About LASIK
LASIK Surgery, known medically as Laser In Situ Keratomileusis, is a type of Laser Eye Surgery that has become the most popular of types of Laser Eye Surgery because it provides patients freedom from the hassle of eyeglasses or contacts with little if any discomfort and a quick visual recovery. In fact, most patients having LASIK Eye Surgery at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania are able to pass a Pennsylvania Drivers Test Eye Examination the day after surgery without glasses or contacts.
LASIK is a type of eye surgery called "lamellar eye surgery" because it is performed between the layers of the cornea. LASIK is actually a two-step procedure:
- The first step is to create a "flap" under which the laser vision correction is to be applied. This is performed using a precise instrument called a microkeratome to prepare the corneal surface.
- The second step is to carefully fold the "flap" over and allow the inner layer of the cornea to be visible so that the laser energy can be applied. The actual application of the Excimer Laser can take from 30-90 seconds depending on the amount of correction that you require.
Based on your examination, your prescription, other measurements and calculations collected at your LASIK consultation, Drs. Altman and Primack will instruct the staff to program certain information into a computer that will monitor and control the actual application of the laser. One of the key measurements Drs. Altman and Primack will evaluate will be the results of your Wavescan Measurement. Drs. Altman and Primack perform Custom Wavefront LASIK in order to get you the best possible results.
Upon completion of the laser application, Drs. Altman and Primack will have changed the curvature of your cornea so that it will be the shape necessary to correct your vision.
Drs. Altman and Primack will then gently replace the "flap" back into its original position. Since the cornea is able to "stick" to itself, Drs. Altman and Primack will not need to use sutures to hold it in place.
LASIK Eye Surgery has the important advantages of allowing the healing and visual recover process to be very quick for most patients. For a few days after your LASIK Eye Surgery, you will need to be careful not to rub or bump your eyes too much. You should expect to have a mild "sandy" or "gritty" sensation during the first day or so after your LASIK.
Drs. Altman and Primack and their staff will give you complete instructions regarding eye drops to use to facilitate the healing and visual recovery process.
YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!
About Advanced Surface Ablation (Photorefractive Keratectomy)
Advanced Surface Ablation [also known as Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)] is another type of laser vision correction procedure. In this technique, the laser is applied to the surface of the cornea without first creating a flap. This technique provides the same quality of vision as LASIK, but requires a longer period of time to obtain your best vision. Patients with thin corneas or unususal corneal curvatures may be a better candidate for this procedure as it requires less surgical steps. Safety is always our #1 concern and Drs. Altman and Primack will discuss with you which procedure is ultimately the best for you.
Drs. Altman and Primack require that you return for your scheduled follow-up visits to check the healing process, regardless of how well you are doing. You should feel free to discuss any concerns, questions or thoughts about LASIK or any Laser Eye Surgery with Drs. Altman and Primack and our Refractive Surgery Coordinator at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania. Our Refractive Surgery Coordinator, Ms. Lynn Talarico, will be pleased to spend whatever time is necessary to review any information about the LASIK procedure, what to expect on LASIK surgery day, follow-up care, fees and affordable easy monthly payment plans that will fit into your budget.
We are happy to offer you a Complimentary Consultation for LASIK in order to help determine if it is right for you. Please call us at 610.378.8500 to arrange your Consultation.
About Custom Wavefront Guided Laser Eye Surgery
Custom Wavefront Guided Laser Eye Surgery is a specialized Laser Eye Surgery technique that Drs. Altman and Primack use to provide patients with a more precise visual outcome.
Many people do not realize that their eyes are really a living optical system made up of a number of optical components that together, produce the optical characteristics of your vision. The two main optical components of your eye are the cornea and the crystalline lens. As with any optical component, the cornea and crystalline lens may have distortions. These distortions are called aberrations.
About Optical Aberrations
Anyone who wears eyeglasses or contact lenses is familiar with the most common aberrations, which are called myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. These aberrations are relatively simple aberrations and are thus are called 'low order' aberrations. Since they are relatively simple, low order aberrations can usually be corrected with eyeglasses and contact lenses. However, there are some optical aberrations that cannot be fully corrected with eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions because they are too complex. These aberrations are probably unfamiliar to most patients but include spherical aberration, coma and trefoil. Since these aberrations are much more complex, they are called "high order" aberrations. High order aberrations are not corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. We will use the Wavescan System, a type of aberrometer, to fully measure the complexity of the prescription we are trying to correct and use that information to guide your Custom Laser Vision Procedure.
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