It is very important to understand that LASIK is primarily a distance vision correction; if you’re over forty you will still need glasses to read. However, it is possible to have the correction set up as monovision (one eye distance, one reading) although it would be very wise to try this setup in contact lenses first.

The most likely reason a patient may not be considered a candidate for LASIK is thin corneas. The procedure corrects nearsighted, farsighted and astigmatism combinations by gently reshaping the front surface of the eye with a beam of light. The surgeon uses a special instrument called a microkeratome to cut a flap in the cornea. This flap is then pulled back, the corneal “bed” is lasered, and the flap replaced. IntraLASIK is very similar, except that instead of the microkeratome, a laser is also used for the creation of the flap.

Results are immediate, and both ocular pain and recovery time are minimal. Generally patients are back at work in the next day or two. Some patients notice halos at night for a week or so; this has been reduced as a long-term issue with improvements in the surgical technique.

At Mansfield Vision Center, our doctors are happy to co-manage your LASIK procedure with the refractive surgeon. They have a considerable amount of experience with LASIK management, and can determine if you are a good candidate based on your prescription and corneal curvature, help schedule your procedure, discuss in detail the procedure’s risks and benefits, and provide follow-up care. In addition, you will receive 20% off non-prescription sunglasses or prescription reading glasses upon completion of your surgery.