When considering LASIK surgery, there are many questions and concerns that you will have in your quest to have perfect vision without glasses or contact lenses. A free consultation is a phone call away at Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. for anyone desiring to receive additional information and education about LASIK, refractive surgery, and the risks involved with laser vision correction. Here are some of the more frequently asked questions and answers:
• Does everyone see 20/20 after surgery?
If you can see 20/20 or better with glasses or contacts you will have the potential to see 20/20 or better after LASIK. There are risks associated with the procedure. If you are selected as a good candidate for LASIK at Michelson Laser Vision, Inc, those risks are very low. The percentage of patients who obtain 20/20 or better after LASIK by Dr. Michelson currently exceeds 98%. The patient’s best visual acuity determines how well the patient will see after surgery. In other words, if you are incapable of obtaining 20/20 vision LASIK can only improve you to the best level of your potential before surgery.
• Does having LASIK force me have to wear reading glasses sooner?
No. In people who have perfect vision, beginning in their mid-forties, reading glasses become necessary to see close up due to changes of the lens of the eye making it more difficult to change focus from distance to near. This is called Presbyopia. LASIK surgery eliminates nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism allowing you to have perfect vision. The timing of the development of Presbyopia will determine when reading glasses are required for near vision.
• Does LASIK cause Cataracts?
No. LASIK is performed on the corneal surface of the eye. The laser energy is totally absorbed in the first few microns of corneal tissue and does not penetrate into the eye. Cataracts are only formed in the lens of the eye when the lens becomes cloudy or opaque resulting in diminished vision especially at night. LASIK however, does not prevent one from developing cataracts which will then require cataract surgery with an intraocular lens implant.
• Are all LASIK procedures the same?
No. There are two methods to perform LASIK. The creation of a thin corneal flap is performed to allow the laser to treat the cornea. The flap can be generated by a mechanical blade called a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser. The femtosecond laser fires at a pulse rate of a millionth of a billionth of a second creating an extremely thin and reproducibly precise corneal flap. Otherwise known as “Bladeless LASIK” the femtosecond laser is the choice of corneal flap generation for LASIK at Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. Reproducibility and precision are the ingredients for excellent outcomes.
Bladeless All Laser LASIK at Michelson Laser Vision, Birmingham - Laser Cataract Surgery & Lens Implants at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Birmingham.
