Flinthills Eyecare: Refractive Surgery


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Refractive Surgery

If glasses and contact lenses seem too restrictive for your lifestyle, consider refractive surgery. There are several procedures available to correct refractive errors (the reason for glasses) and depending upon your visual goal this may be the best option. We have spent many hours in education and have traveled throughout the United States and Canada to learn about these procedures. Many of our patients have undergone refractive surgery and are doing great.
Who qualifies for refractive surgery?
If you decide to proceed with Laser Vision correction, you will go through three distinct steps:
1. The Pre-Procedure Consultation
2. The Laser Procedure
3. Post-Procedure Care

If you have myopia, moderate hyperopia and/or astigmatism we recommend Laser Vision Correction (PRK and LASIK) as a safe and effective alternative to glasses and contact lenses. In general, to be a candidate for Laser Vision Correction, you should:
	Be at least 18 years of age or older. Have stable vision for a year prior to the procedure. Be free of certain diseases of the cornea and retina. Be in good general health
Aside from these general requirements, we recommend that you ask our eye doctor or call our office for a refractive surgery consultation. Learning everything you can about your options is the key to making an informed decision. The consultation process will help you understand what you can reasonably expect from the procedure. After your pre-procedure consultation, it would be your decision to proceed with Laser Vision Correction. If you wish to have surgery, our office will recommend a Laser Center.

Results of Laser Correction
It is best for you not to think of the procedure as eliminating your need for glasses, but rather, as reducing your functional dependence upon them and improving your vision.
		PRK	LASIK
Mild (<-3.00 D)
99% 20/40 or better			99% 20/40 or better
98% 20/30 or better			99% 20/30 or better
80% 20/20			84% 20/20

		PRK	LASIK
Moderate (<-3.10 to -6.00 D)
98% 20/40 or better			99% 20/40 or better
94% 20/30 or better			97% 20/30 or better
64% 20/20			71% 20/20

		PRK	LASIK
Severe (<6.10 to -9.00 D)
95% 20/40 or better			99% 20/40 or better
84% 20/30 or better			95% 20/30 or better
43% 20/20			60% 20/20

EXTREME (9.10 TO -30.00)
			75% 20/40 or better
			58% 20/30 or better
			30% 20/20
As with any surgical procedures, there are potential risks. We would be glad to discuss these risks in detail with you at your consultation, but it is important to note that the chance of having a serious vision-threatening complication is much less than 1%. In addition, there have been no reported cases of blindness following either PRK or LASIK anywhere in the world. Although no procedure is perfect, excimer laser technology allows for an unparalleled degree of precision and predictability. Each pulse of the laser can remove 39-millionths of an inch of tissue in 12-billionths of a second. This makes Laser Vision Correction in our opinion, the best procedure available for suitable candidates. Currently over 1,000,000 people have had their vision treated with the excimer laser. If you have ever wondered what your life would be like without depending on glasses and contact lenses for distance vision, ask either Dr. Cockrell or Dr. Reimer about laser vision correction or visit the TLC web page.