Despite its simplicity and the number of people who have taken advantage of this innovative technique, there is potential for serious medical complications. Before going through with the procedure, therefore, the doctor asks a series of health related questions and completes a complete examination. Afterward, Lasik eye surgeons often define candidates into three categories: the ideal candidate, the less-than-ideal candidate, and the non-candidate. The following are some health issues that can decrease a patient’s status when determining whether or not he is a good candidate for Lasik eye surgery.

Extremely Low Vision

Lasik eye surgery is limited in the amount of vision it can correct. Therefore, some people are beyond the procedure’s ability to help. For this reason, the FDA does not allow patients with more than +6.00 diopters of hyperopia or –14.00 diopters of myopia to undertake the surgery. In addition, patients with more than 6.00 diopters of astigmatism are ineligible according to FDA standards, as well. The doctor can determine this information easily with a refractive eye exam.

Changing Prescription

While we grow, our eyes continually change size and shape. For this reason, a young person’s prescription for eyeglasses or contacts is constantly changing. Most prescriptions, however, stabilize by the time a person reaches the age of 18. For some people, this stabilization doesn’t occur until sometime in the 20’s. For this reason, surgeons prefer operating on patients over the age of 18 and whose prescription has remained stable for at least two years. This helps ensure that the eyes have stopped developing. Otherwise, operating on eyes that are still growing can create complications and the vision correction will become non-existent as the eyes continue to change.

Patient Health

Certain health factors can prevent a potential Lasik candidate from being considered ideal. For example, certain autoimmune disorders that slow the healing process make Lasik eye surgery a higher risk. In addition, patients with conditions requiring medications such as immunosuppresants and steroids are also considered less-than-ideal because these medications also slow the healing process and increase the risk of complications.

Patients who are pregnant or who are nursing are also not considered ideal candidates for Lasik eye surgery. This is because the shape of the eyes can be temporarily changed by hormonal changes during these times of a woman’s life.

Patient Anterior Eye Health

Most doctors divide the eye into two portions: anterior, or front, and posterior, or back. The anterior portion of the eye includes the iris, the eyelids, the cornea, the conjunctiva, the sclera, and the lens. The Lasik surgeon will check for abnormalities in these areas using a biomicroscope, called a slit-lamp. In order to complete this test, the patient needs to put his chin on a chin rest located over the examining chair. The doctor will then shine a line into the patient’s eyes to examine the anterior area of the eye. Abnormalities in this area can decrease a patient’s likelihood of being considered an ideal Lasik eye surgery patient.

Patient Posterior Eye Health

Specific eye diseases, such as ocular hypertension, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, can be detected through a posterior eye exam. This area includes the optic nerve, the retina, and blood vessels. An exam of the posterior region is called a fundus exam. Shining a light into the patient’s eye and looking through his pupil accomplish the exam.

Irregularly Shaped Cornea

A cornea that is extremely irregularly shaped is impossible to operate on. Patients with the condition keratoconus, for example, are ineligible for the procedure. This is because it gradually makes the shape of the cornea steeper until it finally becomes cone-shaped. A small amount of irregularity in the cornea shape is fine, as with patients who have mild to moderate astigmatism. The surgeon examines the patient’s corneal topography prior to surgery. This will help determine whether or not he is an ideal candidate for Lasik eye surgery.

Thin Corneas

Some patients have corneas that are too thin; this makes it impossible to create the “flap†necessary to perform the procedure. Therefore, Lasik surgery will actually make the patient’s vision worse instead of better. The doctor measures the thickness of the patient’s cornea using a pachometer.

Lasik surgery is an extraordinary procedure that has helped thousands of people see better. Through a thorough examination and proper treatment of your visual difficulties, you, too, can experience the wonders of Lasik.

Choosing a Lasik eye care professional can be difficult. There are so many types of Lasik techniques and doctors. Before you make an appointment with any Lasik doctor is always good to get the opinion of your regular eye care physician. By doing so, you will get a better idea of who to go to in your area and who is trusted. Do not consult the first Lasik doctor in the phone book or pick one according to price. Instead, choose one for experience.

Although there is no right or wrong way to choose a good Lasik doctor, here are some basic guidelines to help you pick the right one.

The Lasik surgeon should be your doctor from the start to the finish. Many Lasik eye centers run patients through quickly, one right after another. The result of this is that the actual doctor may not see you until the surgery. They may have staff that performs the health history and initial eye exam. Avoid these types of doctors. Your Lasik doctor should be the only one involved in your eye care. He or she should perform the initial exam, perform the surgery and do all of the follow up appointments. This ensures more customized and personalized surgery and often means a better outcome.

Choose a surgeon who specializes in Lasik. There are some eye care doctors who do many different types of procedures. That doctor may or may not specialize in Lasik. Before choosing a doctor, find out if a particular doctor specializes in Lasik. One who does is probably knowledgeable in the latest technology used in Lasik procedures. While one who does not specialize in Lasik may still give you good results, it is always good to know. Some experts believe that the magic number for doctors is 1000. That means that some people believe that the best Lasik surgeons have performed over 1000 Lasik procedures. Experience is always the best practice so ask your Lasik doctor how many procedures he or she has performed.

A good Lasik doctor explains the risks and complications associated with Lasik. While it is true that Lasik procedures often have good results, there are some risks and complications. As with any medical procedure, you should always fully understand these risks and complications. You should not expect perfect vision and you should never use a Lasik doctor that tells you otherwise. An experienced Lasik surgeon will also explain to you that there is the possibility of having reduced night vision and in rare circumstances can lead to worse vision than before the procedure.

Don’t rely on Lasik centers that advertise heavily. We have all heard or seen the Lasik ads promising clear vision with an experienced Lasik doctor. While these Lasik doctors may very well be experienced, sometimes they do not offer personalized care. These doctors tend to see many patients everyday and rely on office staff for your care.

Don’t go by the price. When choosing a Lasik doctor, do not let the price be the deciding factor. While Lasik is pricey, your vision is worth more than any amount of money. Choosing an experienced doctor should not be dependent on the price alone. If you see Lasik advertised for a very low price, it is probably too good to be true. Most of these prices do not include everything. You will have to read the fine print to see why they are offering Lasik for such a low price. Choose a doctor for the experience.

Choose a Lasik surgeon in your area. While that may not concern some patients, it may be very important to others. Remember that you will probably need to see your Lasik doctor at least five times-one for the initial appointment, one for the surgery, a one week check up and a check up at three and six months. After your surgery, you will need to depend on another person to drive to and from your appointment. Having a surgeon in the area can be very convenient.

But to let someone shine a laser in their eye and potentially blind them for life is more than most people can handle. It is a scary thought, but educating yourself on lasik is the best way to over come those fears. If that does not help, your eye doctor may be able to get you in touch with a clinical psychologist that may assist you.

One way that you can overcome your fear of having lasik eye surgery is to watch it being done to someone else. Most doctors will allow you to watch it being done. They usually have it on video tape, and if they don’t most will allow you to sit in on a surgery at the patients consent. Once you see how simple, painless and quick the procedure is, most get over their fear.

If you get to sit in on one of the surgeries, you can ask the patient what it felt like, how they are feeling now and any other question or concern that you have. Knowledge is Power. That old cliché never fails to be true when it comes to educating yourself about the pros and cons of lasik. The best way to overcome your fears is to learn as much about the surgery you can beforehand. The more you know, the better prepared you are for it to happen to you. Watching a surgery can also put your mind at ease about what happens. Your eyes are open the whole time, but you can’t see what’s going on around you because your head and eyes are kept in a stationary position. This can scare many people. Watching a surgery can alleviate many of those concerns.

If watching a surgery is not what it takes to get over your fear, you may want to consider counseling. If you want lasik bad enough, you will do it. Any good psychologist can cure people of most phobias. It is one of the things they went to school for. Some use methods such hypnosis and visual aids to help one overcome such fears. A good psychologist will have you ready for surgery in no time flat. If you can’t afford a good psychologist and watching a procedure does not help, something you may consider is meditation. Meditation can help calm your mind and body. It can help you lose weight, relax, get rid of headaches, and even get rid of phobias. Once you educate yourself on everything there is to learn about lasik, you should then do some research on meditation. “Meditation for Dummies†is a good book that will teach you what meditation is and how it can help you.

These are all good ways to get over your phobia. One of these could help you get over your phobia, but you may need a combination of several of these. Only you can decide what is going to get you over your phobia. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way over your phobia. If you want to see, then you will find a way. Once you overcome those fears and finally have the surgery, you will be glad you did. The benefits of not having to wear glasses or contacts will be well worth the work you put forth to get over that fear.

Please keep in mind that if you never get over your fear, you may be stuck wearing glasses forever. That thought should be the motivation you need to get over your fear.

The first thing to do when checking credentials with an eye surgeon is to communicate with them over the telephone or through other means. By doing so, you will be able to determine if they are going to be trustworthy and let you know what is going on during the surgery as well as after. If there are complications, you want to make sure that the doctor is going to let you know. By talking with them, even for a short time, you can tell if they will be personable and respond to your needs and questions.

Another way to check to see if the doctor is trustworthy is to check with other patients about their surgery. If they had something go wrong with their surgery, check to see if it was immediately resolved, or if the problems were set aside. By the word of mouth through other patients, you will be able to tell if the doctor is in good standing with patients when they are receiving surgery. Usually, by checking with more than one patient, you will notice that the responses that the patients got are somewhat consistent because of the doctor’s practices and habits in the surgery room and during a regular visit.

There are several other ways to research the doctor which you are going to. Many doctors now have websites that gives their credentials, as well as the outcomes from patients. You can always find out about a doctor’s history with other patients and his relations in the medical fields by doing some research over the internet or through local areas. Scientific journals that give information on Lasik surgeons are also available for investigation. There are several places to find references in relation to the doctor and their practice. Sometimes, it is best to take the time to find out the details of the doctors practice before you make an appointment with them.

When finding which Lasik surgeon to go to, it may be beneficial to find two or three different doctors and compare them. You may even schedule different appointments in different places in order to see which doctor is going to be right for you. By doing so, you will be able to make a better decision about which doctor is going to serve you best. You can compare them by visiting with staff or even the surgeon before the Lasik visit. If the staff do not treat you well and don’t take the time to take care of you before your visit, they will most likely not take care of you when you go in for your surgery. This attitude will most likely be present with the doctor as well.

When you go in to consult with the doctor, it is important to listen to the different things that they are telling you. They should tell you the procedure that you will be going through as well as the problems that may occur when you are going through the surgery. They should not only be personable, but straightforward about the surgery and what it includes. If they are not that available for your needs or don’t tell you about the details of the surgery and what may happen after the surgery, it is best to go and find another doctor for the Lasik surgery.

By checking a doctor’s credentials, you can determine to have an easy surgery with the proper response for your needs. This will save you time and money as well as severe problems that may accumulate from the surgery later on. By investigating the doctor’s credentials by word of mouth and your own investigations, you will know which doctor is right for your needs.

There is always new technology with Lasik procedures. There are several types of Lasik procedures that can successfully be used on a patient. The type of procedure that you will have will depend on what your Lasik doctor prefers and what works best for your eyes. WAVEFRONT Lasik is the most commonly used Lasik procedure. There are also procedures called diagnostic workstation and Orbscan technology.

In general, Lasik is performed to restore vision and the results are immediate. A surgical instrument called a microkreatome is used during the procedure to create a thin, circular flap in the cornea. This flap can also be created using a laser, which is usually more precise and has a higher success rate.

After the flap on the cornea has been cut, the doctor folds the flap out of the way and removes some of the corneal tissue. This is done using what is called an eximer laser. This laser uses cool ultraviolet light beams to remove very small pieces of the tissue. After the tissue is removed, the cornea is reshaped causing it to work better focusing light into the eye and onto the retina. This results in the patient immediately having better, clearer vision that before the procedure. The flap is put back in place to cover the area where the tissue was removed.

The Lasik surgery is both a quick and relatively painless procedure for most patients. During the surgery, patients remain awake and are able to walk out after the procedure. The procedure is also painless because the surgeon will give the patient eye drops that anesthetize the eye before the surgery begins. Some patients who are uncomfortable about the procedure can be given a mild sedative before the procedure begins. Before the procedure begins, the patient will lie down and the doctor will place a special device to keep the eyelids open during the surgery. Also, this device has a suction ring on it to keep the eye pressurized. Once the surgery begins, it only takes about one minute for the whole procedure to take place.

If your doctor uses a laser during your procedure, the computer is adjusted so that the laser can remove the right amount of corneal tissue. While the procedure is painless and quick, you might hear the clicking sound of the laser and be able to smell a slightly acidic order. This is caused by the tissue removal. The surgeon has complete control of the laser and it can be stopped at any time during the procedure. If you choose to have both eyes done, the doctor might choose to wait for a little while before operating on the next eye. Some patients prefer to have the second eye done a week or more after the initial procedure.

WAVEFRONT is generally considered the most trusted procedure and is though to produce the best results. This procedure is popular because as a general rule, WAVEFRONT can be customized to treat your eyes. This gives much better results to the patient. Also, with this technique, some patients have better vision, sometimes 20/15 after having WAVEFRONT Lasik. In a study comparing WAVEFRONT to the conventional Lasik procedure, 90 to 94 percent of all patients had 20/20 vision or better after the procedure. This is compared to 80 percent of patients that achieve 20/20 vision with the conventional method. Also, many doctors prefer the WAVEFRONT procedure. This is because this procedure decreases the risk of complications such as haloes or night glare

The diagnostic workstation technology has advantages because it can cover a much larger area since the pupil can dilate up to twice the normal size. The Orbscan technology also has its advantages. It can determine without a doubt if you are a good candidate for this procedure. The Orbscan has the ability to be more accurate diagnosis and treatment of vision problems.

Screening consultation. At the beginning of your involvement in the Lasik process you will attend a screening consultation that will determine your suitability for the Lasik procedure. The Lasik counselor will need to collect all the information available about your general health, specific health problems, any prescription medication you are taking and your current corrective lens prescription. The counselor will discuss your vision and vision problems with you, based on what can be known at this point, and tell you if and how Lasik surgery can improve your vision. If you are a candidate the option of Custom Lasik will also be presented for your consideration.

If you are not rejected as a bad risk for Lasik surgery for some medical reason, the standard fees for the different procedures will be presented to you and payment options will be discussed. The fee that is quoted may cover all aspects of the procedure, up to and including follow-up care and enhancements, or it may be based on a series of “if this, then†conditions. The fee will probably not cover any optional, “but highly recommended†procedures such as the optional punctal plug occlusion (plugs inserted to treat ‘dry eye’ that block the outflow of tears through the nasal passage).

It may be reasonable to assume that your health insurance will not help you pay the cost of Lasik surgery, since most insurance policies look at Lasik as an elective procedure; it would be wise, however to find out for sure. If your insurance does offer coverage for Lasik procedures, you can pursue reimbursement; most Lasik clinics will give you an itemized cost breakdown for the procedure. The Lasik clinic will take the position that, even without insurance coverage, Lasik is a great investment in your personal well being. Depending on the extent that you “need†Lasik rather than just want it, that may or may not be true for you. If money is a major consideration, consider all your options before committing.

Pre-surgical evaluation. A one-to-two hour pre-surgical evaluation is your next step in the Lasik experience. During this evaluation you will undergo a complete dilated eye exam with refraction. This exam will allow the surgeon to confirm that your eyes, aside from known conditions, are healthy and it will determine the exact degree of your nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or presbyopia. There will also be tests performed to determine the condition of the cornea.

The Lasik Procedure. The actual Lasik procedure takes a very short amount of time (up to thirty-minutes) and consists of the application of eye drops to numb the eye, cutting a hinged flap in the cornea with a surgical knife, using an excimer laser to reshape the inner portion of the cornea (based on the measurements taken during the pre-surgical evaluation) and then closing the flap, which now conforms to the reshaped inner cornea. This is all done on an outpatient basis.

The follow-up exams. The first follow-up exam should be scheduled for approximately 24-hours after your procedure. This initial follow-up is usually followed by at least four more during the next weeks and months.

Costs.

To appreciate the value you receive as compared to the money you spend for a Lasik procedure, cost should not be thought of as money out of your pocket as much as it should be considered reimbursement to the clinic for their expenses. That’s not, perhaps, a conventional way to look at it but it helps you understand the basis for your cost.

As you can see, the Lasik surgeon and his staff spend a few hours with you and that accounts for some percentage of your cost for the procedure — the clinic, like every business, has a payroll.

During every step of the procedure supplies were used (masks, gloves, gauze, etc.) adding some additional cost.

During the pre-surgical evaluation and the Lasik procedure very sophisticated equipment is used. The clinic is either making payments on that equipment or making lease payments. It is also customary (as well as a contractual condition) for the clinic to pay royalties to the equipment manufacturers for every use of each machine.

Other factors to consider are the clinic’s overhead costs — their cost of doing business: salaries, benefits, rent, office equipment, office administration, advertising, seminars and the healthy cost of insurance.

Before going in for the Lasik procedure, your eye care professional will have already performed an in-depth eye exam. In addition to an eye exam, you doctor needs a thorough health history to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for this procedure. Many factors can make or break your Lasik surgery. To have a good outcome, you must be a good candidate, you should follow all pre-operative instructions and you should always follow the post-operative instructions.

When you are ready for your Lasik procedure, your doctor will discuss several things to look for after surgery. He or she will also give you detail post-operative instructions. Some of these instructions may include not driving or working for several days, going to your check up appointments when scheduled, avoiding make up or touching the eye and refraining from physical activity.

Do not drive: Your Lasik surgeon will tell you not to drive for a while after the surgery. The time can vary depending on how you are healing. Most Lasik patients are allowed to drive 48 hours after the procedure, but only for short distances. If you are experiencing problems with low-light vision, you may need to restrict your nighttime driving for a few more days. In addition, some Lasik patients do experience some sensitivity to light, so it is highly recommended to wear sunglasses when driving during the day. Also, depending on the work you do, you may need to miss work for up to four days following the procedure. It is necessary to let the eye rest for some time to allow healing to take place.

Do not miss post-operative care appointments: Your Lasik surgeon will recommend that you make appointments for post-operative exams to check the healing of the eye. Usually these appointments are made one week, one month and three months after surgery. It is important that these appointments are made before you have your Lasik procedures. Keeping these appointments are critical to assess the healing after surgery.

Do not apply eye make up: Most Lasik surgeons recommend that all traces of any make up, including lipstick and any facial lotions be completely removed. In order to make sure that no make is present during surgery, it is recommended to not wear make up three days before Lasik surgery. This rule also applies after surgery, too. Most Lasik doctors will tell you to refrain from using any make up or lotions for 48 hours after the procedure. After that time, it is ok to wear make up, excluding eye make up. Eye make up is acceptable after about one week or whenever your Lasik surgeon gives you permission. This rule is important because not only can make up enter the eye and cause infection after surgery, but it can also damage the eye. If you apply make up around the eye area, the chances for accidentally poking the eye with a make up applicator is greater. Also, patients can shower, but should not use any soap or facial washes on the face for two to three days after the surgery.

Do not touch the eye: After your surgery, your Lasik doctor will advise you to not touch the eye for any reason. You will be given eye drops, but other than that, nothing should enter the eye area. Most Lasik patients will receive an eye shield to wear while sleeping. These shields help prevent accidentally rubbing or poking while sleeping. Touching the eye can cause contaminants to enter the eye area and will increase the risk of infection. Touching the eye or accidental poking the eye can lead to damage of the surgery area and will cause problems with the healing process.

Do not participate in strenuous physical activity: Some normal activities can be done about 48 hours after surgery, but should be done with caution. Golf and light work outs are all allowed one day after surgery, but with any outdoor activity, protective eye wear should be worn. Reading, working on the computer and watching television are also allowed 24 hours after surgery, but it is recommended to keep the eye moisturized with eye drops. After three days, playing with children, sexual activity, and sunbathing are all allowed with proper care taken to protect the eye area. In seven days more strenuous activities such as jogging, light biking, and lifting weights can be added. If you are involved with extreme sports such as kayaking, skiing, parachuting and skiing, talk to your doctor about when these sports are allowed. Usually it will be at least three months after surgery.

Lasik surgery can help many people. Most of the time, patients who undergo Lasik surgery enjoy an improved vision of at least 20/40. This is not however, always the case. Before having a Lasik procedure, it is important that you thoroughly research Lasik, ask lots of questions and have realistic expectations.

There are good statistics about Lasik surgery results. One study reports that 94 percent of all Lasik patients are satisfied with their results and have at least 20/20 vision following surgery. Of those who have Lasik, the study shows that nearly all Lasik patients would recommend the surgery to a friend. Also, it was found that about 25 percent of the patients, who experienced problems with the surgery, could have been resolved with more patient education prior to the operation. One report of dissatisfaction with the surgery is that Lasik does not correct far or near sightedness in people over the age of forty. Twenty five percent of those who reported dissatisfaction with the surgery reported problems with night vision, but this often resolves itself in a few months.

While Lasik is a relatively easy surgery and is performed on many people, there are some immediate expectations you should realize before having surgery. Often, Lasik patients go into surgery thinking that recovery time is only a couple of hours. The healing time with Lasik is fast, however, you will not be ready to drive in a couple of hours. Expect your doctor to inform you that driving is forbidden for at least a week after surgery. Also, expect to be out of work following surgery for about four days. While Lasik is generally a pain-free procedure, some patients do report a scratchy feeling on the eye for a couple of days after the surgery.

In addition, Lasik surgery does require that you take good care of yourself post-operatively. That means that you must make and keep your appointments with your eye care professional for post-operative care and evaluation. If you are given any medications to take after surgery, such as eye drops, it is important that these are taken on a regular basis to get the best possible outcome after surgery. You can also expect your doctor to give you specific instructions regarding the use of make up, which may be limited for a couple of days, and returning to vigorous activities such as sports. These may also be off-limits for several days following the Lasik procedure.

It is recommended that if you do not completely understand the risks or have adequate expectations of Lasik surgery, you should not have the procedure. Also, when thinking about Lasik, carefully consider whether or not Lasik is right for you. Many people who have poor outcomes are not good candidates for the surgery in the first place. It is crucial to give your eye care professional detailed information about your health and eye history. This could make the difference in having a good Lasik outcome and having a poor experience.

There are reasons why some people should not consider having the Lasik procedure. There are several pre-existing conditions that would give you a poor outcome with Lasik surgery. For example, women who are pregnant or nursing when the surgery is performed can be at an increased risk for a poor outcome. There are many hormone fluctuations during pregnancy and nursing that can affect the eye. Lasik surgery should never be performed under these circumstances. Also, if you have certain health issues, such as diabetes or hepatitis, it is usually not recommended that you have Lasik.

Many people can benefit from the Lasik eye correction surgery. As with any surgery or procedures, it is very important to have realistic expectations before surgery. It is not a miracle surgery to correct all vision problems. Lasik is designed to help improve poor vision. If you are considering Lasik, you should consult your eye care professional to see if you are a good candidate for the surgery.

While the flap is pulled back, the surgeon reshapes the middle portion of the cornea, which is called the stroma. He accomplishes this by using an excimer laser to vaporize unnecessary tissue without damaging areas that need to be left untouched.

The Results

For most Lasik patients their vision is improved almost immediately after the procedure is completed. For other patients, the vision shows gradual improvement over a period of a few days or weeks.

Most people gain 20/20 vision, or even better than 20/20, after undergoing the Lasik procedure. Some people, however, achieve 20/40 or worse. 20/40 is still quite good, and most states consider this level of vision to be good enough for driving a car, but it is less than ideal. In addition, these patients might still find it necessary to wear glasses or contacts in order to feel comfortable with their vision. Their prescription, however, will be much lower.

In addition, some Lasik patients experience regression after the procedure takes place. This means that their vision gradually worsens. If this happens, the surgeon can often perform an enhancement or touch up surgery to improve vision again.

Presbyopia

Even for those patients whose vision is improved perfectly by Lasik surgery, it might still be necessary to get reading glasses or bifocals after reaching the 40’s. This is due to presbyopia, which begins to occur between the ages of 38 and 42. If this occurs, distance vision generally remains crisp, but it becomes more difficult to see things up close. Those suffering from presbyopia also often need to hold reading material at arms length to see if not wearing glasses or develop headaches when doing work close up.

Presbyopia is part of the eye’s natural aging process that can be corrected with glasses. With presbyopia, the eye loses its ability to change focus in order to see nearby objects. This condition is often thought of as farsightedness, but the two are actually very different. Presbyopia occurs when the lens within the eye loses its flexibility. Farsightedness, on the other hand, is the result of a misshapen eyeball. This causes light to bend incorrectly after entering the eye.

Currently, farsightedness can be corrected with Lasik surgery because it simply requires altering the shape of the cornea. Presbyopia, on the other hand, cannot be corrected by Lasik surgery. Researchers, however, are studying ways to correct presbyopia with surgery, as well.

Astigmatism

Irregular astigmatism can also occur as a result of Lasik surgery. This occurs when the corneal surface is not made sufficiently smooth during surgery, which is the result of failing to center the laser correction properly. Irregular astigmatism can lead to visual blurring, double vision, and ghost images. It may take glasses or contact lenses to correct this problem, though it can also often be rectified through an additional surgery.

The Bottom Line

When undergoing Lasik surgery, it is important that expectations are not set too high. A patient who expects to have perfect vision after the procedure can potentially be highly disappointed, as the procedure does not have perfect results 100% of the time. In addition, complications from the surgery, though rare, can actually cause site to be worse afterward.

Furthermore, regression does occur in some Lasik eye surgery patients. If this occurs, it might be necessary to return to glasses once more. Or, another surgery may correct this problem.

Finally, it is necessary to remember that certain forms of eyesight are a natural part of the aging process. Therefore, although perfect results may occur from the surgery, it might still be necessary to wear reading glasses. This is especially true for older adults who undergo the Lasik procedure and are, therefore, already going through the process of presbyopia. In addition, patients who do attain perfect vision may begin to have difficulties with their vision because of presbyopia.

What is Wavefront Technology?

Wavefront technology is a system that is capable of providing a measurement of refraction at multiple points on the eye as light is reflected upon it. This creates a “map†of sorts, which is like a fingerprint of the patient’s eye, because it is completely unique to the individual.

Certain conditions within the cornea affect refraction. Some of these are considered higher-order aberrations, which have been traditionally associated with irregular astigmatism. The ability to correct these aberrations can result in a better outcome after Lasik surgery. This includes a greater possibility of achieving 20/20 vision, or better. In addition, wavelength technology helps reduce the likelihood of losing the best-corrected vision, of losing visual quality and of having difficulty with night vision. In fact, clinical trials showed that nearly 80% of Lasik eye surgery patients undergoing custom surgery achieved 20/20 vision. This is a higher number of people reporting quality vision after surgery than those who underwent traditional Lasik surgery.

In addition, wavefront can help determine what patients are not ideal candidates for Lasik surgery. For some people, Lasik surgery can actually exacerbate existing visual problems and make them even worse.

How is Wavefront Technology Used?

Traditional eye exams can only detect two corneal abnormalities, these being cylindrical and spherical. A cylindrical abnormality results in astigmatism, while a spherical abnormality results in myopia and hyperopia (near sightedness and farsightedness).

Wavefront technology, on the other hand, can detect an infinite number of aberrations. It accomplishes this by using a fixation target along with an input laser beam. The laser beam generates a light source, which is a wavefront sensor that is used to measure the slope of the wavefront as it exits. The software then determines the excimer ablation’s characteristics.

The visual fixation target is used to help the patient maintain the proper view while the measurement is taking place. As the patient fixates, the laser beam is shined into her eye. This light is then reflected from the retina and back through the pupil. The wavefront of the light leaves the pupil and is relayed to the wavefront sensor. The refractive properties of the human eye then distort the wavefront.

As the laser beam enters the eye, it produces a flat wavefront. In the theoretically perfect eye, a wavefront that is still completely flat will reflect back. In reality this beam of light will travel through a crystalline lens that is imperfect. The light then goes through an irregular cornea and other parts of the eye. All of this in combination causes the wavefront beam to become irregular, which results in valuable data to help determine the present shape of the cornea.

After wavefront is used to evaluate and diagnose existing aberrations in the eye, it is used to create the prescription for reshaping the cornea.

History of Wavefront

Wavefront technology has actually been around for quite some time, but it has only recently been used to aid in the correction of human vision. In fact, wavefront has been used for several years by astronomers for adjusting the optics in their telescopes for a similar purpose. When the reflecting mirror inside a telescope becomes deformed (as the cornea of an eye) it can be adjusted using wavefront data. This data is used to remove aberrations, like the Earth’s atmosphere (just like removing the aberrations found with astigmatism in the eye).

What are the Wavefront options?

There are currently three wavefront manufacturers in the United States. These manufacturers go by the trade names of CustomVue (Visx S4 laser), CustomCornea (Alcon LADARVision laser), and Zyoptix (Bausch & Lomb Technolas 217z laser). Each of these has the ability to create a customized prescription for individual patients.

Wavefront technology is an advanced method for creating precise and individualized prescriptions for Lasik eye surgery patients. With wavefront, patients have an increased likelihood of having a successful Lasik experience.