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Q. Will my vision be perfect after the procedure so that I'll never need glasses?
Q. The informed consent says that I can go blind from the procedure, is this true?
Q. How long after the LASIK procedure will I be able to see clearly without glasses or contacts?
Q. What about the long term effects of the procedure?
Q. What are the risks of the laser vision correction procedure?
Q. Is LASIK painful?
Q. How long have the doctors at Vista Alliance been doing the procedure?
Q. Who can have this done, is it available for me?
Q. What if I am farsighted?
Q. Can both eyes be done on the same day?
Q. Will I still be able to see my own eye doctor after the procedure?
Q. What does the cost of the procedure include?
Q. How do I find out more information?
Q. Will my vision be perfect after the procedure so that I'll never need glasses?
A. Our experience has shown that laser vision correction has been overwhelmingly successful in reducing myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia. While vision improves following the procedure, the amount of improvement may vary from individual to individual. Over 99% of typical patients achieve 20/40 vision or better after one LASIK procedure which means they can drive legally, play sports, and join the police or fire departments, all without their glasses. Most patients are within one or two lines on the eye chart of 20/20 vision. Patients may receive an enhancement procedure to further improve their results, if their vision is below legal driving levels. In general, there is an 8% chance that a patient will require an enhancement procedure. This chance is less in patients with mild myopia (approx. 2% chance) and greater in patients with extreme myopia, or hyperopia with astigmatism (approx. 25% chance).
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Q. The informed consent says that I can go blind from the procedure, is this true?
A. More than 1 million patients in 52 countries have improved their vision as a result of excimer laser technology. No cases of blindness have ever been reported from either the PRK or LASIK procedures in the United States. While there is still a small risk of somebody going blind from the procedure, this is also true for contact lens and glasses use as well.
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Q. How long after the LASIK procedure will I be able to see clearly without glasses or contacts?
A. Most patients see better immediately after the operation. However excellent results are typically achieved the next day when over 96% of patients can see well enough to drive without glasses and nearly all approaching 20/20.
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Q. What about the long term effects of the procedure?
A. The excimer laser procedure has been prevalent in many countries around the world since the late 1980's. Many clinical studies have investigated the long term effects of the excimer laser on the cornea. All of these studies, without exception, have failed to demonstrate any long term negative effects on the integrity of the eye. Unlike radial keratotomy where the strength of the eye was severely compromised, the eye after laser vision correction is still as strong as it was prior to the procedure. At Vista Alliance, we performed our first lamellar refractive procedure (the precursor to the more modern LASIK procedure) in 1986. We have been performing excimer laser vision correction since 1990. Many of our patients achieved 20/20 vision after their procedure, and today, they are still 20/20 without any difficulties. Patients who require an enhancement procedure or develop a problem will typically do so within the first few months following the procedure, not years later.
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Q. What are the risks of the laser vision correction procedure?
A. It is essential that you understand as much as possible about the risks associated with the excimer laser procedure. The risk of having a serious vision threatening complication is less than 1%. The excimer laser procedure, however, like all surgical procedures, has limitations and risks. This web site, our patient brochure and our information video all outline, in great detail, the possible risks associated with the procedure.
When people reach their forties, they start to lose the ability to see up close without reading glasses. After LASIK or other vision correction surgery, most patients will still need glasses for reading after their forties. Monovision is one of the ways that we can lessen the dependence on reading glasses. Other surgeries such as scleral spacing surgery and intra-ocular lens surgery are being developed to overcome this problem.
It is also possible that we may not reach our target vision with vision correction surgery. When this happens with LASIK, most (but not all) patients can undergo a re-treatment after the eye has healed where we apply an additional amount of laser to "fine tune" the result. Over-all, at Vista, our surgeons average an 8% re-treatment rate.
Other risks are less common, but can be more problematic if they occur. Dryness for three to six months after the surgery is typical in all LASIK patients. In general this improves with time, but it is possible that the dryness persists indefinitely possibly causing hazy vision, light sensitivity and/or a scratchy pain in the eyes.
The quality of the vision might not be as good after the surgery. This can show up as problems with night vision such as glare, halo or starburst. In rare instances, ghost images might be seen even in light condidtions. This can effect a patient's ability to drive at night.
People always wonder if they can go blind from LASIK surgery. While this has happened in Brazil, it has never happened in the United States. Loss of best corrected vision however can and does happen less than 1% of the time. This is when the quantity of vision diminishes even with glasses after the surgery. Here, because some vision has been lost, retreatment surgery, glasses or contact lenses are not able to restore the vision.
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Q. Is LASIK painful?
A. Most patients report little to no discomfort during or after the procedure. Some describe it as feeling like a lash rubbing the eye the first evening. Patients are routinely comfortable the next morning.
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Q. How long have the doctors at Vista Alliance been doing the procedure?
A. Dr. Barrie Soloway has been performing refractive surgery since 1984. He first began using the microkeratome for lamellar refractive surgery in 1986. Our first experience with the excimer laser was during the FDA study phase in 1990 with the excimer laser. We traveled to Canada after the FDA approved studies closed in the United States to provide our patients with laser vision correction. After November 1995, when Summit Technology got FDA approval we were able to provide our patients with care here in the United States. As the Director of Vision Correction at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Dr. Soloway has been involved in teaching and training eye surgeons and resident doctors from across North America to perform laser vision correction. We also educate eye doctors to manage pre- and post-operative care through comprehensive training programs in the field of laser vision correction. We have been investigators in the FDA monitored studies for hyperopia, with and without astigmatism here in the United States.
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Q. Who can have this done, is it available for me?
A. In general, excimer laser candidates must meet the following requirements:
Be at least 18 years of age or older. Have a stable prescription for glasses or contact lenses for a year prior to the procedure. Not have certain diseases of the cornea or retina. Have realistic expectations about the outcome of the procedure. Understand that complications, as in any surgical procedure, while rare, can result.
Every person's situation is unique. In order to assess whether you are a candidate, you must have a pre-procedure consultation with a Vista Alliance Eye Care doctor.
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Q. What if I am farsighted?
A. Hyperopic or farsighted LASIK has only recently been approved in the United States. Dr. Soloway was one of a select group of ophthalmic surgeons in the United States with an FDA exemption that allowed him to perform Hyperopic LASIK since 1998 during the clinical trials. His Visx laser at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary's Vision Correction Center was the first laser in New York capable of performing these scanning treatments. As the Director of the LADARVision Center of Excellence, his flying spot tracking laser was the first certified for these treatments as well.
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Q. Can both eyes be done on the same day?
A. 90% of our patients have both eyes done on the same day. In the event that this cannot be done safely, one eye will be treated at a time. If a patient's second eye is treated at a separate time than the first eye, one of the following three methods is used to gap the transition period:
a) the patient will wear a contact lens in the untreated eye during that period
b) the patient will wear his or her glasses with one lens covered or removed
c) the patient will do nothing to the untreated eye.
The solution that is best for you, will be discussed with you and your eye doctor.
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Q. Will I still be able to see my own eye doctor after the procedure?
A. Yes. We will work with your local/regular eye doctor to ensure he or she is knowledgeable in performing the required post procedure care.
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Q. What does the cost of the procedure include?
A. The fees for LASIK, at Vista Alliance, are fully inclusive. They include:
All Preoperative evaluations such as multiple measurements of refraction both manually and with computerized retinoscopy, as well as with and without drops, computerized corneal topography and personal consultation regarding the procedure.
The procedure itself as well as the initial supply of medications are included. During the first year all follow-up care related to the procedure is included. Also during the first year, if the patient has an under or over response to the treatment their eyeglasses will be updated to the intermediate prescription at no additional charge until stable, and an enhancement procedure will be performed at no charge as well.
All facility fees are covered, as well as licensing fees and royalty fees to the laser manufacturer, as well as the patent fees to the microkeratome company.
Our patients can pay for their procedure using a variety of payment methods including cash, certified check, major credit cards, personal checks, or payment through our extended payment plan.
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Q. How do I find out more information?
A. Call us toll free at 1 (888) 821 - EYES and ask for your free LASIK evaluation. We offer convenient appointment scheduling to perform a private evaluation of your eyes, explain Laser Vision Correction in more detail, and determine if you are a candidate for this exciting procedure to see better without glasses. We offer frequent free seminars where you can see the procedure performed, and speak to patients who have had LASIK laser vision correction.
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If you have more questions, you can click here to e-mail us or you can call us TOLL FREE at (888) NYLASIK
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