iLASIK
What is iLASIK?
The iLASIK procedure itself only takes minutes. The procedure uses an excimer laser to reshape your cornea. Reshaping your cornea corrects refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
What Should I Expect During LASIK?
- You’ll have a comprehensive eye exam with your iLASIK surgeon and our staff
- A laser is used to make a thin flap in your cornea
- You’ll be given numbing drops, so you won’t feel pain
- This flap enables the surgeon to make the iLASIK correction
- A second laser is used to reshape your cornea and correct your refractive errors based on your unique vision and eye characteristics
- This correction is entirely computer-driven
- The procedure is relatively quick and virtually painless
- You can have excellent vision without glasses or contacts*
*Outcomes may vary. 98% of nearsighted patients participating in the Advanced CustomVue™ FDA Clinical Trials could see 20/20 or better one year after treatment.
To correct your vision with the iLASIK procedure, your surgeon creates a thin corneal flap. There are two ways to make this flap: a blade or the IntraLase™ FS laser.
The iLASIK procedure EXCLUSIVELY uses the IntraLase laser. Using the IntraLase laser is part of what makes iLASIK vision correction unique.
Step by Step
Consultation
LASIK can be a fantastic solution for those who are tired of relying on their glasses or contact lenses. Our goal at the MidWest Eye Center is for all our LASIK surgery patients to be able to enjoy performing their daily activities without needing corrective lenses.
Through the years, LASIK has come to be recognized as very safe and effective. Complications from LASIK are rare, but they can occur.
For this reason, Dr. Jaweed and his staff use the latest technology to conduct thorough pre-operative examinations with every patient who undergoes a LASIK consultation. The MidWest Eye Center understands that LASIK is not for everyone.
We carefully screen everyone to ensure that the best possible outcome is achieved. Nearly 100% of people who undergo LASIK eye surgery at MidWest Eye Center are completely satisfied with their improved vision.
You may experience mild side effects like dryness, glare, and halos as you recover from LASIK, but these usually diminish shortly after. Like any other surgical procedure, each patient heals differently.
Your LASIK consultation goes a long way in determining if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. Above all else, it helps our patients make educated decisions regarding vision correction procedures.
For us here at MidWest Eye Center, it is paramount to ensure that each patient has all their questions answered to their satisfaction before undergoing LASIK surgery.
The only way to determine if you’re a good candidate for LASIK at MidWest Eye Center is to be evaluated by one of our LASIK specialists. Once you have your consultation scheduled, there are a few things to remember leading up to your appointment:
- If you wear soft contact lenses, stop wearing them two weeks before your evaluation
- If you wear soft toric contact lenses, stop wearing them three weeks before your evaluation
- If you wear hard contact lenses, stop wearing them four weeks before your evaluation
- Be prepared to discuss past and present medical and eye conditions with your eye doctor
- Have a list of current medications you are taking and are allergic to
During the consultation, the eye doctor will discuss your candidacy and the risks, benefits, and alternatives to LASIK. You will also go through the procedure step by step to know precisely what will happen and what you need to do before, during, and after your procedure.
Leading up to Having LASIK
After you and your ophthalmologist have decided on proceeding with LASIK surgery, it is recommended that you stop using creams, lotions, makeup, and perfumes the day before your surgery. Also, MidWest Eye Center asks you to arrange for transportation to and from your procedure and your first follow-up visit.
The Day of LASIK
On the day of your LASIK surgery, you will arrive at the MidWest Eye Center’s West Chester Laser Center about an hour before the procedure. After you’ve checked in, we’ll begin preparing for your procedure.
We will start by instructing you to clean your face and eyes. We will also prescribe a mild sedative to help calm your nerves.
First, we’ll use anesthetic eye drops to numb your eyes. There’s no injection necessary as the eye drops move over the surface of your eyes to numb them.
Once the anesthetic has taken effect and your eyes are completely numb, an eyelid holder is put in place to prevent blinking during the short procedure. The anesthetic ensures that you are comfortable and relaxed during the procedure.
The LASIK procedure is usually completed in five minutes or less, depending on how much correction is needed. You may experience some pressure during the procedure, but you shouldn’t feel any pain.
After Having LASIK
After the vision correction procedure is complete, the corneal flap bonds naturally. It’s common to experience blurry vision immediately after the procedure.
You’ll need a friend or family member who can drive you home. In the first 24 hours after surgery, some discomfort may persist.
You can usually alleviate this discomfort by using over-the-counter pain medication. Some swelling and watering of the eyes and sensitivity to bright light may occur for a few days, but most LASIK patients can resume their normal activities the next day.
If you are interested in LASIK surgery and believe you may be a candidate, take our LASIK Self-Test or contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Am I a Candidate for LASIK?
Do you love the idea of having LASIK, but you’re not sure if you’d be a good candidate for the vision correction procedure? Check out some guidelines that can help you determine if you are a candidate for laser vision correction:
- You are at least 18 years old, although it’s not uncommon for young adults to experience changes to their prescription as vision tends to stabilize in your twenties
- You’ve had a stable prescription that’s remained unchanged for at least a year or more
- You need healthy eyes, as any condition that may affect how well your eyes can heal after LASIK needs to be resolved before you can have the procedure
- You cannot have any signs of keratoconus, an abnormal condition of the cornea
- You don’t have any eye conditions like glaucoma
If you think you might be a candidate for LASIK, take our LASIK self-test to find out!
State-of-the-Art LASIK Technology at MidWest Eye Center
When you’re considering having LASIK, who is performing your procedure is a critical component of having a successful procedure. But another part that leads to the best possible results is the technology used by an eyecare practice.
Here at MidWest Eye Center, you’ll find that we only use the most state-of-the-art technology available, including:
What is iDesign?
When it comes to having LASIK, you want to know that your surgeon is using only the best and most modern technology. iDesign is the newest LASIK technology available.
It uses topography and wavefront-guided diagnostics to guide your LASIK surgeon from start to finish. For patients, this means optimal results and an incredible level of accuracy that’s not found in any other laser vision correction system.
Part of what makes the iDesign system so revolutionary is it combines both diagnostic and imaging tools. Each LASIK procedure performed by the surgeons at MidWest Eye Center is entirely custom to the patient.
Why Does MidWest Eye Center Use iDesign During LASIK?
At MidWest Eye Center, you’ll find that our top priority is always the patient. When you have LASIK with us, we’re dedicated to providing our patients with the best eye care.
iDesign is the premier LASIK system incorporating other leading technology in one convenient platform. Its customizable features make it easier than ever for our LASIK surgeons to produce incredible results for our patients.
How Does the iDesign System Work?
During your LASIK procedure, the iDesign system will read the exact size and shape of your eye, down to its individual intricacies. Your LASIK surgeon uses this information to determine the precise location and depth needed to use the laser to reshape your cornea.
iDesign comes into play once you’ve already had your eyes numbed and are ready to have LASIK. Your surgeon will begin by creating a topographical map of your cornea with the iDesign system.
iDesign makes this possible by measuring the inside and outside of your eye. It also measures the edges of your cornea. To create the map, it measures over 1200 individual data points in your eye in only three seconds.
With the map that iDesign creates, your surgeon now has a precise image of your eye to guide them through your LASIK procedure. They know exactly how much tissue to remove from the cornea to achieve vision correction.
If there is scarring or irregularities in your eye, iDesign can account for this to ensure that your procedure goes smoothly. Because of iDesign’s precision, it provides patients with the sharpest possible distance vision with LASIK.
It can also reduce the instance of experiencing common side effects like dry eyes, halos, and glare after the procedure. Patients can look forward to a shorter procedure (only a few minutes per eye) and quicker recovery.
Many patients who have LASIK with the iDesign system notice that their vision starts improving in as little as an hour after their procedure. They also find that they can return to their everyday activities the day after having LASIK.
Who is the iDesign System Right for?
At MidWest Eye Center, the iDesign system is for all of our LASIK patients. If you’re having LASIK with us, you can rest assured that this will be a crucial component of your vision correction procedure.
iDesign can also treat patients that have higher amounts of astigmatism. If you’ve been told that you’re not a LASIK candidate in the past because your astigmatism is too high, you may be able to undergo LASIK with iDesign.
Intralase Femtosecond Laser
What is the Intralase Femtosecond Laser?
In bladeless LASIK — also called IntraLase Femtosecond LASIK — your LASIK surgeon uses two types of lasers for the vision correction procedure. First, an ultra-fast femtosecond laser creates a thin flap in the cornea.
Then, an excimer laser reshapes the underlying corneal tissue to correct your vision. Your surgeon then returns the flap to its original position.
The femtosecond laser eliminates the need for a bladed surgical tool to create the corneal flap. Blade-free LASIK allows some patients who were previously unable to have laser vision correction procedures to have LASIK.
A thin cornea may disqualify some individuals interested in LASIK. However, with blade-free technology, a thinner flap is possible.
A thinner flap allows more patients with thin corneas to now have laser vision correction. Generally, anyone who qualifies for LASIK surgery is a good candidate for bladeless LASIK.
Also, some studies have suggested that all-laser LASIK may decrease the risk of certain LASIK complications associated with the use of a bladed surgical tool. More patients in clinical trials achieved 20/20 or better vision when their procedure was performed using Intralase.
Patients also report better overall quality vision, particularly in terms of their ability to see well in low light, such as at dusk or night.
Iris Registration
Your irises are unique to you, like your fingerprints. This uniqueness allows eye surgeons to tailor treatments to each patient, resulting in better outcomes.
Iris registration technology makes this personalized treatment in laser eye surgery easier.
What is Iris Registration?
Iris registration is an exclusive hardware and software feature of the VISX Star S4 IR Excimer laser. This all-in-one laser device lets ophthalmologists take precise scans of their patients’ irises and save that information for targeted treatment.
The wavelength scan captures an extraordinarily detailed and precise picture of the iris that helps for patient identification and better treatment plans.
What are the Benefits of Iris Registration?
Iris registration in LASIK procedures dramatically reduces the risk of operator error. Before a LASIK surgeon can start using the laser, the machine will scan the iris of the patient to make sure it matches the iris registered for the treatment plan about to be used.
If the irises don’t match, the laser won’t operate. Having this in place removes the risk of a surgeon performing a treatment meant for another patient.
It also offers the benefit of accuracy. Patients who have their initial eye scans before LASIK are sitting up. Their eyes inevitably move as they lay back to have the procedure performed.
The surgeon creates the treatment plan based on different positioning than during the vision correction procedure. The laser can automatically adjust to the new eye position with iris registration, providing more accurate LASIK results.
Excimer Laser
Excimer Lasers are Used During LASIK Laser Eye Surgery
The excimer laser has revolutionized eye care correction. The excimer laser has helped many individuals with refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
The excimer laser creates a concentrated beam of ultraviolet light that can be precisely focused, making changes with virtually no effects outside the target zone. The biological tissue in the cornea requires specific photon energy to break the tissue bonds.
The intermolecular bonds are broken when the laser beam touches the cornea, leaving a clear, smooth underlying corneal tissue. This process is known as photoablation.
There is no corneal scarring because the process generates virtually no heat. In addition to no scarring, another advantage of using the excimer laser is the incredible accuracy that your surgeon can use to remove the tissue. They can accomplish this without any thermal damage to surrounding tissue.
Are you ready to find out if you’re a good candidate for LASIK? Schedule your LASIK consultation at MidWest Eye Center at one of our convenient locations in the surrounding Tri-State area, including Cincinnati, OH!
