Many people are thinking about laser eye surgery have worn glasses or contacts for years. Many have developed an ongoing relationship with an eye doctor, usually an optometrist. Having that doctor involved in improving their vision and having that continuity of care makes the laser vision correction process easier for them. At Golden Vision, we are experienced to work with your LASIK surgeon to provide you with the best quality pre and post surgery patient care for your laser vision correction procedure. The LASIK surgeons will perform the surgery and coordinate your post-operative care. This two-doctor approach combines your optometrist’s knowledge of your long-term eye history with the expertise of a LASIK surgeon trained in the latest advancements in laser vision correction. This provides many patients the best of both worlds at no extra cost. Lasik is a hybrid procedure, combining the ALK technique with the accuracy of the Excimer Laser. First the doctor will use an instrument called a Hansatome. Microkeratome to create a thin surface-flap under the microscope; this will only take a few seconds. Next the Excimer Laser, which has been pre-programmed with your exact correction, applies a rapid, cool ultraviolet light that precisely sculpts a very small amount of the sub-surface of the cornea. These short laser pulses correct the curvature of the cornea, allowing images to be focused clearly on the retina. The flap is then smoothed down where it quickly bonds in place, usually in three to five minutes, restoring a smooth, intact surface.

The actual procedure usually takes less than 15 minutes. Depending on your prescription, and the amount of correction needed, the laser itself only takes 20 - 50 seconds to correct your vision. However, you should plan to be in the office for approximately an hour and a half. The treatment itself is painless. You will be given plenty of numbing (anesthetic) drops to completely numb the eye. You may feel a light pressure sensation around your eye, and after the procedure is finished you will feel a sensation our patients describe as wearing a poor-fitting contact lens for a few hours . . . but you shouldn’t have any pain. We rarely find the need to prescribe anything for pain after the procedure - other than Tylenol. Even though everyone is a little different, the vast majority of our Lasik patients achieve legal driving vision or better, the very next day. That is one of the most exciting advantages of the Lasik procedure; clear vision comes in quickly. The final result may take anywhere from a week to several weeks, but vision should improve gradually day by day. 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. There are a few minor side effects related with the Lasik procedure. Although post-operative pain is not commonly associated with the procedure, some patients feel a foreign-body sensation for the first day or two. This is similar to the feeling of having a contact lens in the eye when you blink. Some patients may experience halos, glare, or light sensitivity around bright lights for a few days after the procedure. It may also take a short period of time to adjust to your close-up, or reading vision.