Laser/Lasik Vision Correction
Pre-Procedure Consultation
Before you proceed with laser vision correction, Dr. Anderson strongly suggests you have a pre-procedure consultation. The primary objective of the consultation is to determine whether you are a candidate for laser vision correction and if so, which procedure would be most appropriate for you. If you schedule a consultation, there is no obligation to move forward with the procedure.
ActiveTrak™ is the only system that allows the doctor to track your eye movement in all three dimensions during the treatment, for greater control. Seven variable sized beams give the doctor greater flexibility and allow for faster, smoother treatment with precise corneal shaping.
Experience
ActiveTrak is made by VISX®, the name that doctors have trusted in over 2 million procedures.
Comfort
No Dilation Required
Unlike other systems, with ActiveTrak the doctor does not have to dilate your pupils. This means an even quicker recovery time.
Monovision Options
If you are a nearsighted laser candidate, then monovision may be for you. Monovision is a technique when we fully treat one of your eyes, usually your dominant eye, for distance vision. We then undercorrect your non-dominant eye, or not treat it at all (if it is only mildly nearsighted), leaving this eye slightly myopic for improved reading vision. Monovision lets you maintain your reading vision in one eye, which may help you to avoid reading glasses once you develop presbyopia. As always, you must give up a little distance sharpness to gain this near vision. During your consultation, you can discuss this option with Dr. Anderson, and together we will decide what the best choice is for you.
Lasik on Your Own Schedule
When to have LASIK should be the question, not how to pay for it. CareCredit makes that decision even easier by offering a credit card designed specifically for your healthcare needs. With CareCredit, you get convenient monthly payments, no up-front costs, no pre-payment penalties, and no annual fees. That means you don’t have to waste time-saving up to finally get the vision you’ve always wanted. By letting you start your procedure now and pay for it over time, CareCredit helps you see clearer, sooner.
Please ask for a brochure or visit the CareCredit Website.
Am I a Candidate?
The following are the guidelines for becoming an LVC candidate. Through care consultation and screening, some patients outside of these parameters may also be candidates.
- -1.00 to —14.00 diopters of nearsightedness
- +1.00 to +6.00 diopters of farsightedness
- 0.75 to 5.00 diopters of astigmatism
- at least 18 years of age for nearsightedness
- at least 21 years of age for farsightedness
- at least 21 years of age for astigmatism
- stable prescription
- Soft contacts out for two weeks
- hard contacts out for one month
- no abnormalities that will affect healing
Some risks of Lasik include:
- Incomplete Corrections
- Decentered Ablations
- Oversized pupils
- Haze
- Irregular flaps
- Dry eye
- Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis
- Epithelial Growth
- Infection
See below, these are addressed in the following table:
| Complications | Symptoms | Treatments |
| Incomplete corrections (undercorrection, overcorrection, residual astigmatism) |
Blurry, less-than-perfect vision | Glasses or contact lenses; eyedrops; re-treatment with laser |
| Decentered ablations | Visual aberrations | Eyedrops; re-treatment with laser |
| Oversize pupils (pupils wider than treatment zone) |
Visual aberrations | Eyedrops; re-treatment with laser |
| Haze | Visual aberrations | Eyedrops; re-treatment with laser |
| Irregular flap (folds, wrinkles, striae) |
Visual aberrations | Surgical correction; second laser procedure |
| Dry eye | Dry, itchy or scratchy eyes, often with redness and sense of foreign object in eye, and sometimes pain | Prescription dry eye medication; artificial tears; punctal occlusion (blockage of tear ducts in order to retain tear film on eye), oral flaxseed oil |
| Diffuse lamellar keratitis (eye inflammation) |
Visual aberrations | Eyedrops; surgical rinsing of cells |
| Epithelial ingrowth | Visual aberrations | Surgical removal of epithelium |
| Infection | Redness, oozing of eyes, sometimes pain | Eyedrops; oral medications |
The Purpose and Responsibility of Village Optical
- Educate you about the laser and your other vision correction alternatives
- Perform your pre-procedure testing and evaluation
- Provide your post-procedure follow-up care
- Prescribe glasses or contact lenses for any visual problems; like reading glasses for presbyopia
- Monitor the health of your eyes
It is important for you to realize that even if it is determined that you are not a candidate today, it does not mean that you will not be a candidate in the future. However, laser vision correction is not for everyone, and some patients (for example, those with certain diseases of the eye involving the cornea or retina), will never be candidates. The best way for you to find this out is by having a thorough examination with Dr. Anderson.
While laser vision correction has proven to be overwhelmingly successful in reducing dependence on glasses and contact lenses, the degree of improvement may vary from individual to individual. Results cannot always be predicted and can never be guaranteed, however, Dr. Anderson works with only laser centers that offer a Lifetime Commitment with no-charge enhancements.