Living with less than perfect vision can be tricky. Despite the fact that we can use glasses and/or contact lenses to correct our eyesight, these aids aren’t without cost or compromises. From breakages of glasses and frames and being unable to wear them during certain activities to struggling to wear contact lenses and meeting the considerable expense of daily disposables, there are many ways in which prescription eyewear can be less than ideal.

Fortunately, there is another option. Laser vision correction. Laser vision correction has transformed the lives of countless people around the world and is one of the most common elective surgeries of the century. LASIK is one form of laser vision correction and service that we are thrilled to be able to offer patients who visit our offices in Sherman Oaks, CA.
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What is LASIK?

LASIK or laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis is a form of laser eye surgery that is performed with the intention of correcting vision in patients who suffer from refractive eye errors. This means that patients who are diagnosed with hyperopia (far-sightedness), myopia (near-sightedness) and astigmatism (where the corneas are shaped like footballs rather than soccer balls) can all benefit from LASIK. LASIK has also shown to be beneficial for patients who suffer from presbyopia – the natural aging of the lens in the eye that makes it more difficult to read at close range.

Refractive eye errors occur when the shape of your cornea means that light that enters it doesn’t bend correctly before it reaches the retina at the very back of the eye. Since every person has an individually-shaped eye, exactly how badly the refractive error is can vary immensely. Some people may not have perfect vision but can see enough to get by, while others cannot see more than blurred shapes and colors.

LASIK works by reshaping the cornea to improve the way that light is focused, enabling the image detected by the retina to be more accurate and interpreted by our brain clearly.

How effective is LASIK?

LASIK has been proven to be extremely effective at addressing refractive eye errors. However, exactly how successful your LASIK laser eye surgery will be will depend on your individual circumstances. Recent studies show that 96% of patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. If you are still reliant on some prescriptive eyewear after your procedure, the lens power will be significantly weaker than before.

What you can expect during your LASIK laser eye surgery

LASIK laser eye surgery is a painless, swift process that can be carried out in the comfortable surroundings of our facility. You will be given anesthetic eye drops which will numb your eye so ensure that you don’t experience any pain during your surgery. Your eye will be positioned under the laser and an instrument called a lid speculum is used to prop your eyelids wide open for the duration of the procedure.

Next, the laser will be used to create a flap in the epithelium, which is the outermost layer of the cornea. This is opened so that the underlying tissue, which is the area to be reshaped, is exposed. The laser will reform and reshape the cornea to the pre-planned specifications so that light is refracted correctly, and the flap will then be closed and left to heal naturally – no sutures are required. The entire process should be painless.

- Patients who are near-sighted can expect to have the laser reshape their cornea, so it is flatter.

- Patients who are far-sighted can expect the laser to create a steeper cornea.

- Patients with astigmatism can expect their irregularly-shaped cornea to be made more spherical.

The entire process can be performed in under an hour, with the majority of that time being used for preparation and recovery. The lasering of the eyes itself takes only a few minutes. Afterwards, you can expect your eyes to feel sore and swollen and you will need to take special care of them. You should arrange for someone to drive you home and you must take the rest of the day of. You will not be allowed to drive until your vision has been assessed by your LASIK provider.

Recovering from LASIK

You will need to ensure that you allow yourself adequate time to rest and heal after your LASIK laser eye surgery. Soreness, itching and a burning sensation are all totally normal in the first 24 hours after your procedure and you will want to arrange to take a few days off of work so that you can recuperate. It is important to note that you won’t be allowed to drive until we have confirmed that your uncorrected vision meets the legal standard for driving – failure to adhere to this could invalidate your insurance and put yourself and others at risk.

You will be given specific aftercare instructions to follow and these should be adhered to too if you are to make a swift and complication-free recovery from your LASIK surgery.

You may start to notice your eyesight improving within the first 24 hours after your procedure, and it will continue to improve and stabilize over the course of the following week or so.

If you have any questions or concerns during your recovery, you should feel free to contact our team as soon as possible.

If you are ready to transform your vision using LASIK, please call our Sherman Oaks offices today to schedule your no-obligation consultation.