LASIK is a popular laser vision correction procedure that helps reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses. It works by reshaping the cornea—the clear front part of the eye—so that light entering the eye can be properly focused onto the retina. LASIK can effectively treat common vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Many patients experience significantly clearer vision within a day or two, with minimal discomfort and long-lasting results.
Vision Problems Corrected by LASIK
The natural shape and curve of the clear dome in front of your cornea and the length of your eye dictates how clearly you see. If they are shaped just right, you will have clear vision at all distances.
However, if your cornea is too steep or flat – or your eye is too long or short – you will end up with blurry vision at near, far or all distances. This is because the cornea is not allowing light to properly focus on the back of the eye.
Laser corneal surgery (LASIK or AST) is performed to permanently alter the shape of the cornea using laser technology. Only a miniscule amount of corneal tissue is typically removed to create the ideal shape so light focuses more precisely on the retina.
Myopia (nearsightedness)
Blurry distance vision, clear up-close vision – caused by a steep cornea or longer eye so light focuses in front of the retina
Hyperopia (farsightedness)
Blurry up-close vision, clear distance vision – caused by a flatter cornea or a shorter eye so light focuses behind the retina
Astigmatism
Blurry vision at all distances – caused by an oval shaped cornea, rather than a round shape
Laser corneal surgery (LASIK or AST) is performed to permanently alter the shape of the cornea using laser technology. Only a miniscule amount of corneal tissue is typically removed to create the ideal shape so light focuses more precisely on the retina.
Presbyopia is Not a Refractive Error
The condition of presbyopia (the need for reading glasses or bifocals) is not a refractive error. By age 40, many people start to develop what they might think is farsightedness because they need glasses to read things up-close. Presbyopia is actually the stiffening of the eye lens that occurs naturally over time – even to people who have had 20/20 vision their whole lives. As the lenses become less flexible, it becomes harder to focus on images like text messages, restaurant menus, medicine labels and more without some type of magnifier.
LASIK cannot correct presbyopia. However, a technique called monovision LASIK, where one eye is corrected for distance vision and the other eye is corrected for near vision, may be an alternative to reading glasses or bifocals.
What to Expect on LASIK Surgery Day
LASIK is an outpatient procedure that is performed in our Laser Suite at our Harrisburg office. Our entire staff will work hard to make you as comfortable and relaxed as possible during your surgery day visit which will take approximately 1-2 hours. Although your time in our surgical suite will only take20-30 minutes for both eyes, we need a little extra time to have you complete last-minute paperwork and rest before and after the procedure.
Relaxation medication will be provided to help you stay calm and still. Here is how the surgery process will go:
You will relax in a comfortable reclining chair in our state-of-the-art Laser Suite.
Vitals will be checked and numbing anesthetic eye drops will be placed into your eyes.
Your doctor will perform one last check on your vision correction plan
Once entering the laser operating room, you will be greeted by your experienced LASIK team and doctor and will be asked to comfortably rest under the first laser.
An eyelid holder will be placed into your eyes to keep your eyes open.
Your doctor will create a thin flap on your cornea. You may feel a sensation of pressure during this part.
The flap is folded back to allow access to the underlying corneal tissue.
An excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea by removing small amounts of corneal tissue according to your unique refractive error. This step takes just minutes to accomplish. Eye tracking technology will detect the slightest eye movement and stop the laser until the eye is in perfect position again.
The flap is folded back into proper position where it begins to heal immediately.
Before leaving the operating room, our doctor will perform one final check of your eyes.
When your doctor gives the “ok,” you will be free to receive post-op instructions and be fitted with protective googles before being released to a friend or family member to drive you home. We recommend that you rest with minimal activity at home and consider taking a nap so your eyes can begin the healing process.
The next morning most patients wake up to a life with improved vision. It may take a few months for your vision to completely stabilize as your eyes continue to heal, but you will continue to see improvements over time and realize how having clear vision will change your life.
After LASIK Surgery
Some patients experience temporary eye discomfort after LASIK surgery, due to the healing process, including:
Mild pain
Itching or burning
Hazy vision
Watering
Light sensitivity
Dry eyes
We also recommend that you avoid certain activities or environments for at least one week:
Swimming, hot tubs, rivers/streams or other activities that may subject you to high counts of bacteria
Dusty/dirty environments or activities such as gardening
Strenuous exercise
Wearing makeup
Discuss any of these conditions at your post-op appointment and contact your doctor if they continue. It is important to avoid rubbing your eyes while your corneal flap heals to avoid infection or other complications.
LASIK Technology
Laser vision correction technology is truly amazing. By reshaping extremely small and precise areas of corneal tissue with an excimer laser, light entering your eye can land more directly onto your retina for clearer vision.
At Vistaura Eye, we demand the very best for our patients. That’s why we are continually researching and implementing new technologies for LASIK and other procedures. We have invested in the following advanced LASIK technologies that provide amazingly clear vision results for many patients:
Refractive Studio for truly customized LASIK vision correction.
Femtosecond Laser Platform for the first step in the LASIK procedure: the corneal flap.
Excimer Laser System for corneal reshaping.
iDESIGN® Refractive Studio for LASIK
Our commitment to advanced treatments encouraged us to be the very first LASIK center in Harrisburg to invest in the iDESIGN technology. Our customized LASIK vision correction process uses this advanced technology to measure the shape of your eyes with microscopic precision, create maps of those measurements and produce a very accurate blueprint of your eyes.
The iDESIGN® Refractive Studio is the first and only topography-integrated, wavefront-guided LASIK technology available. Our doctors are able to create a truly customized treatment plan for your unique eyes based on the information gathered from this revolutionary system. Your eyes are measured inside and out using:
To measure your optical pathway inside your eye.
To measure the surface of your eye.
The high-definition, 3D scan that is generated of your eye is 25 times more precise than traditional methods of measuring. In just 3 seconds, the system captures over 1,200 data points including:
Cornea shape and curvature
Pupil diameter
Light movement through the eye
The measurements gathered help guide our excimer laser during the actual cornea reshaping process so we can help patients achieve the very best vision results possible.
VICTUS® Femtosecond Laser Platform
The VICTUS femtosecond laser is what makes our LASIK process 100% blade-free.
Our doctors use this laser to create the corneal flap, the first step of LASIK. Rather than using a manual blade, the laser emits very short optical pulses to make extremely precise incisions.
VISX STAR S4 IR® Excimer Laser System
We use the VISX STAR S4 IR® excimer laser system to reshape your cornea according to your unique refractive error. We take time to fully explain how this technology works and why it is considered one of the most advanced laser technology platforms on the market today. Here is a general overview of the benefits:
Personalized, Precise Treatment
The VISX STAR S4 IR laser system uses digital 3D information about your own unique eye characteristics gathered during iDESIGN Wavefront analysis measurements to correct specific areas on your cornea.
Safety – Iris Recognition (IR)
Eye tracking technology is incorporated to compensate for any involuntary eye movements which halt the process entirely until the eye is in the correct position.
Quickness and Comfort
The process takes just minutes to complete so the process is comfortable for most patients.
Results
Patients often achieve better vision after treatment than what they had wearing glasses or contact lenses. This is because the system creates a fingerprint of your cornea so incredibly detailed information can be used for specific corneal reshaping.
LASIK Financing
If you want better vision, the team at Vistaura Eye doesn’t want cost to stand in your way.
Any discounts available will be discussed at your LASIK Consultation with our Refractive Coordinator. We have some recommendations to help make LASIK an attainable investment for you:
LASIK financing through CareCredit®
Flexible Spending Account
Tax refunds
Credit cards
LASIK FAQs
Numbing eye drops are placed into your eyes before the procedure to block the feeling of pain. Of course, each individual person has their own unique threshold for discomfort, but most patients do not report the process as being painful.
You can expect to be at our office for approximately 1 1/2 hours on surgery day, however, the procedure itself takes about 15-20 minutes to perform.
Yes, we do require that you have a ride home after your LASIK procedure. While you may start seeing clearly shortly after your procedure, your eyes need time to rest and begin to heal.
The most common risks include dry eye, which may last 3-6 months after surgery, fluctuations of vision, and haloes at nighttime – all of which improve over time.
Other side effects that are more uncommon will be reviewed with you by your surgeon prior to your procedure. LASIK is a surgical procedure, so no guarantees can be made with regards to complications.
Our LASIK procedures are conveniently scheduled on Thursdays with your 1 day post-op appointment scheduled on Friday, allowing you to have a full weekend to recover to minimize your time off work. Typically, most patients are able to resume normal, non-strenuous activities within their first week after surgery.
It’s important to keep your follow-up visits so your doctor can monitor your recovery. You should discuss your specific work requirements and restrictions with our Refractive Coordinator before scheduling your surgery.
Most patients achieve 20/20 vision after LASIK, and vision stabilizes after their initial 2-3 months of healing, however, not everyone heals the same. About 5% of patients will lose some of the effect of their correction, needing an enhancement within the first year after LASIK. Like other parts of the body, eyes can change over a longer period, leading to presbyopia and/or cataracts later in life. If you experience these changes, you may need glasses for reading or distance glasses to compensate for changes due to cataracts. Ultimately, cataracts can be surgically corrected to restore distance and reading vision.
These are a few of the several conditions that must be met to be considered for LASIK.
Stable vision prescription for at least one year
18 years or older
Proper corneal thickness and shape
Good overall health
Free of eye disease or other interfering vision conditions
The only way to know if you meet the requirements needed for LASIK is to schedule your free consultation with our Refractive Coordinator. They’ll administer initial testing to determine the shape and health of your eyes before providing a proper treatment plan.
It’s not easy to put a price tag on what your vision is worth to you. Although it’s impossible to accurately define surgical quality based solely on procedure pricing, some basic insight may be helpful.
Across the US, the cost for advanced modern LASIK surgery with a highly experience surgeon ranges from $4,000 to $6,000 for both eyes, with the average eye charge being approximately $2,500.
If you’re being quoted fees that are substantially less than this range, then in all likelihood, you are not receiving the most advanced technology. Fees for bilateral LASIK (both eyes) that are less than $3,000 likely means that the LASIK technique being performed involves older, non-wavefront technology, from an older model femtosecond laser or a microkeratome.
Technological advancements paired with experienced, skilled surgeons should be strongly considered when making the decision to have LASIK performed.
In order to avoid any complications in the healing process, patients should wait 1 week before wearing eye makeup or makeup that sits around the the eyes.
Typically, we recommend LASIK for ages 21 and older, but it will not necessarily correct presbyopia (the need for reading glasses). As eyes age, the risk of cataracts is increased which may lead you down a different treatment path, such as laser cataract surgery. The best way to find out which procedure could enhance your eyesight is to schedule an exam with us.
It is important to avoid rubbing your eyes while your corneal flap heals to avoid infection or other complications. We also recommend that you avoid certain activities or environments for at least one week such as; swimming, hot tubs, strenuous exercise, and any activities that may subject you to high counts of dust/dirt.
