FAQ

FAQ

 

Is my prescription too severe to allow for laser correction?
Having very bad eyesight does not interfere with your suitability for laser surgery, in most cases. Your vision will improve noticeably, although the level of improvement you experience does depend upon the degree of your current prescription. Eye and Face Laserclinic treats patients with longsightness (up to +4.00D), shortsightness (up to -12.50D) with or without astigmatism (up to -6.00D). During your Initial Screening, our eye care professionals will outline the results you personally can expect to achieve.

 

What range of nearsightedness can be treated by LASIK?

Your existing vision must fall within an acceptable correction range and must not have changed significantly within the last two years. The differences in vision are measured in diopters, which are degrees of prescription on a range that scales from -10.00 diopters, for severe myopia, to +4.00 diopters for severe hyperopia. A normal eye falls within the diopter range of - 0.50 to +0.50. Here are the diopter ranges that Eye and Face Laserclinik can treat:

 

Myopia (up to -12.50 Diopters)

Hyperopia (Up to +4.00 Diopters)

Astigmatism (Most cases up to -6.00 Diopters)

 

What is the difference between LASIK and PRK?

LASIK heals much quicker and usually provides comfort and vision within a 12-24 hour period after surgery. It is a more intense procedure for the patient as an ocular ring is applied to the eye creating pressure for a few seconds. The complication rate is probably lower than that of LASEK, (less medication, virtually no haze, less down time for the patient) but if a complication were to occur with the corneal flap it may be more serious than the complications of LASEK alone. If retreatment is needed the whole process is repeated.

 

What if I have astigmatism?

The excimer laser is approved to treat shortsightedness, longsightedness, and astigmatism. LASIK can treat astigmatism right along with any shortsightedness or longsightedness. No additional procedures are necessary, it is all done at once.

What exactly is laser vision correction?

LASIK and LASEK are the two most common forms of Laser Vision Correction. Both procedures use an "excimer" laser to reshape the corneal curvature. With LASIK, or Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, the middle portion of the cornea is treated by first using a machine called a microkeratome to lift up the surface of the cornea. The laser is then used to reshape the exposed corneal surface.

Can I correct both eyes in one session?

Yes. The surgery performed in our clinic can correct both eyes at the same time. Having your eyes treated at different times extends the healing and takes more of your time. Most patients find it more convenient to have both eyes treated at the same time. We can, however, perform the procedure for each eye separately should you prefer - however, since the preparatory work to do a staged procedure is nearly doubled, there is an 50% extra cost.

What will I feel during the procedure?
During the LASIK procedure, the eye is anesthetized. You may feel some pressure but this is relatively minor. You will feel very little discomfort during the procedure. After LASIK surgery, you may feel some irritation for up to 24 hours. With LASEK, this may last for a few days.

How is the surgery performed?
The Excimer laser performs the treatment. The cool light of the laser beam vaporizes corneal tissue, reshaping the surface and enabling the patient to see clearly without the need for glasses or contact lenses. The anesthetic is administered by eye drops, there are no needles involved.

 

How long does the procedure take?

The actual surgery takes only minutes but the amount of time the laser is active on the eye is only just seconds. Preparation for surgery is done in the clinic on the day of the treatment and takes approximately 30 minutes prior to surgery time.

Does the surgery hurt?
The procedure itself is pain-free. With LASIK, you may experience a pressure sensation when the flap is created and some discomfort or irritation for up to 24 hours after surgery. With LASEK you may experience irritation for one week or more after surgery. We provide pain relief medication in eyedrop form to help eliminate any discomfort.

How long will it take to return to normal activity?
The patient usually has functional vision within the first 24-48 hours after the operation, however, temporary blurred vision is common. We suggest the patient take at least 1 day off work and will be unable to drive for approximately 3 days after surgery.

What if I am currently wearing contact lenses?

When you schedule an Initial Screening, just remove your contact lenses on the morning of the Initial Screening. Also, bring in your glasses if available.

Prior to surgery, it is important to note the following: if you are wearing hard or gas permeable contacts, they must be out of your eyes at least six weeks prior to your surgery. Soft lenses must be out at least 1 week.

Contact lenses can "mold" the corneal surface, which changes the corneal curvature and may lead to a change in your refraction (prescription). In order to properly calculate the treatment to correct your refractive error, you will have to stop wearing contact lenses at some stage prior to your appointment. In time the cornea will return to its natural shape and size. We are dedicated to providing you with the most accurate treatment, and this can only be achieved if the corneal surface is stable and back to its natural shape.

For the vast majority of patients, the recommended minimum length of time for contact removal should suffice. However, the individual rate of corneal adjusting may vary. If your cornea is still adjusting at either the pre-operative or surgery appointment, you will be required to reschedule your appointment for a later date. This will allow the cornea to return to its natural shape and refraction to stabilise, thus providing you with an opportunity to attain the best possible outcome. Eye and Face Laserclinik cannot reimburse for time off work, hotel, airline tickets or any other expenses incurred due to rescheduling.

The difference in the length of times to remove contact lenses listed below is to ensure that the majority of out-of-town patients are not inconvenienced by rescheduling of appointments if corneal "molding" is apparent.

Medical evidence suggests that the likelihood of a retreatment is reduced the longer a patient has had their contact lenses out.

Removal of Contact Lenses prior to Surgery appointments:

 

Soft Contact LensesMinimum 1 week

Extended Soft LensesMinimum 1 week

Toric Soft LensesMinimum 1 week

Toric Hard LensesMinimum 6 weeks

Rigid Gas Permeables worn for 0-20 yearsMinimum 6 weeks

Rigid Gas Permeables worn for 21-29 yearsMinimum 8 weeks

Rigid Gas Permeables worn for 30 or more yearsMinimum 12 weeks

True Hard Lenses (Polymethyl methacrylate)Minimum 12 weeks

 

 

Can I drive immediately after my surgery?
On the day of your surgery, you should not drive. We recommend that someone accompany you, or that you make alternate transportation plans, such as a taxi. You should wait a few days before driving, longer if your vision is still blurred.

What will happen to my eyesight in the future?
Once corrected, your vision should maintain its correction. Studies have shown that the results of your surgery will not diminish overtime.

 

Very few patients need an enhancement due to individual healing and initial corrections. For those with high prescriptions, the chance of needing an enhancement is greater.

One thing we cannot correct is the need for reading glasses (presbyopia), except through blended vision. This is part of the natural aging process of your eyes. Please note that laser surgery does not change the normal course of nature. If you are genetically predisposed to cataracts, for example, the laser eye correction procedure does not hasten nor deter the cataracts natural onset.

 

What are the long-term effects of this procedure?
LASIK and PRK procedures have been performed in North America for over 15 years. The first excimer laser used on human eyes was in 1985. They have an excellent long-term safety track record.

Can my vision return to its original level after surgery?
Some patients (less than 5%) experience a regression of effect following surgery, but not to the preoperative level. Fine-tuning or enhancement surgery can often be done to further improve the vision if necessary.

What are the side effects of LASIK?
The most common side effects are light sensitivity, and halos. Undercorrection or overcorrection may occur, and glasses may be needed after surgery to restore perfect vision. In some instances, irregular corneal curvatures and/or haze might be created and glasses may not restore perfect vision.

It is important to note that the chance of having a serious vision-threatening complication is much less than 1% across the profession.

At the clinic, we believe that informing you of potential risks is an important part of patient care. Ask us if you have any further questions about these risks as they relate to your eyes. In the meantime, read our risks page.

All surgical procedures, including LASIK and PRK, involve risks of unsuccessful results, complications, infection, serious injury, or even death, from known and unforeseen causes. Neither your surgeon, nor your optometrist, nor the clinic nor its staff, can promise or guarantee that the procedure will be effective or make your vision better than it was before the procedure.

What causes nighttime side effects?

Nighttime side effects include blurring at night, glare, and starburst and halos around lights. There are several things that can cause these effects.

Residual nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can cause these problems. If this is the case, glasses at night, or more surgery may help.

Another possible cause has to do with the size of the pupil and the shape of the treated cornea. In low light, the pupil inside the eye dilates to allow more light into the eye. When the pupil dilates, the light coming into the eye is focused by a larger area of the cornea than when the pupil is small. If light is being focused by more peripheral areas of the cornea that have not been reshaped by the laser, optical aberrations can cause these night effects. The best bet is to reduce the risk of this occurring by using a laser which can reshape a large area of cornea, or to avoid treating patients with very large pupils if a large treatment zone cannot be done.

 

 

What if these nighttime effects occur? What can be done?
There are medication eyedrops that can be used to constrict the pupil at night. These will reduce glare, starburst and halos, but they will also cause less light to be allowed into the eye, usually giving murky or washed out night vision.

One problem is traded for another, and usually this is not a viable solution. In some patients, though, it may be helpful. Similarly, some patients find that turning on the light inside the car causes just enough pupillary constriction to eliminate annoying night effects.

Treatments which are not centered properly over the cornea can also lead to severe nighttime side effects. This is usually easily avoided by a skilled surgeon. This trouble, if it occurs, is extremely difficult to fix.

 

What keeps the flap in position after the surgery?
There are several things occurring that keep the flap in position without stitches. Initially, there is a vacuum effect created by the cells lining the inner surface of the cornea. These cells, known as endothelial cells, function as a pump to move fluid (water) from within the substance of the cornea into the inner part of the eye. This suction type of force initially holds the flap in position. As the eye heals over the first day or two, the outer surface of the cornea, known as the epithelium, seals the edges of the flap. Over weeks to months, natural substances in the cornea help bond the flap to the underlying cornea.

Can I lose my corneal flap?
With a flap there is a hinge, which attaches the flap to the rest of the cornea. There is no chance of losing a corneal flap. A corneal flap can be DISPLACED if the eye is rubbed shortly after surgery. This would require repositioning of the flap in the operating room. Rarely (roughly 1 in 1,500 cases), there will be no hinge and the microkeratome will cut a free cap. A free cap CAN be lost, if you rub your eye too hard shortly after surgery. If a free cap is created at the time of surgery, the laser part of the procedure will be done, the cap will be replaced on the eye, and you will be notified of this occurrence so that you can be sure to take extra precautions in the postoperative healing period to reduce the risk of losing the free cap. Please note that, as recently as 1994, this type of surgery was done without any hinge-ALL cases had free caps. It was extremely rare for any of these patients, in those days, to lose their corneal cap.

Even if the corneal cap were to be lost, this would probably not be as disastrous as it sounds. The cornea would overall be somewhat thinner, and there would be a chance of scarring, but overall the vision would likely be quite good. It is possible, but unlikely, that a corneal transplant would be needed. Nevertheless, this is a complication we wish to avoid.

 

How do I get started if I am interested in Laser Vision Correction?
If you are reading this website, you're well on your way. The next step is to call us for an Initial Screening or at PHONE 00370 212 0290 or +37065652755, or email info@laserview.lt. An Initial Screening with our doctors will take about one hour and will specifically determine your chances for success with surgery. The Initial Screening consists of a thorough evaluation and analysis of your eyes and your visual system. You will have time to have all of your questions answered by the doctor..