About LASIK FAQ
If you don't see your question or topic addressed here, check with your doctor.
What does LASIK mean?
LASIK is an acronym for laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis. It's a surgical procedure in which an excimer laser beam works within your eye's corneal tissue under a protective flap to "reshape" the cornea, thereby changing where images focus on the retina. Many common vision problems, such as farsightedness and nearsightedness, occur because of the length of the eye or the shape of the cornea, which prevent the images from focusing on the retina in the correct place.
Are there surgical options other than LASIK for correcting my vision problems?
Yes. In addition to LASIK, there are various alternative procedures available. These include PRK* (Photorefractive Keratectomy), LASEK* (Laser Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy), a variation of PRK and phakic intraocular lenses.
How do I know if I'm a good candidate for LASIK?
Only a qualified eye care specialist or ophthalmologist can confirm, based on a comprehensive pre-operative examination, if you are a candidate for laser vision correction.
How is LASIK done?
A refractive surgeon performs the LASIK procedure. He or she uses a surgical device to create a small corneal flap. This protective flap is folded back to expose a small area of your cornea onto which a laser beam is applied to reshape the cornea. The reshaping helps correct vision problems by changing the curvature of the cornea.
If I need reading glasses now, will I still need them after LASIK?
In all likelihood, yes. Most people who wear reading glasses continue to need them even after LASIK. The reason? They likely suffer from presbyopia, a physiological visual condition occurring with age. There is a treatment approach called monovision, in which one eye is left slightly nearsighted for reading, and the other eye is treated for distance vision. Surgeons may choose to use this procedure based on individual patient needs.
I've heard that some people need reading glasses after LASIK even though they didn't need them before. Is this true?
Some people may start to need reading glasses following LASIK, particularly if they were relying on nearsightedness to read without glasses, prior to surgery. They probably suffer from presbyopia, a physiological visual condition occurring with age.
If I need to wear contacts after laser eye surgery, will I be able to?
Immediately following LASIK, you should only wear eyeglasses, because contact lenses might interfere with the natural healing process. As your eyes heal, you should be able to wear contact lenses again if desired. Check with your doctor to learn what you can and can't do regarding contacts after LASIK.
If LASIK does not correct my vision, what is the possibility that my glasses will need to be stronger than before?
Some people have had their vision worsen slightly, requiring a slight increase in the strength of their eyeglass prescription. This is not common, but it is a risk when you have LASIK surgery.
I've heard that some people need to have a second surgery. Why does this happen?
Because every patient heals differently, some patients may benefit from a second procedure. Your surgeon will determine if further improvement of your vision is possible, and he or she may advise a second procedure, sometimes called an enhancement (retreatment).
I've heard that some people only have one eye corrected. Why is that?
In this mode of treatment, called monovision, one eye is left slightly nearsighted for reading. The other eye is treated for distance vision. In time, the two eyes will work together, with good vision in the distance and close up. If this is an option for you, your doctor may have you wear a contact lens first, to simulate the result before having the procedure. Your doctor can help you decide if this procedure is right for you.
What should I expect from my first consultation with my doctor?
If you do not have the results of a recent vision test, your doctor will conduct one to determine your current vision both with and without your eyeglasses or contact lenses. If you're a candidate for LASIK, your doctor will run special tests to obtain very detailed information about the surface of your eyes.
What happens on the day of the procedure?
You should ask your doctor to explain the day's events to you since each doctor works a bit differently. We also provide you with a detailed, step-by-step look at the LASIK procedure.
Will LASIK hurt?
Most people may feel some mild discomfort during or after the surgery. Because your eyes are "numbed" with eye drops before the procedure, you may not feel pain during your LASIK procedure. During the creation of the corneal flap, you may feel some pressure. The application of the actual laser beam should also be painless. There are no stitches involved. Instead, the corneal flap is simply laid back into place and it adheres to the rest of the cornea.
Do I need to have laser eye surgery performed on both eyes at the same time?
There may be reasons why only one eye is corrected, such as a procedure called monovision. Your laser vision correction surgeon can discuss this option with you. Most patients prefer to have both eyes treated at the same time. If both eyes are not treated on the same day, the second eye can often be done within days of the first.
Will I need to limit my activities after LASIK?
Yes, and you should discuss this with your doctor. You will probably need to limit only the most strenuous activities, and probably just for the first few days or weeks following the procedure. (Remember, you should not drive a car immediately after the procedure.) You should be able to return to work within a few days following the procedure, unless your job might cause injury to your eyes before they are completely healed. Many people even return to work the next day.
What kind of vision can I expect in the first few days following surgery? Or, in the first few months?
In the first few days after surgery, your vision may actually be a bit more blurry than usual, and you may be sensitive to bright light. This is because the cornea is still healing after the surgery. In addition, your eyes will probably feel dry for a few weeks following surgery. As the cornea heals, the dryness, blurring, and sensitivity to light should diminish. Your vision may also continue to improve over the first few weeks. All of these symptoms are common when recovering from LASIK surgery.
Glossary Entries
excimer laser: A type of laser used in laser vision correction that removes tissue from the cornea.
cornea: The clear front surface of the eye. Refractive surgeries like PRK, LASIK, LASEK and RK reshape this surface to correct vision problems.
farsightedness: A common term for hyperopia, a vision problem that most commonly results in blurred close vision. Moderate to severe hyperopia may also result in blurred distance vision. The cornea and lens focus light rays behind, rather than directly on, the retina.
nearsightedness: A common term for myopia. A condition of the eye that results in blurred distance vision. The cornea and lens focus light rays from distant objects in front of the retina. This incorrect focusing of light results in blurred images of objects at a distance.
PRK: An acronym for Photorefractive Keratectomy, a refractive surgery procedure that uses an excimer laser to remove tissue directly from the surface of the cornea.OptiLASIK™ Laser Vision Correction is not designed to perform PRK procedures.
LASEK: An acronym for Laser Assisted sub-Epithelial Keratectomy, a refractive surgical procedure similar to PRK, where the surface cells (epithelium) of the cornea are removed prior to laser treatment. Then the laser reshapes the cornea to improve vision. Once the laser ablation is completed, the surface cells are replaced over the reshaped area. OptiLASIK™ Laser Vision Correction is not designed to perform LASEK procedures.
ophthalmologist: A medical doctor who specializes in the eye and is licensed to perform surgery on the eye. All LASIK surgeons are ophthalmologists.
refractive surgeon: An ophthalmologist who specializes in performing refractive procedures such as LASIK.
presbyopia: An eye condition commonly due to aging and a stiffening of the lens, which results in an eye that can no longer accommodate for near or "reading" vision. The individual is no longer able to read clearly and typically requires reading glasses.
monovision: An approach to vision correction that intentionally corrects one eye for distance vision and the other for close vision. This can be done with glasses, contact lenses, or various surgical procedures.
enhancements: A follow-up procedure. LASIK is sometimes performed a second time to improve upon initial results, or if your vision changes after surgery. Speak with your doctor to understand this process more fully.
corneal flap: A thin slice of tissue on the surface of the cornea made with a microkeratome at the beginning of a LASIK procedure. This flap is folded back before the laser is applied to the inner layers of the cornea.
Glossary
Confused on LASIK jargon? Click on terms in bold to pull up the glossary tab.
Myopia:
a. Approval of the premarket approval application is for the WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System to perform LASIK treatments in patients 18 years of age or older for the reduction or elimination of myopic refractive errors up to -12.0 diopters (D) of sphere with and without astigmatic refractive errors up to -6.0 D; and in patients with documented evidence of a stable manifest refraction defined as less than or equal to 0.50 D of preoperative spherical equivalent shift over one year prior to surgery.
b. LASIK is an elective procedure with the alternatives including but not limited to eyeglasses, contact lenses, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and other refractive surgeries.
c. Approval of the application is based on clinical trials in the United States with 901 eyes treated, of which 813 of 866 eligible eyes were followed for 12 months. Accountability at 3 months was 93.8%, at 6 months was 91.9%, and at 12 months was 93.9%.
d. The studies found that of the 844 eyes eligible for the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) analysis of effectiveness at the 3-month stability time point, 98.0% were corrected to 20/40 or better, and 84.4% were corrected to 20/20 or better without spectacles or contact lenses.
e. The clinical trials showed that the following subjective patient adverse events were reported as “moderate to severe” at a level at least 1% higher than baseline of the subjects at 3 months posttreatment: visual fluctuations (12.8% at baseline versus 28.6% at 3 months).
f. Long-term risks of LASIK for myopia with and without astigmatism beyond 12 months have not been studied.
g. Note that the complete name for this ophthalmic laser is “WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System for laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) treatments of myopic refractive errors up to -12.0 diopters (D) of sphere with and without astigmatic refractive errors up to -6.0 D at the spectacle plane.”
Hyperopia:
a. Approval of the premarket approval application is for the WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System to perform LASIK treatments in patients 18 years of age or older for the reduction or elimination of hyperopic refractive errors up to +6.0 diopters (D) of sphere with and without astigmatic refractive errors up to 5.0 D at the spectacle plane, with a maximum manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) of +6.0 D; and in patients with documented evidence of a stable manifest refraction defined as less than or equal to 0.50 D of preoperative spherical equivalent shift over one year prior to surgery, exclusive of changes due to unmasking latent hyperopia.
b. LASIK is an elective procedure with the alternatives including but not limited to eyeglasses, contact lenses, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and other refractive surgeries.
c. Approval of the application is based on clinical trials in the United States with 290 eyes treated, of which 100 of 290 eligible eyes were followed for 12 months. Accountability at 3 months was 95.2%, at 6 months was 93.9%, and at 12 months was 69.9%.
d. The studies found that of the 212 eyes eligible for the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) analysis of effectiveness at the 6-month stability time point, 95.3% were corrected to 20/40 or better, and 67.5% were corrected to 20/20 or better without spectacles or contact lenses.
e. The study showed that the following subjective patient adverse events were reported as “much worse” by at least 1% of the subjects (in order of increasing frequency) at 6 months post final treatment: glare from bright lights (3.0%); night driving glare (4.2%) light sensitivity (4.9%); visual fluctuations (6.1%); and halos (6.4%).
f. Long term risks of LASIK for hyperopia with and without astigmatism beyond 12 months have not been studied.
g. Note that the complete name for this ophthalmic laser is “WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System for laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) treatments of hyperopic refractive errors up to +6.0 diopters (D) of sphere with and without astigmatic refractive errors up to 5.0 D with a maximum manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) of +6.0 D.”
Mixed Astigmatism:
a. Approval of the premarket approval application is for the WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System to perform LASIK treatments in patients 21 years of age or older for the reduction or elimination of naturally occurring mixed astigmatism of up to 6.00 D at the spectacle plane; and in patients with documentation of a stable manifest refraction defined as less than or equal to 0.50 D of preoperative spherical equivalent shift over one year prior to surgery.
b. LASIK is an elective procedure with the alternatives including but not limited to eyeglasses, contact lenses, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and other refractive surgeries.
c. Approval of the application is based on clinical trials in the United States with 162 eyes treated, of which 111 were eligible to be followed at 6 months. Accountability at 1 month was 99.4%, at 3 months was 96.0%, and at 6 months was 100.0%.
d. The studies found that of the 142 eyes eligible for the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) analysis of effectiveness at the 3-month stability time point, 95.8% achieved acuity of 20/40 or better, and 67.6% achieved acuity of 20/20 or better without spectacles or contact lenses.
e. The clinical trials showed that the following subjective patient adverse events were reported as “moderate to severe” at a level at least 1% higher than baseline of the subjects at 3 months post-treatment: sensitivity to light (43.3% at baseline versus 52.9% at 3 months); visual fluctuations (32.1% at baseline versus 43.0% at 3 months); and halos (37.0% at baseline versus 42.3% at 3 months).
f. Long term risks of LASIK for mixed astigmatism beyond 6 months have not been studied.
g. The safety and effectiveness of LASIK surgery has ONLY been established with an optical zone of 6.0 - 7.0 mm and an ablation zone of 9.0 mm.
h. Note that the complete name for this ophthalmic laser is “WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System for laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) treatments of naturally occurring mixed astigmatism of up to 6.00 D at the spectacle plane.”
Wavefront-Guided Treatment of Myopia:
a. Approval of the premarket approval application is for the WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System used in conjunction with the WaveLight® ALLEGRO Analyzer® device. The device uses a 6.5 mm optical zone, a 9.0 mm ablation/treatment zone, and is indicated for wavefront-guided (WFG) laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK): 1) for the reduction or elimination of up to -7.00 diopters (D) of spherical equivalent myopia or myopia with astigmatism, with up to -7.00 D of spherical component and up to 3.00 D of astigmatic component at the spectacle plane; 2) in patients who are 18 years of age or older; and 3) in patients with documentation of a stable manifest refraction defined as ≤0.50 D of preoperative spherical equivalent shift over one year prior to surgery.
b. LASIK is an elective procedure with the alternatives including but not limited to eyeglasses, contact lenses, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), traditional LASIK and other refractive surgeries.
c. Approval of the application is based on a randomized clinical trial in the United States with 374 eyes treated; 188 with wavefront-guided LASIK (Study Cohort) and 186 with Wavefront Optimized® LASIK (Control Cohort). 178 of the Study Cohort and 180 of the Control Cohort were eligible to be followed at 6 months. In the Study Cohort, accountability at 1 month was 96.8%, at 3 months was 96.8%, and at 6 months was 93.3%. In the Control Cohort, accountability at 1 month was 94.6%, at 3 months was 94.6%, and at 6 months was 92.2%.
d. The studies found that of the 180 eyes eligible for the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) analysis of effectiveness at the 6-month stability time point in the Study Cohort, 99.4% were corrected to 20/40 or better, and 93.4% were corrected to 20/20 or better without spectacles or contact lenses. In the Control Cohort, of the 176 eyes eligible for the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) analysis of effectiveness at the 6-month stability time point, 99.4% were corrected to 20/40 or better, and 92.8% were corrected to 20/20 or better without spectacles or contact lenses.
e. The clinical trials showed that the following subjective patient adverse events were reported as “moderate to severe” at a level at least 1% higher than baseline of the subjects at 3 months post-treatment in the Study Cohort, light sensitivity (37.2% at baseline versus 47.8% at 3 months) and visual fluctuations (13.8% at baseline versus 20.0% at 3 months). In the Control Cohort, halos (36.6% at baseline versus 45.4% at 3 months) and visual fluctuations (18.3% at baseline versus 21.9% at 3 months).
f. Long term risks of wavefront-guided LASIK for myopia with and without astigmatism beyond 6 months have not been studied.
g. Note that the complete name for this ophthalmic laser is “WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® / ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q Excimer Laser System used in conjunction with the WaveLight® ALLEGRO Analyzer® device. The device uses a 6.5 mm optical zone, a 9.0 mm ablation/treatment zone, and is indicated for wavefront-guided (WFG) laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK): 1) for the reduction or elimination of up to -7.00 diopters (D) of spherical equivalent myopia or myopia with astigmatism, with up to -7.00 D of spherical component and up to 3.00 D of astigmatic component at the spectacle plane; 2) in patients who are 18 years of age or older; and 3) in patients with documentation of a stable manifest refraction defined as ≤0.50 D of preoperative spherical equivalent shift over one year prior to surgery.”