Am I A Good Candidate?
See if laser vision correction is for you.
If glasses or contacts seem to interfere with your enjoyment of daily life and
activities, laser vision correction can help. Low, moderate and severe nearsightedness,
farsightedness, and astigmatism may be corrected by one of the procedures.
Before your eyes can be corrected, however, a thorough exam must be conducted.
Most people with slight abberations in their sight have
otherwise healthy eyes, so this is generally little more than a routine examination.
Also please understand that any surgery carries some risk. Laser vision correction
is highly successful, but you should review all the information available before
making a decision.
What to Expect
A free initial evaluation is conducted by
Dr. Manche, who specializes in laser
vision correction procedures. This evaluation is necessary to determine if you
are a suitable candidate for laser vision correction.
After the initial free evaluation, if you choose to proceed with treatment, your
next visit will include testing specific to the procedure, such ascorneal mapping,
measurements, and a dilated exam. The charge for this visit is $174. This amount
will be deducted from your treatment cost. The fee is payable at the time of
service. Payment may be made by cash, check, ormost major credit cards. Most
insurance companies do not cover this procedure.
Whether you elect LASIK, PRK, or one of the other procedures, the entire process
takes approximately two hours. Recovery is usually around one to two days. During
the procedure you will remain awake, made comfortable through the use of anesthetic
eye drops. The actual time which is spent on the procedure is only a few minutes,and
you can have someone drive you home almost immediately thereafter.
The level of improvement depends on many factors, including the severity of your
condition. The overwhelming majority of persons who undergo laser vision correction
will notice a distinct improvement. The majority of patients regain a level of
clarity and sharpness that will negate the need for correctional devices such
as glasses or contacts.
The Procedures
Wavefront-LASIK (Custom LASIK):
The Latest Advance in Laser Eye Surgery
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new technology
that will change how your eye surgeon addresses your vision problems.
It's called Custom LASIK: the laser eye treatment is based upon the unique
visual characteristics of your eye. Up until now, with glasses, contacts
and conventional LASIK surgery, corrections were quite similar for each
type of prescription. Custom LASIK involves measuring the eye from front
to back with a special laser, using what's called "wavefront" technology,
to create a three-dimensional (3-D) image of the eye. The information contained
in the wavefront-map guides the laser in customizing the treatment to your individual
visual system.
IntraLASIK
Using IntraLasik, the creation of the initial flap with
conventional LASIK is made using a mechanical device. The IntraLASIK
procedure uses a precision laser device to create potentially a more precise
flap without the use of a blade.
Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
LASIK is a procedure for nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia)
and astigmatism. It has become the procedure of choice for almost all levels
of refractive error when performed by an expert surgeon. An excimer laser reshapes
the partially-exposed central cornea under a thin corneal flap. The flap is then
replaced over the cornea without the need for sutures.
IntraLASIK
The Latest Advance in Laser Eye Surgery
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new
technology that may change how your eye surgeon performs your LASIK procedure.
It's called IntraLASIK. The creation of the initial flap with
conventional LASIK is made using a mechanical device.
The IntraLASIK procedure uses a precision laser device to create potentially
a more precise flap without the use of a blade.
Photo-Refractive Keratectomy (PRK)
PRK is done without any incisions at
all. The cornea is reshaped by the laser to compensate for the effects
of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Other Procedures
New Technologies
Please call the Stanford Eye Laser Center for more information or to schedule
a free initial evaluation at (650) 498-7020.
