Frequent LASIK Questions

LASIK Facts / Frequently Asked Questions

For definitions of LASIK-related terms, see the LASIK Glossary

How do I know if I qualify as a good LASIK Eye Surgery candidate?

A large percentage of nearsighted, farsighted, and astigmatic patients are potential LASIK candidates. Usually patients who are 18 years of age or older, have healthy eyes that are free from retinal problems, corneal scars, and any eye disease are suitable. Along with being medically suitable, the best LASIK candidates are people with a lifestyle or occupation that causes them to be dissatisfied with their contact lenses or glasses. By scheduling a LASIK evaluation, examination, and consultation, a qualified LASIK eye doctor will be able to determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. Read more on LASIK candidates

How Long Does LASIK Treatment Take?

In our corrective vision practices, LASIK procedures are performed in a comfortable and convenient excimer laser eye surgery suite. The entire LASIK treatment takes about 5 to 7 minutes per eye or approximately 15 minutes for both eyes.

Are the Vision Effects Permanent From LASIK Treatment?

Yes. Following an initial healing period of two to three months, the positive vision effects of the treatment are lifelong.

Will I Need Reading Glasses After LASIK?

Generally, patients under 40 years of age are able to read well without glasses following the treatment. Patients over 40 may need magnification for reading fine print. The term "Presbyopia" refers to the natural weakening of the focusing muscles that occurs in our early to mid 40s, causing us to need the magnification that reading glasses provide. The LASIK treatment does not correct or prevent presbyopia. We also will be glad to discuss another option called monovision.

How Many Post-Surgery Doctor Visits Follow the Laser Treatment?

Most patients are usually seen the day following the treatment and then at least 1 month after and 3 months after the treatment. Some patients may require more visits. Remember, we are available 24 hours a day when you have any questions, concerns or need attention.

How Soon After LASIK Treatment Can I Bathe or Take a Shower?

Your LASIK Surgeon will advise you as to the specific instruction for your situation, however typically you can bathe the same day as the treatment but you should not shower for 2 days after LASIK eye surgery. As always, avoid getting soap or water directly into your eyes. Avoid rubbing your eyes during the first month after surgery.

How Soon Can I Drive After LASIK Treatment?

You should not drive the day of treatment. After that, you may drive when you feel confident that your visual acuity and eye comfort allow you to drive safely.

How Soon After LASIK Can I Use Eye Makeup?

You may resume wearing eye makeup starting 1-2 weeks after your treatment. We strongly recommend that you purchase new eye makeup, specifically mascara, to avoid potential infection following your treatment.

How Soon After LASIK Treatment Can I Exercise?

Non-contact sports can be resumed as soon as you feel capable. Eye protection is always recommended for racquet sports or rough sports where there is a risk of being hit in the eye.

How Soon Can I Swim?

You should stay out of swimming pools for one week after LASIK treatment, and rivers, lakes and oceans for two weeks following your treatment.

Read more about after LASIK surgery.

What Kind of Anesthesia is Used During LASIK Treatment?

Numbing eye drops are used. Sometimes an oral medication is used to help with relaxation. Don't worry - no needles or intravenous drugs are used.

Can you Have Both Eyes Treated at the Same Time?

LASIK Treatment can be performed on both eyes on the same day. This decreases the troublesome effect of being nearsighted in only one eye betweenthe two treatments. You may elect to have one eye done at a time.

Does LASIK hurt?

The treatment itself is painless because we put a few numbing drops in your eyes to make you even more comfortable. You will feel pressure on and around the eye during treatment. With LASIK, some patients may experience a feeling of "something in their eye" for a day or so after treatment.

How Soon After Surgery Will My Vision Be Corrected?

Each patient is different. The eye drop medications cause some blurring, but most patients notice a dramatic improvement even as they leave the office. More than 4 out of 5 patients can pass a driving test without glasses or contact lenses after the treatment.

When Can I Go Back To Work After LASIK?

Most patients are back to work full-time the day after LASIK treatment. An additional day or two is rarely required before returning to work. We do recommend that you take it easy for during the couple days following treatment if possible.

Will I Still Need Glasses or Contact Lenses After LASIK Treatment?

The goal of refractive surgery or corrective vision treatment is to reduce your dependence on glasses and/or contact lenses, but LASIK patients still may benefit from reading glasses or distance glasses when they desire perfect near or distance vision. A nominal percentage of patients wear a thin pair of prescription glasses for night driving.

How Are Conventional Laser Eye Surgery and Custom LASIK Eye Surgery Different?

Conventional Laser Eye Surgery treats the vast majority of common optical aberrations called "lower order" aberrations. These are responsible for causing nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

Custom LASIK Eye Surgery uses Wavefront technology to provide a more precise laser treatment for patients who have "higher order" aberrations. LASIK doctors are now able to measure the severity of aberrations with a medical tool called an Aberrometer.

For patients experiencing higher severity, customized laser eye surgery uses Wavefront technology to measure and address the specifics of the patient's unique array of aberrations. As an end result of ths custom treatment plan, patients with severe vision correction needs may receive better vision quality after surgery.

Why is Custom LASIK sometimes more expensive?

Custom LASIK represents the application of advanced technology to conventional LASIK Eye Surgery and may provide a better quality of vision by measuring and addressing visual distortions that previously could not even be measured. Our practices have incorporated the advanced measurement technology, the Aberrometer measurement system, and the Custom LASIK Laser Eye Surgery software necessary to provide these treatments. This advanced technology adds a modest amount to the laser eye surgery cost but may deliver the best vision quality.

Can you guarantee me 20/20 vision?

We cannot guarantee a certain result from your LASIK surgery, but we can accurately predict the probability of you achieving 20/20 vision. 95% of our patients with low or moderate ranges of myopia and/or astigmatism achieve normal or near normal natural vision from just one surgery. For those who do not achieve this quality of vision from one surgery, enhancement surgery can usually give the rest of the desired correction.

There is no extra charge for necessary enhancement surgeries for a year at Nationwide Vision Laser and Eye Center.

Is LASIK permanent?

The laser procedure should last for the rest of your life. Medical experience shows that once the cornea has been modified, it tends to stay modified permanently. There are rare cases of regression, which may be corrected with further surgery, but the vast majority of corrected eyes continue to stay in their state of improved focus. However, through the natural process of aging, you may develop a cataract late in life that will require cataract surgery. If this occurs your cataract surgery will be the same procedure given to a person who did not have corrective laser surgery.

What is laser vision correction?

It is a surgical procedure that uses a cool (non-thermal) beam of light to gently reshape the cornea — the surface of the eye — to improve vision. The laser removes microscopic bits of tissue to flatten the cornea (for nearsightedness), steepen the cornea (for farsightedness), and/or smooth out corneal irregularities (for astigmatism). The goal is to shape the cornea so it does a better job of focusing images onto the retina, for sharper vision. LASIK and PRK are two types of laser vision correction.

Are LASIK and PRK safe?

The FDA recognizes LASIK and PRK as proven, safe and effective. Laser vision correction uses a cool (non-thermal) beam of light that is computer controlled. The surgeon turns the laser on and is able to turn it off at any moment. There are many safeguards in place to reduce the risk of error. However, there are risks associated with any surgical procedure.

Although no one knows the exact number of complications, studies suggest that the incidence of minor difficulties such as dry eyes and nighttime glare is around 3% to 5%, while the risk of serious incidents such as lost vision is thought to be less than 1%. There are no known cases of blindness from LASIK or PRK.

What happens before laser eye surgery?

Your eyecare practitioner will give you a thorough eye exam to make sure your eyes are healthy and you're a suitable laser vision correction candidate. He or she will test for glaucoma, cataracts and other disqualifying conditions. He or she will also use a machine called a corneal topographer to photograph and electronically map your eye. The surgeon will use this map to plan your surgery for the most precise results possible.

What happens on the day of corrective vision treatment?

LASIK and PRK are outpatient procedures which means you'll spend around an hour at the surgeon's office and walk out afterwards. Someone else should drive you home, since your vision might be a little blurry right after surgery.

You'll lie down in a reclining chair. The surgeon will place anesthetic drops in your eye, position your head under the laser and place an eyelid speculum (retainer) in your eye to hold the lids open.

In LASIK, the surgeon creates a thin flap in the top of the cornea, folds it back out of the way, uses the laser to remove some corneal tissue, then puts the flap back in place. If you're having PRK, the laser removes the outer layer of the cornea.

In both procedures, the pre-calculated amount of corneal tissue removed by the laser is microscopic — less than the thickness of a human hair.

What happens after LASIK?

The surgeon will place drops or ointment in your eye. You may relax for a little while, then go home and rest. You'll probably notice clearer vision immediately, and it may improve even more as the weeks go by.

Are there any LASIK side effects?

Some people experience dry eyes, which usually is alleviated with drops and disappears over time. Others may experience starbursts or halos around lights, especially at night. Usually this effect lessens or disappears over time, too. In a small number of people (probably less than 1%), their vision worsens rather than improves.

How many checkups will I need after LASIK?

Depending on your surgeon, you will probably return the next day, then one week or one month later and then three months later. Your doctor will let you know if more visits are necessary after that.

Check the FDA's LASIK FAQ for additional info.