Lasik or Laser Vision Correction
The LASIK Consultation with Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services
We offer a complimentary consultation (a $100 value) so a patient can learn if they qualify as a candidate for the laser vision correction procedure. Please mention the web site longislandvisioncare.com when you call in for your free consultation.
What is LASIK, and What Are the Benefits of LASIK Co-Management?
Have you been wearing eyeglasses for years and can’t handle how they always seem to get in the way? Or perhaps you wear contact lenses, yet find that they get increasingly uncomfortable as the day goes on? Many people with prescription eyewear dream about walking out the door with no eyeglasses or contacts – and being able to see crisp and clear. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to stop dreaming. Visit us to see if LASIK surgery is a good solution for you.
Introducing LASIK Surgery
LASIK is a cutting-edge refractive surgical procedure, which means that it can decrease or eliminate nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. (In case you’re wondering, LASIK stands for “Laser-Assisted-In-Situ-Keratomileusis.”) During this type of laser vision correction, your LASIK surgeon will direct the cool beam of light from an excimer laser to reshape the cornea (front surface) of your eye. In order to do this, a corneal flap is first created on the surface of your eyeball, which is peeled back to give access to the laser.
Nowadays, LASIK surgery is highly advanced, highly effective, and boasts high safety. The vast majority of our Huntington and Lake Grove, NY patients who undergo this procedure enjoy exceptional visual outcomes.
What is LASIK Co-management?
We partner with leading surgeons in the Huntington area to provide patients with complete preoperative and postoperative care. Our LASIK co-management will assure you optimal results from your refractive surgery. We aim to serve you with the best eye care services possible, and our first-rate co-management is one excellent example of how we do this!
Our LASIK co-management consists of a few parts:
Part 1: The Consultation
“I was both interested and scared to have LASIK. After I met with Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services, most of my fear disappeared. He performed an initial exam and testing and told me that my eyes were suitable for LASIK. At this point, I had many questions – and he gave me knowledgeable answers to all of them!” shares Tim, a long-time patient.
Our co-management begins with a friendly, no-pressure consultation in the comfort of our eye care clinic. We’ll tell you all about the procedure and answer all your questions patiently. It is important to be aware of all the benefits and risks involved.
If you would like to find out about your personal candidacy for LASIK surgery, we will perform a thorough eye exam. He will assess your precise vision prescription, corneal curvature and thickness, eyelid structure and tear film. If the results show that your eyes are suitable for LASIK, then he will refer you to a top eye surgeon near our Huntington or Lake Grove optometry practice.
Part 2: Pre-operative Care
After we help you to set up your LASIK surgery with an experienced eye surgeon, we will handle your pre-op check-up. He will dilate your eyes to take detailed measurements. At this point, you will also receive clear and comprehensive information about what will happen on the day of your surgery and what to expect as your eyes heal.
Part 3: Post-operative Care
The details of your post-op care will depend upon the type of LASIK and your unique eye condition. Typically, we will see you on the day after surgery to make sure that the healing process is proceeding smoothly, and then again at regular intervals throughout the next weeks and months. We will continue to review your eye health and assess your vision during follow-up eye exams.
Benefits of LASIK Co-management
You will have the best of both worlds: compassionate eye care from an expert eye doctor who knows you, and LASIK surgery from a leading eye surgeon in the region. Co-management for laser surgery is a perfect example of how teamwork can produce outstanding results! To experience our superior eye care services, contact us to schedule your appointment.
Before your LASIK surgery, you will be able to meet with us in one of our convenient and comfortable clinics. You won’t need to spend time waiting anxiously in an impersonal hospital waiting room. After your procedure, you will enjoy a personalized treatment from your optometrist, with whom you have a friendly, lasting relationship. In addition, we are highly accessible if you have any concerns or complications.
“I had contemplated LASIK for years, but never felt confident enough to do it. But when Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services walked me through all the steps, and I realized that I wouldn’t be going through this alone, I was finally able to make the decision. He gave me full clarity of mind – and of my vision!” says Brian, the resident of Lake Grove, NY.
Common FAQs About LASIK
Am I a good candidate for LASIK?
The best way for you to determine if Lasik is right for you this is with a thorough exam from your eye doctor at our Huntington Station or Lake Grove eye care clinic. Appropriate candidates must be at least 18 years old, in good general health, and have good eye health with no diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma.
Laser vision correction can treat a very broad range of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Through an initial consultation, we will confirm if you are a good candidate, explain the procedure, and answer your questions so that you can make an informed decision. He or she will explain what results you can reasonably expect by measuring your prescription and thoroughly examining your eyes. Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services, Affiliate of TLC Laser Eye Centers® has a consistent record of doing what is best for the patient.
What is CustomLASIK?
CustomLASIK is a procedure that involves the use of a wavefront analyzer and enables your eye surgeon to customize the conventional LASIK procedure to your individual eyes. This customized procedure can result in patients seeing clearer and sharper than ever before. To learn more, call us or stop by one of our offices in Lake Grove and Huntington Station.
CustomLASIK uses a tool called the wavefront analyzer to accurately measure the way light travels through your eye. The resulting map of your eye is then programmed into the laser, and the laser treats your eye based upon that personalized 3D map. CustomLASIK helps to treat higher-order aberrations, which are tiny imperfections in the eye that can have a significant impact on one's quality of vision. In fact, higher-order aberrations have been linked to visual glare and halos. Higher order aberrations have not been previously treatable with contacts, glasses or Conventional LASIK.
Conventional LASIK is still a very good choice for many patients, though most will prefer the higher level of customization that CustomLASIK can provide. Ultimately, you need to discuss the options with your doctor. You can trust Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services to help you make the correct decision. Stop by one of our eye clinics in Lake Grove and Huntington Station to learn more.
What can LASIK do for me?
While laser vision correction has proven overwhelmingly successful in reducing dependence on glasses and contact lenses, the degree of improvement may vary among individuals. How well and how quickly your vision improves depends on how well you heal and the severity of your prescription. Although we cannot promise patients "perfect" or 20/20 vision, most laser vision patients with mild to moderate prescriptions do achieve 20/20 vision or are within 1 to 2 lines of 20/20 vision on an eye chart. This means they no longer need glasses or contacts to drive, play sports, watch movies and TV, or participate in careers requiring excellent vision such as police and fire departments.
Which Procedure Should I Have?
Laser-Assisted-In-Situ Keratomileusis) is currently the most common type of laser vision correction procedure. It is an extremely effective outpatient procedure that is suitable for low, moderate, and higher prescriptions. It can be used to correct severe prescriptions and is currently one of the most commonly performed healthcare procedures in North America.
Although no medical procedure is perfect, the excimer laser 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 enables an experienced surgeon to achieve remarkable accuracy while maintaining excellent control throughout the procedure.
However, the LASIK procedure requires a great deal of technical skill and training to perform properly, so choosing the proper surgeon is critical. The TLC network of surgeons has performed more than twice as many laser vision correction procedures than any other doctor network. Our Medical Directors performed the first LASIK procedures in the U.S. and Canada, and have shared their knowledge and experience with our affiliate.
Your eye care professional is the best person to tell you what procedure you will need. CustomLASIK is necessary for some and desirable for many. Everyone's eyes are different and your eyes may best be treated with CustomLASIK. CustomLASIK is performed using some of the most advanced technology in the vision industry. The procedure combines the technology of the wavefront analyzer with the precision of a computerized laser and the skill of your respected surgeon. You should schedule a consultation with our eye doctors in either our Huntington Station or Lake Grove eye clinic. Together, you can determine what is right for you and your vision.
Who Are My Eye Doctors?
Eye doctors are involved in all three phases of your laser vision correction procedure: the pre-procedure consultation, the laser procedure, and post-procedure care. Both an eye surgeon and primary care eye doctor are to be involved in the overall procedure. Therefore, there will be at least two eye doctors involved: the TLC affiliated surgeon who performs the procedure itself at the TLC center and one doctor from Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services who will provide your pre and post-operative care.
Although TLC affiliated surgeons are renowned for their training and expertise, the outcome of your laser procedure also depends upon the right care before and after your surgery. TLC wants you to consult with your primary care eye doctor who is more familiar with your eyes, your history and will continue to care for your years after your procedure. For this reason, TLC Laser Eye Centers is affiliated with Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services who provide excellent pre and post-surgical co-management.
Will the Procedure Hurt?
Most patients find the procedure to be slightly uncomfortable. One good way to learn more about how it might feel is to talk to someone who has had the procedure, such as a friend or relative, or a staff member at the eye doctor's office. For most patients, the feeling of anxiety and the fear of the unknown is worse than the actual procedure. Anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye just before surgery begins and you may be given a mild sedative. After your procedure, your eye may feel a foreign body sensation or irritation for a few hours, but most patients are quite comfortable after taking a short nap. You will be given drops for your eyes to counteract the potential dryness you may experience for several days following the surgery.
Recovery from Surgery
Most LASIK patients usually see quite well the day following their procedure and may be able to resume most of their normal daily activities, but patients with higher prescriptions may recover more slowly. Although the speed of visual recovery depends on personal healing patterns, most patients notice dramatic visual results within the first few days following their procedure. Come by our Huntington Station or Lake Grave eye clinic for more information.
What are the Risks Involved?
There are risks with the laser vision correction procedure. However, the chance of having a vision-reducing complication has been documented in a number of clinical studies to be minimal. Remember, millions of people have had excellent results from laser vision correction.
Some potential complications include conditions such as dryness, complications in making the surgical flap, night glare, under or over-correction, and loss of best-corrected vision. At Long Island Vision & Contact Lens Services, these and other risks of the surgery are discussed fully with the patient prior to the procedure. Proper preoperative screening ensures that we proceed with the procedure only when it is medically advisable. As well, diligent post-operative care helps to identify and address any potential healing complications. Perhaps the best way to help prevent LASIK complications is to choose a surgeon who is experienced and respected in the community. This is one of the advantages of choosing us as your eye doctors in Huntington Station and Lake Grove.