There's a new laser surgery called LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis) that is considered by virtually all refractive surgeons worldwide, to be the procedure of choice today. The basic procedure involves cutting a little flap on the surface of the cornea, peeling it back and then lasering the layer beneath it.  LASIK is an extremely effective outpatient procedure that is suitable not only for higher prescriptions but also patients with moderate to low prescriptions. It can be used to correct even the most severe 1 percent of prescriptions, and has generated significant excitement in the eye care community around the world.  But not everyone is a candidate for this type of procedure.  You do not qualify if your refractive error is beyond the range correctable by laser or if your astigmatism, a malformation of the cornea, is too severe. Also anyone with diabetes, severe dry eyes, a history of thyroid disorders or ocular herpes should avoid the LASIK procedure. 

There are risks as well.  About 10 percent of patients complain that their vision is not as good as it was with their glasses or contact lenses.   Complaints range from seeing halos around bright lights and having difficulty driving at night to actually seeing double or triple images.  

However,  there are many benefits of having the LASIK procedure:

• brief recovery time
• low enhancement rate
• very low infection risk
• relatively quick procedure to complete
• very low risk of scarring
• minimal discomfort
• high degree of predictability
• preservation of the cornea (all corneal layers preserved)
• excellent ocular integrity post-treatment
• widest range of correctable prescriptions

Ask Dr Alpert if you are a candidate for this exciting procedure and start realizing a world free of glasses or contact lenses.