Are you a good candidate?

LASIK is intended for people who want to minimize their reliance on glasses or contact lenses. Make sure you are informed and that your decision is based on facts.

A good candidate for LASIK must be free of eye disease and have a prescription for glasses or contact lenses that has been relatively stable over time. Although there's no upper age limit for having LASIK, people under 18 are not good candidates because their vision is still changing. Pregnant women, people with diabetes, people using oral prednisone, or those who have a poorly controlled autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, or a history of ocular herpes should probably not have LASIK either.

Next / Top

Tips on selecting the right doctor.

You want an ophthalmologist who is qualified to treat your eye condition and with whom you feel most comfortable.

• Look for a doctor who specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of eye diseases or other conditions.
  
• Look for several years of experience.
  
• Expect to be treated as an individual, not just a number.
  
• Expect a thorough medical consultation and complete eye examination from your physician.
  
• Assure that the surgeon will personally care for you before, during and after the procedure.

Anticipate a complete examination, which includes, but is not limited to, checking vision, eye movement, possible changes in lens refraction, testing pressure for signs of glaucoma and dilating the eyes as needed. (Your ability to drive may be impaired for up to several hours due to light sensitivity brought on by dilation. You should bring sunglasses and a driver).

Read additional information about selecting the right doctor.

Next / Prev / Top

Surgery

All laser vision correction procedures of the Des Moines Eye Surgeons are performed at the Surgery Center of Des Moines.  LASIK is a procedure used to correct or reduce moderate to high levels of myopia (nearsightedness). The surgeon combines the use of keratome and the excimer laser to remove a thin layer of tissue from the center of the cornea. By removing the tissue, the central cornea is reshaped and myopia, stigmatism or hyperopia is reduced.

• The surgeon makes a flap in the cornea using a surgical instrument called a microkeratome.
  
• The VISX laser removes a micro-thin layer of tissue from the exposed corneal surface.
  
• The flap is replaced without the need for sutures.

The excimer laser is a medical device that uses ultraviolet light energy to reshape the cornea (the front surface of the eye), resulting in a possible reduction or correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism. The cool beam of the Excimer laser has the ability to vaporize tiny amounts of tissue from the underlying cornea. Once the laser treatment is completed, the flap is returned to its original position on the front surface of the eye. The result is a flattening of the corneal curvature, thereby reducing or correcting the refractive error or nearsightedness and or astigmatism.

Next / Prev / Top

Post Surgery

There is a possibility that you may experience a mild burning or itching sensation for up to a few hours after the procedure. Vision will often be blurry the day of surgery and improve considerably by the next day when you return for a post-operative exam. Avoid swimming, hot tubs and whirlpools for two weeks. Do not drive until your vision has improved enough to enable you to drive safely. Do not rub your eyes. If you experience any bothersome symptoms or unusual side effects, such as pain or extensive redness, report it immediately.

Next / Prev / Top

Potential Risks of LASIK include:

Although there are risks, less than one percent of laser eye surgeries have resulted in complications. Some of the possibilities are listed below.

• Visual side effects - Other complications and conditions that can occur with LASIK surgery include: anisometropia (difference in power between the two eyes): aniseikonia (difference in image size between the two eyes; double vision; hazy vision; fluctuating vision during the day or from day to day; increased sensitivity to light which may be incapacitating for some time and may not completely go away; glare and halos around lights which may not completely go away. Some of these conditions may affect your ability to drive and judge distances and driving should only be done when you are certain your vision is accurate.

• Overcorrection and undercorrection - LASIK surgery may not give you the result you desire. Many procedures result in the eye being undercorrected, in which case, it may be possible or necessary to have additional surgery to fine tune or enhance the initial result. These results cannot be guaranteed. It is also possible that your eyes may be overcorrected to the point of remaining farsighted or that your results could regress over time. In some, but not all cases, re-treatment could be considered.

• Future complications - LASIK surgery has been performed only since the early 1990s and long term results may reveal additional risks and complications.

The Des Moines Eye Surgeons will answer your questions regarding Laser Vision Correction and questions that pertain to your eyesight. Please follow the links below to get answers to frequently asked questions. If your question isn't provided, please send us an e-mail.

LASIK is a procedure used to correct or reduce myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism and hyperopia (far-sightedness). The surgeon combines the use of keratome and the excimer laser to reshape the center of the cornea. The reshaped cornea acts like a contact lens or glasses did before the surgery by accurately focusing the visual image.

• The surgeon makes a flap in the cornea using a surgical instrument called a microkeratome.
  
• The VISX laser removes a micro-thin layer of tissue from the exposed corneal surface.
  
• The flap is replaced without the need for sutures.

Next / Prev / Top

What can you tell me about the VISX laser?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Patients considering vision correction often have questions concerning procedures, costs and personal concerns. Following are some of the most common questions and responses.

How much does it cost?

Our LASIK fee includes personalized care in a trusted, clinical setting. The price for LASIK is $1,950.00 per eye, which includes pre-surgical measurements, surgical kit, physician fee, facility and laser fees, and related routine post-operative visits for 1 year from the date of original surgery. Enhancements cost $300 per eye when done within 1 year of the original surgery. Typically a full eye exam is performed at the time of the pre-operative evaluation and the charge of $91.00 may be covered by your medical insurance.

What brand of Excimer Laser ™ do you use?

Des Moines Eye Surgeons uses the state-of-the-art VISX® Excimer laser system that incorporates VISX exclusive Variable Spot Scanning (VSS™) laser technology with an active 3-D eye-tracking system to help him deliver the best possible treatment.

What if I move or blink my eye during the procedure?

Relax with 3D ActiveTrak.™ Now, the 3D ActiveTrak follows the tiny motions of you eye instantaneiously and automatically, in all three dimensions, repositioning the laser to ensure accuracy. You can relax during your laser vision correction, knowing that you're obtaining a correction that's precisely centered on your eye.

Is LASIK covered by my insurance?

We recommend that you check with your individual insurance policy or benefits department at work. Many patients also utilize flex benefit plans.

Does the procedure hurt?

Due to the fact that the cornea is easily numbed with "eye drops" (anesthesia), most patients say they have little to no discomfort both during and after the procedure.

How long will I need to take off work?

You can have the procedure and be back to your normal day to day activities very quickly. Most people return to work within one day depending on their profession.

Will I need glasses after the surgery?

With any medical procedure there is not a guarantee of perfect vision or that you will not need distance or reading glasses again. However, almost everyone experiences improved vision, and 98% of patients see well enough to pass a driver's test without corrective lenses.

Are both eyes done at the same time?

With LASIK, both eyes are done at the same time almost all of the time.

How long does the vision correction last?

LASIK is a permanent procedure. However, there can be a chance for needing an enhancement procedure. The chances are higher if you have higher amounts of correction. The enhancement procedure is done to take care of any significant nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism that may be left.

What about reading glasses?

It is important to know that LASIK does not eliminate the need for reading glasses, due to the normal aging process of the eye. Reading glasses are eventually needed in most patients beginning around age 40. However, monovision is a technique that corrects vision in one eye for distance and corrects the other eye (the non-dominant eye) for reading vision. For instance, using both eyes together allows you to read a menu and see across the restaurant. With LASIK this may be an option for you to reduce or "put off" the need for reading glasses. We will discuss this option with you during your free consultation. If you currently see well at distance without glasses, but need glasses for reading, you might be a candidate for another procedure called Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) which is also performed by Des Moines Eye Surgeons.

What is the success rate?

It's important that patients have realistic expectations for their Laser Vision Correction surgery. While not all patients undergoing Laser Vision Correction gain 20/20 vision, 98 percent of LASIK patients see 20/40 or better after the procedure. 20/40 is the requirement for getting your driver's license without a correction. Less than one percent of patients experience any kind of serious vision-threatening complications from the procedure.

Will LASIK interfere with my active lifestyle?

Playing contact sports should be postponed for two weeks or until the eye is fully healed as determined by your doctor. Swimming, hot tubs, and saunas also need to be postponed. After a full recovery, your ability to play sports may improve due to LASIK. Following surgery, your normal activity can continue, but we do advise patients not to increase their activity until it is discussed with your doctor.

I've heard it takes six months to improve my vision?

Visual fluctuation is normal and can occur, but visual improvement is almost immediate following the procedure. Within two weeks most patients say major fluctuations have stopped. Depending upon your original refractive error, it may take several months for all of the healing in the eye to occur and vision fluctuation to cease.

How does the laser work?

The excimer laser uses a computer-guided cool light beam to sculpt the cornea's surface to the desired shape, which brings your vision into a sharper focus. You will not actually see or feel the laser beam during the procedure.

I hate to have anything in my eye. What if I am really nervous?

Valium is available prior to surgery to help you relax before and during the procedure. Your doctor will explain each step during the procedure which will put you at ease.

What are other types of refractive surgery?

PRK

Photorefractive Kerateotomy was the first procedure to treat nearsightedness with the excimer laser. The PRK procedure corrects the shape of the cornea with the precision of the excimer laser by altering layers of the corneal tissue. Unlike LASIK, no flap is made during this procedure. Post-operative irritation and visual recovery time tends to be higher with PRK.

RK

Radial Keratotomy was the first surgical alternative for the correction of refractive problems. The procedure is most effective when treating low levels of nearsightedness. RK involves the placement of four to eight radial incisions in the outer perimeter of the cornea. As the incisions heal, the cornea is flattened to correct nearsightedness.

CK (Conductive Keratoplasty)

This is a procedure for patients over 40 who want to lessen their dependency on bifocals. The procedure uses radio frequency to shrink the collagen-protein structures within the corneal tissue. As the collagen shrinks, the curvature of the cornea is changed in a way that allows the eye to focus better for near work.

CLE Clear Lens Extraction

This procedure is sued to reduce severe cases of either nearsightedness or farsightedness. As with cataract surgery, the crystalline lens of the eye is removed and a plastic intraocular prescription lens is inserted. Reading glasses or contact lenses are usually still needed for close-up vision.

ICL Implantable Contact Lens

Implantable contact lens are limited to investigational use in the U.S. This procedure involves implanting a tiny prescription contact lens within the eye. Several types of lenses are available to correct various vision problems.

Prev / Top