With the advent of laser eye surgery, people suffering from nearsightedness, farsightedness, and other refractive errors no longer have to deal with eyewear such as glasses and contact lens for the rest of their lives. In place of such external solutions, which some people consider bothersome or aesthetically undesirable, LASIK can change the shape of the cornea so that the eye produces a sharp, clear image all the time on a permanent basis. Our practice features Dr. Daniel Conrad, whose extensive experience with LASIK allows him to provide North Oaks, Shoreview, and Blaine, Minnesota patients with the safest and most effective treatment possible.
Who is a candidate for LASIK?
The LASIK Procedure
Benefits of LASIK
Risks and Side Effects of LASIK
LASIK is a good option for most people with refractive errors. However, Acclaro Eye Care does follow a few rules in screening candidates for the procedure. It is first of all important the patient's eyes be fully developed and stable – the patient's vision prescription must not have changed for a year – or else subsequent changes in the eyes' shape may undo the results of LASIK. The corneas must also be sufficiently thick for flaps to be made from them and to withstand the reshaping process. Patients must not be suffering from recent eye infections, recent eye injuries, or autoimmune disorders.
We will evaluate your candidacy at a consultation at our office. We will also take the time to discuss all the options for the procedure, including custom wavemapping and IntraLase® bladeless flap creation. As part of our high-touch approach, we will answer any and all questions you have until you feel comfortable making your decision, and we will provide you with instructions for preparation for the procedure. If you are not a candidate for LASIK, a different procedure such as LASEK or PRK may be suitable instead. Contact Dr. Daniel Conrad and his staff today to begin the process of finding out whether refractive eye surgery is right for you.
Once you have completed your consultation, made your decision, and returned to our office for the actual LASIK procedure, we will start by examining your eyes to determine what corrections need to be made. You will be given a mild oral sedative. After that, we will have you lie down on a surgical bed. After topical anesthetic, we will use a lid separator to hold the eyelids apart. We will create a flap from the surface layers of the cornea. The flap will be folded back, exposing the inner layers of the cornea. The cool laser removes tiny amounts of tissue from the cornea prior to the flap being replaced in position. The flap seals back into place without sutures within two minutes.
All told, this process will take about half an hour, of which only a few minutes will be devoted to the actual LASIK surgery. Afterwards, you will need to have someone else drive you home, since your eyesight may be blurry because of the sedation. You may experience some discomfort, but this should be gone within a few hours. Most people can return to normal activities within 24 hours, although your vision may take one to three months to stabilize fully.
Obviously, the main benefit of LASIK surgery is that your eyesight will become much sharper. Those who suffer from nearsightedness and astigmatism are the easiest to treat, although farsighted patients can also experience improvement in vision through LASIK. Although we cannot guarantee perfect 20/20 vision, some people do achieve it and virtually all patients experience significant improvement, to the point that constant reliance on eyeglasses and contacts becomes a thing of the past. Almost all of our patients report great satisfaction with the results of the LASIK procedure.
Like any surgery, LASIK does involve some degree of risk. The most common, which are still not very prevalent, are eye infection and over- or under-correction. Infection can be dealt with if caught and addressed early on. Over- and under-correction may require the patient to wear eyeglasses on occasion, although more severe cases may necessitate additional treatment. Other, more serious side effects have been known to occur, but they are generally very rare, affecting far less than one percent of all LASIK patients. Dr. Daniel Conrad will be happy to discuss any fears you may have concerning these risks and help you understand them in the context of the benefits of LASIK.
Side effects are more common but also less likely to cause serious permanent problems. Sensitivity to light is a fairly frequent complaint, but it usually ceases to be an issue within a few days. The appearance of halos, starbursts, and glare around bright lights at night may affect some patients before disappearing about a month after LASIK treatment. Some may also experience the temporary loss of visual acuity or contrast sensitivity, both of which subside within a few months as healing progresses. One last issue that crops up occasionally is dry eye syndrome, in which the eyes can become painful, scratchy, and red. Eye drops can be used to treat this condition very satisfactorily until it resolves itself.
Considering the major benefits and low incidence of serious risks and side effects, it's no wonder that more and more people are turning to LASIK in order to escape from dependence on prescription eyewear. If you are interested in undergoing LASIK near Shoreview, North Oaks, and Blaine, Minnesota, contact Acclaro Eye Care today and we will be happy to set up a consultation at our office serving St. Paul and the whole Twin Cities region. Our high-tech, highly personalized care will leave your eyesight sharper and smile bigger for a long time to come.
If you are considering LASIK surgery, contact our North Oaks practice serving Shoreview and Blaine, Minnesota-area patients. A representative of Acclaro Eye Care will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
Acclaro Eye Care
200 Village Center Drive
Suite 300
North Oaks, Minnesota 55127
Telephone: 651.484.EYES (3937)
Fax: 651.482.0896