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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
About Lasik, Laser Vision Correction, PRK & Southwest Eye Care
Am I a good candidate for laser vision correction?
What is the difference between PRK and laser vision correction?
How long has Dr. Teahan been performing laser vision correction?
How long will the Laser procedure take?
How much does it hurt?
What kind of vision can I expect the day after surgery?
Do you have financing plans?
Is laser vision correction covered by insurance?
What about having both eyes done at the same
time?
How permanent are the results?
When will I be able to return to work?
Tell me the downside...what are the risks of laser vision correction?
Am I a good candidate for laser vision correction?
We recommend you come in for an evaluation. You will be thoroughly
educated during your complete exam. We will test your present glasses,
check your present prescription, and help you decide which refractive
procedure will offer you the greatest benefit.
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What is the difference between
RK and laser vision correction?
RK was an early surgical procedure where the cornea was "cut"
to change the angle of light rays to properly focus on the retina.
Radial incisions were made on the cornea with a diamond blade scalpel.
With the laser, the cornea is reshaped by a cool, invisible beam
of light. The laser is computer-controlled and is programmed specifically
for your individual prescription! It automatically corrects nearsightedness,
farsightedness and astigmatism.
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How long has Dr. Teahan been performing
laser vision correction?
Dr. Teahan has specialized in refractive procedures for over 15
years. He has performed all refractive procedures including RK,
PRK, INTACS, Clear Lens Extraction, and Phakic IOL's.
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How long will the Laser procedure
take?
You will be in the office for about an hour for the LASIK procedure.
The actual surgical time is only a few minutes. Following the procedure
you will be asked to rest with your eyes closed for about 20 minutes
in our office.
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How much does it hurt?
During the procedure itself, you will feel no pain. In fact, most
people say that there is NO sensation! You will be given "numbing
drops" on your eyes, and encouraged to take a Valium pill to
make you feel relaxed. Post operatively, most patients experience
little or no discomfort with LASIK.
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What kind of vision can I expect the day after surgery?
This will depend upon the type of procedure that you choose. With
LASIK, many patients notice improved vision immediately after the
procedure. Most patients are functional without their corrective
lenses at the one day post operative exam. Patients continue to
see a gradual increase in their visual acuity during the first five
to seven days after the procedure.
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Do you have financing plans?
We offer 0% interest for 12 months. We also have payment options
that include financing for up to 5 years, with payments as low as
$74 per month.
*Financing based on approved credit
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Is laser vision correction covered by insurance?
Probably not, as most insurance companies consider laser vision
correction "elective surgery" and it is not usually a
covered benefit. However, a few of the larger employers and some
Unions do cover the procedure. So, it is certainly worth checking
with your insurance company to see if you are covered.
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What about having both eyes done
at the same time?
This is a medical decision between you and your Doctor. The exciting
news is that because of the accuracy associated with laser vision correction, both eyes are most often treated at the same time. However,
if you decide to do them one at a time, it is possible that the
second eye may be done anywhere from one day to a few months after
the first eye.
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How permanent are the results?
Laser vision correction is considered to be permanent. However,
laser vision correction will not prevent the age-related problems
of "reading glasses" known as presbyopia.
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When will I be able to return to work?
Depending upon the amount of correction, almost everyone can return
to their normal activities one to three days after the procedure.
Our education coordinators can give you more details on your examination
date.
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Tell me the downside...what are the
risks of laser vision correction?
Our education coordinator will cover the potential risks with you.
They include:
An Infection – Usually able to be treated with antibiotics,
national averages are less than 1 out of 3,000.
Haze - Originates from the healing process in the eye. It is almost
never seen with LASIK. Is almost always gone at the end of 6 months.
Is rarely visually significant. Can be retreated by the laser.
Under or Over correction - because eyes all heal at different rates,
this is the most common (and correctable) complication. We can retreat
the eye anywhere from 3 months to 12 months after the surgery by
lifting the original flap with special instruments. Most augmentations
require removal of only a small amount of additional tissue.
Risks associated with LASIK only:
Because LASIK involves making a "thin flap" and applying
the laser under the flap, there could be complications involved
in making the flap (or with the instrument used to make the flap.)
Also, there is a small risk that the epithelium (or the skin that
covers the eye) can grow under the flap. This is almost always treatable
without any additional laser treatment.
Again, our professional, knowledgeable staff can discuss the benefits,
risks, and side effects of the laser surgery. Our absolute goal
is that you have all the information available so that you will
make an informed decision.
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