Excimer LASIK Questions and Answers

Question:

Dear Mr. Lomas thatnk you for your reply. So Lasik eye surgery and Laser eye surgery are the same thing? Does LASIK eye surgery put your eyes at 20/20 or does it just get them close to 20/20, or is it diffrent in every patient. Would you recoomend any vitamins or certain foods to eat that would improve my vivion or are is that not practical? Do most reputable eye clinics back your surgery up with a warrenty? How long does it take to heal and see 20/20 after your surgery? Thanks again for your time

Answer:

Dear Russ, LASIK is done with an excimer laser, so it is a form of laser eye surgery, and often referred to as "Laser Vision Correction". Laser eye surgery is not always LASIK however. There are several types of lasers and many other kinds of laser eye surgery used for different treatments. Depending on your age, health and acuity prior to LASIK there is a good chance that you will achieve 20/20, but this is a surgery, every patient responds somewhat differently, and there are no guarantees. It is wise to view LASIK as a way to become less dependent on lenses, knowing there is a small chance you may still need them for some activities. Realistic expectations make for happy outcomes. A healthy diet is good for your eyes, as well as the rest of your body, and being active improves circulation...always good for the body. But there is no magic pill, herb, or vitamin that will impart good vision. In our clinic most patients see very well by the day after LASIK, though complete healing will take several weeks. Sincerely, Dr. R.W. Lomas

Question:

HOLA: PLEASE I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK. ONE WEEK AGO I SAW A DR. AN EYE SURGEON ON LASIK. HE IS A MEXICAN DOCTOR IN REYNOSA, MX. MY FATHER KNOW THIS DOCTOR FOR OVER 25 YEARS. HE DID SOME TEST AND TOLD ME i'AM A CADIDATE FOR LASIK SURGERY. MY RX R.E -1.00 (SPHERE),-4.OO CYLINDER /103 AXIS LEFT EYE -1.25/ -3.25, 75AXIS ................. CONTACT LESNSE RX -1.00,-3.50 ,100 OS -1.50, -3.00 -.80 ..................... HE DID THE CORNEAL THICKNESS TEST. ON THE OD EYE CENTER 533 MICRO AND THE OS 525 MICRO. THE EXCIMER LASER AVAILABLE IS NIC EC 5000. WELL MY QUESTION IS THIS EQUIPMENT CURRENT OR IS BETTER TO DO IT IN HOUSTON WHERE THE COST 2.5 TIMES MORE? I'M AFRAID TO POST SURGERY EFFECTS LIKE SOME PEOPLE HAS (HALOS,GHOST) Please give some advice, my father trust in this doctor. I'm a 32 years male. gracias

Answer:

Dear Alex, You provided some important information, but not all information that will help me better answer your question. You have a lot of astigmatism. Was corneal topography done? If so, what kind of topographer was used? It is very important to make sure that you don't have a condition called keratoconus, which is a contraindication for lasik. Keratoconus means that the cornea is shaped more like a cone instead of like a ball. It is possible that you have so much astigmatism because of this condition. If you do not have keratoconus, than the next question is, what is your pupil size? When we treat patients with astigmatism, the treatment area can be smaller than when we treat only nearsightedness. With the Nidek laser, usually this can be accounted for by altering the treatment zone. In the US, we can NOT do this with the Nidek laser at this time. In Mexico, your surgeon may be able to change the treatment size, but you will need to ask him yourself. Buena suerte con su decision! David B. Cano, M.D. www.canovision.com

David Cano, M.D.
West Palm Beach, FL

Question:

I AM 41YEARS OLD AND PREPARING FOR LASIX SURGERY. I DEVELOPED KELOIDS ON MY EARS DURING MY TEEN YEARS AFTER PIERCING. SINCE I HAVE REPEIRCED MY EARS AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. I ALSO HAVE A KELOID ON ONE BREAST FROM SURGERY 20 years ago BUT NO scarring ON THE OTHER BREAST after having the same urgery 10 years later. ARE KELOIDS A RISK WITH LASIK?

Answer:

Dear Patricia, More and more report now seem to show that keloids are less important in LASIK surgery than originally thought. They were thought to play a larger role in scar formation in earlier PRK excimer surgery. I think with your decreased formation of keloids in the recent past that you are safer to have the sugery done at this point. David Cano, M.D. W. Palm Bceach, FL canovi

David Cano, M.D.
West Palm Beach, FL

Question:

Is it safe to have the lasik surgery while taking St John's Wort? This herb is known to cause photosensitivity and I have read that its important to avoid exposure to the sun and ultraviolet light while taking it. If one must go off this herb in order to have the surgery, how long until it's completely out of the body and no threat during surgery?

Answer:

During LASIK, an excimer laser is used to treat the cornea. The light produced by the laser is ultraviolet light, and it has a wavelength of 193 nanometers. The laser beam does not penetrate past the cornea, so you don't have to worry about excessive amounts of UV light on the retina. You do not have to discontinue this herb in order to have LASIK surgery.

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