You may be wondering if you are a good candidate for Lasik. Important factors include the presence or absence of other eye diseases, the shape of the cornea, the thickness of the cornea, the type and amount of vision correction one needs and the age of the patient.
The cornea, or front surface of the eye, should have a normal shape and be thick enough to undergo reshaping without leaving too little tissue behind. In cases where too little tissue would remain, an alternative laser vision correction procedure called “PRK” may be used. With PRK, the surface layer of the cornea is removed and the underlying tissue is reshaped with the laser. The surface tissue then grows back. The results of PRK are excellent, but take longer to achieve.
Another important factor to consider is the patient’s goals and expectations. For example, is distance vision most important to you? Do you want to be able to read without glasses also? If you’re over 40, monovision is a situation where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for reading. This works well for most patients. A detailed discussion of the needs and desires of the patient is needed to determine if laser vision correction would be able to meet their expectations.
We offer complimentary evaluations to determine if you’re a candidate for Lasik. If possible, stay out of your soft contact lenses for two weeks prior to your visit. Contact lenses can temporarily alter the corneal shape. We will take the necessary time to evaluate the health of your eyes, educate you about the procedure and thoroughly answer your questions.
Please call 661-259-3937 to make an appointment or feel free to send me an email at craighelm@sbcglobal.net.