Health Chats
Eye Care: LASIK Surgery
Tuesday May 19, 2009, 05:00PM - 06:00PM (EST)
Dr. Omar Awad is a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist who is certified in VISX, Bausch & Lomb, Alcon LADARVision, VISX CustomVue, Bausch Zyoptix and Alcon Custom Cornea.<br><br>
At Lasik<b><i>Plus</b></i> we know your vision changes throughout your life. But the importance of caring for your eyes and maintaining your sight never goes away. With constant advances in technology, more people can now be considered excellent candidates for laser vision correction than ever before. Whether it’s the hassle and expense of glasses or contacts, health issues, or the desire to focus on what’s most important to you, you have your own unique reasons for considering laser vision correction. <br><br>
Everyone’s eyes are different, and not every procedure is appropriate for everyone. Having helped a million people nationwide through this process, we at Lasik<b><i>Plus</b></i> have a lot of information to share with you. <br><br>
If you are considering LASIK surgery, or just want to learn more about the procedure, join Omar E. Awad, MD as he answers your questions regarding laser eye surgery. You can also call one of our Lasik<b><i>Plus</b></i> specialists anytime at 1-866-921-2179 or visit us on the web at <a href="http://clk.atdmt.com/CHI/go/147163270/direct/01/" target="_blank">www.LasikPlus.com</a>. We look forward to hearing from you!
Med Help:
Hello and welcome to today's health chat on LASIK surgery. Dr. Omar Awad will be joining us in an hour at 5:00 PM Eastern (2:00 PM Pacific), but feel free to start submitting your questions now.
Med Help:
Hello everyone. We'll be starting in a few minutes and we've already got some great questions. Keep them coming and please keep your questions on the topic of LASIK.
Med Help:
Welcome, Dr. Awad. Thank you for joining us today.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Glad to be here.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
I'm looking forward to talking about one of my favorite subjects - LASIK laser vision correction!
MetalMania:
Can I have lasik for my prescription (+1.25 right eye and +1.00 left eye). I have heard you can but it has a lot of risks...but I'm really fed up with my glasses, especially since with my prescription I have to wear them 24 hours. I can never do this and I never did except while studying...
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Yes, your prescription is treatable with LASIK.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Your condition is called hyperopia, or farsightedness. The lasers are approved for treating up to +6 diopters so you are well within the limits.
AdamTanase:
I have read mixed reviews about the LASIK procedure. Some have hailed it, while others suggest that it may have a high failure rate, and that it causes permanent damage to the eye. Is there truth to the latter? I also know that long-term use of glasses actually impairs vision over time -- does LASIK also have this effect?
Med Help:
Welcome, Dr. Tanase. It's great to have some of MedHelp's experts join us in the chats.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
LASIK is an very safe procedure but it is still a surgery. The success rate is very high, particularly compared to many other surgeries. LASIK does permanently change the shape of the eye - this is how it allows you to see without your glasses. But it does not damage the eye.
Sylvian1984:
Does the Lasik flap ever totally heal?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
All great questions!
Omar E. Awad, MD:
The interface of the lasik flap does not completely heal - if it did you could get scarring and that could affect your vision. The part of the LASIK flap that heals very quickly is the edges and the surface ("skin) of the eye. This is what allows such a quick recovery of vision!
rorokoko1995:
Can LASIK correct high myopia?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Lasik can correct high myopia, provided your eyes are suitable candidates for the procedure
Omar E. Awad, MD:
The lasers are approved to treat up to -14 diopters, but most surgeons limit the procedure to -10 or so, depending on the anatomy of your cornea.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
There are implantable lenses that can correct high myopia up to -20 diopters, but these are not laser procedures.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Best way to find out if you are a candidate is to visit your local LasikPlus vision center!
mlb1234:
What are the odds I will see halos, etc at night?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If you see haloes with your contacts or glasses, you may still see haloes if you have LASIK.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
The haloes that some people describe can be due to a couple factors - one is a large pupil at night and the second is a high prescription.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
For people with larger pupils or higher prescriptions, I will often recommend a "custom" or wavefront-guided treatment, as this will minimize the risk of seeing haloes.
milesinsf:
I have a very light prescription, -1.00. Are there guidelines for how bad one's vision should be before getting LASIK?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If you need to wear glasses or contacts to see, and you no longer want to have to depend on your corrective eyewear, then you may be a good candidate for LASIK.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Of course, you will need an eye examination to determine if your eyes are appropriate candidates for the procedure, and this can be done at your local LASIK center.
discostew:
What is the typical recovery time for LASIK surgery?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
After the LASIK procedure, we recommend resting for a good 2 - 4 hours. Your eyes will heal the fastest when they are closed, so a nice nap is best. Many people see pretty clearly right away, and the vision gets better after about 3-4 hours. After a good night's sleep, you should see great the next day!
berrywoo:
Please explain the risks of Lasik. Also, what do you look for in a patient who wishes to have Lasik, in terms of eye health. What qualities does the ideal candidate have? What would disqualify a patient from having Lasik?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Great questions! You can get many answers at lasikplus.com and I will try to answer these now also.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
First we look for someone who is motivated to get out of glasses/contact lenses. We like to see stability of the prescription as well - this can be checked by reading your old glasses at you examination and comparing to the readings at the exam.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Several specialized tests are performed to see if you are an acceptable candidate for LASIK - particularly computerized corneal mapping tests and wavefront aberrometry.
