Before Treatment Consultation
To confirm the exact refractive error in your eyes, both Dr. Boothe and a technician will examine your eyes. The technician and Dr. Boothe will refract each of your eyes in an un-dilated state. Your eyes will then be refracted in a dilated state.
The surface of your eyes will be mapped with corneal topography equipment. The corneal topography equipment measures the contour of your cornea. This information is valuable in performing the LASIK procedure. Corneal pachymetry is done to measure the thickness of the cornea.
Will the procedure hurt?
The LASIK procedure causes little or no discomfort and no needles are used. Instead, Dr. Boothe uses anesthetic drops to numb the eye just before surgery begins. After a LASIK procedure, the patient may feel a slight gritty sensation for a few hours, but should be quite comfortable after taking a short nap. Dr. Boothe can prescribe pain medication to alleviate any discomfort during recovery.
How well will I see after the LASIK procedure?
Results vary with each individual. In a recent study, 98 percent of patients treated for nearsightedness and/or astigmatism with the VISX STAR Excimer Laser System saw well enough to pass a driving test without glasses almost immediately. The patient’s vision should be improved immediately after treatment. Some patients may experience small vision changes during the first several months, which is a normal occurrence as the cornea reaches its stable state. After the patient's eyes have stabilized, Dr. Boothe will evaluate the results. If they are less than optimal, the patient may be eligible for an enhancement at no additional charge within three to five months of the initial procedure.
How soon can I return to work?
Some people go back the day after treatment. Two days are suggested. Most of Dr. Boothe’s surgeries are performed on Friday so that patients can return to work on Monday.
Are there any risks or side effects with LASIK?
Yes, as with any surgery, laser vision correction involves a degree of risk. Dr. Boothe gives patients the information regarding those risks and answers any questions that they may have. Results of clinical studies indicate that the chances of having a vision-reducing complication are less than 1 percent. There have been no reported cases of blindness resulting from LASIK.
Is it expensive?
Compared to the cost of glasses, contact lenses and lens care over the course of 10 years, LASIK is a cost-effective alternative. Patients have clear, natural vision with reduced (or eliminated) dependence on glasses and contacts. While some medical plans may cover the cost, most still consider this an elective treatment and therefore do not pay for the procedure.
Why should I consider IntraLASIK?
Traditional LASIK is an excellent procedure. In fact, Dr. Boothe has performed more than 80,000 LASIK procedures with the traditional approach and technology. While the risks of complications are very minimal, all surgery carries some degree of risk. Now, an advanced laser technology is available that significantly reduces the risk of complications. It is known as IntraLASIK. This is the first all-laser, blade-free LASIK procedure. It further reduces the risk of complication and gives patients a new level of confidence in vision correction surgery.
How is IntraLASIK different from traditional LASIK?
LASIK surgery is actually a two-step process. First, a flap of corneal tissue must be created and then folded back. The cornea is the transparent, dome-like structure that covers the iris and pupil of the eye. By creating a flap in the cornea, Dr. Boothe is able to perform the laser vision correction treatment on the inner layer of the cornea, which practically eliminates any patient discomfort and allows for rapid visual recovery.
Traditionally, Dr. Boothe created the corneal flap with a handheld mechanical device that has a metal blade called a microkeratome. Although this method worked well, the performance of these devices could be unpredictable. Although LASIK complications are extremely rare, this mechanical device is frequently the source for many of the reported complications.
With IntraLASIK, Dr. Boothe uses the precision laser to create the corneal flap. The accuracy of the laser (+/- 10 microns) is unparalleled by any other technology in vision correction surgery. This advanced technology gives Dr. Boothe unprecedented control, and even allows him to customize the corneal flap for each individual patient. Because of its consistent accuracy, IntraLASIK now makes it possible to treat many patients who were once dismissed as candidates for laser vision correction due to thin corneas.
Is IntraLASIK safer?
IntraLASIK is considered by many to provide a safer approach to laser vision correction surgery. This is a result of the superior precision of a computer-controlled laser as compared to that of a handheld mechanical device. The mechanical device houses a metal blade, which cuts across the cornea to create the flap. IntraLASIK accomplishes the flap procedure with a laser instead of a blade. Plus, it does not travel across the cornea. These features reduce the possible risk of complications.
IntraLASIK’s precision was documented in studies conducted for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of the laser, where the accuracy of flap thickness was demonstrated at plus or minus 10 microns. Precise flap thickness is essential to a successful LASIK outcome, and flaps created by IntraLASIK feature a consistent thickness from edge to edge. Again, this degree of accuracy is unprecedented in flap creation technology to date. Finally, greater flap stability was also demonstrated with IntraLASIK flaps in studies for the laser’s FDA submission. Although the incidence of flap slippage is rare in LASIK, the consequences can be problematic. The assurance that the IntraLASIK created flap will be securely repositioned without incident provides added peace of mind for many patients.
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