procedure.
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24. I heard that the laser causes starbursting. Is this true?
No. Starbursting is a visual side effect occasionally associated with the Radial Keratotomy procedure, which represents an "older generation" of corrective procedures.
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25. Can a diabetic have the procedure?
Yes. We have done many diabetics. But we insist upon stability of their retinopathy. Some important factors include your blood glucose level, which can have an effect on your refractive error.
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26. Can I afford the treatment?
Eyeglasses usually have to be replaced once a year or so. And contact lenses - depending on the type you use, can be extremely costly, especially when you add in the cost of solutions. You'll find that laser vision correction of nearsightedness can probably pay for itself in a few years time. What does the cost of the procedure cover? 1. The pre-operative examination.
2. The LASIK procedure.
3. Post-procedure care that includes eye care examinations for 12-months following the procedure.
We also offer extended payment plans for under $99/month. Most insurance companies do not cover LASIK. While LASIK is often deemed elective and not covered, it may be tax deductible depending on your filing status. Please consult your accountant. If your company has a flexible benefits program you can usually include LASIK in it.
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27. Will insurance companies eventually start covering this?
It's very unlikely due to the popularity of LASIK and the expense it would create for insurance companies. to the top
28. What is Wavefront Lasik?
This is high tech image processing originating from the field of Adaptive Optics (Physics) which has been applied in high powered telescopes (such as the Hubbel) and observatories which view constellations across the universe. This technology has been integrated into a Wavescan laser to measure ALL the optical aberrations of the eye above and beyond your basic prescripition. This data is then used to sculpt a complex laser pattern onto your cornea to obtain the very best visual correction.
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29. What if I've been told I'm not a candidate for Lasik?
You probably were seen by a doctor who has not been trained in the new Verisyse Intraocular Contact Lens. Dr. Lowe is the first on the Central Coast to offer this new technology. Call us about this.
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30. How can I get the latest information?
To find out more about LASIK or to determine if you
are a candidate, call (805) 682-2233 or
send email to laserdoc@llei.net.
In addition, if you'd like to talk with someone who has had LASIK
with Dr. Lowe, we'd be happy to put you in touch with patients who
can describe their experiences to you first-hand.
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31. Why should I choose Dr. Lowe?
Dr. Lowe is highly experienced in LASIK eye surgery.
He limits himself only to surgery of the eye and has performed thousands
of laser procedures of the eye since 1986. Dr. Lowe has demonstrated
the ability to perform complicated vitreoretinal surgery, which sets
him apart from other LASIK surgeons.
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