Frequently Asked Questions

The main difference between the two are the tools used to perform the procedures. Traditional cataract surgery is performed using a precision blade to make incisions in the eye, whereas laser cataract surgery uses a laser to make computer-controlled incisions; this is why laser cataract surgery is also referred to as bladeless cataract surgery.

Those who have cataracts suffer from a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which can produce a multitude of symptoms, such as double vision, blurry vision, less-colored vision, sensitivity, and beyond. If you have these symptoms and have tried to correct them with prescription glasses, but experience no success, you may be a candidate for either cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery.

Both types of cataract surgery are relatively pain-free and patients rarely describe the experience as painful, but rather, only mildly discomforting.

Cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery are both relatively quick procedures. While a patient will spend around 2.5 hours from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave, the procedure itself is usually less than twenty minutes.

As with any medical procedure, there are some risks of cataract surgeries, though most are extremely rare. Similar to other procedures, the most common include bleeding, swelling, infection, and inflammation. Our team will discuss possible complications in full detail prior to your surgery, as well as their expertise and experience in performing successful cataract surgeries.

We recommend you come in for an evaluation. We will test your present glasses, check your present prescription, and help you decide which procedure will offer you the greatest benefit. The ideal laser vision correction candidate is at least 18 years or older, with a stable prescription that has not changed significantly within the past 12 months. Ideal candidates will also have generally healthy eyes. Although our results do surpass the national averages, we cannot guarantee perfect vision following the procedure. Patients with certain severe medical problems or eye disease may not be candidates.

Laser vision correction is considered permanent. However, laser vision correction will not prevent the age-related problem of needing reading glasses.

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.

During the procedure itself, you will feel no pain. In fact, most people say that there is NO sensation at all. You will be given drops to numb your eyes, and encouraged to take a sedative to make you feel relaxed. Post operatively, most patients experience little or no discomfort with laser surgery.

This will depend upon the type of procedure you choose. With LASIK, many patients notice improved vision immediately after the procedure. Most patients are functional without their corrective lenses one day after the procedure. Patients continue to see a gradual increase in their visual acuity during the first five to seven days after the procedure.

This is a decision between you and your doctor. The exciting news is that because of the accuracy of laser vision correction, both eyes are most often treated at the same time. However, if you decide to do them one at a time, the second eye can usually be done anywhere from one day to a few months later.

Depending upon the amount of correction, almost everyone can return to their normal activities one to three days after the procedure. Our education coordinator can give you more details during your examination.

All are a form of vision laser correction, however their procedures differ. Radial Keratotomy (RK) was an early surgical procedure where the cornea was cut with a scalpel. With laser surgeries like LASIK, PRK, and Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA), the cornea is reshaped by a cool, invisible beam of light. The laser is computer-controlled and programmed specifically for your individual prescription. It automatically corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. For more detail, see our Vision Correction Surgery section.

Probably not. Insurance companies consider laser vision correction elective, thus it is not usually a covered benefit. However, a few employers and some unions do cover it. Please check with your insurance company.

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. See our Affordability, Insurance & Financing section.

Our education coordinator will cover the potential risks of any eye surgery with you. They include:

• 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 and is almost always gone at the end of 6 months. It is rarely visually significant and can be re-treated by the laser.
• Under or over correction: Because eyes all heal at different rates, this is the most common (and correctable) complication. We can re-treat the eye anywhere from 3 months to 12 months after the surgery