LASIK FAQs

Our eyes and vision are very precious, so it’s perfectly natural to be nervous about having LASIK. To help alleviate your concerns, our staff will spend time with you answering any questions you may have and describing exactly what’s involved in the procedure. We will guide you through the process step-by-step to alleviate your fears and help you feel as comfortable as possible. We also may prescribe a mild sedative prior to the procedure. Talking with people who have had the procedure is a good way to understand what to expect. Many of our patients have volunteered to talk with anyone who’s considering LASIK to answer questions and share their laser correction experience. Let us know if you’d like us to put you in contact with one of our LASIK patients or if you would like to be a part of this group after your procedure.

For the majority of our patients, we perform LASIK on both eyes on the same day. The results are so predictable and the procedure so safe that most people choose this approach to minimize any post-operative discomfort and time off from work.

While you can schedule a free consultation determining if you’re a candidate for LASIK at three of our locations (Cotswold, Mooresville, Waverly), your surgery will be performed at our Huntersville location. 15419 Hodges Circle Huntersville, NC 28078 704-892-1000

You will not be able to drive yourself home, so plan on having a friend or family member at least pick you up after your procedure to take you home.

Numbing eye drops are more than adequate to keep you comfortable during LASIK. These drops will be placed prior to you entering the laser suite, and they’ll also be placed during the procedure to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.

Each step of LASIK has its own way of addressing this issue. During LASIK flap creation, a gentle suction device controls the position of your eye. During the second half of the procedure, the patient is expected to look at a green flashing light directly in front of them; should you move during this part of LASIK, the laser automatically pauses until you resume the correct position. The EX500 laser checks the eye’s position every several milliseconds during the treatment.

This outpatient procedure lasts approximately 15 minutes per eye.

Most people experience 6-12 hours of mild irritation after their LASIK similar to the feeling of dirty contact lenses. One dose of Tylenol is typically all most people need. Keeping your eyes closed and resting is one of the best ways to minimize discomfort on the day of the procedure.

We recommend that patients go home immediately after surgery and take it easy for the rest of the day. Keep your eyes at rest: don’t read. You’ll be prescribed two eye drops which need to be administered four times daily. Do not drive until you are seeing well, which will usually be the following day. Do not rub your eyes. Avoid activities that put your eyes at risk, and wear sunglasses as a physical barrier frequently during the first week.

Of the many refractive laser procedures, LASIK has the shortest time to vision recovery and patients generally experience little to no postoperative pain. The protective corneal flap allows for overnight sealing of the corneal surface, which quickly alleviates post-operative scratchiness and irritation. Eye drops are often prescribed for the first week following surgery unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

Most patients can see clearly 24 hours after their LASIK procedure. Results of the surgery, however, will take several weeks to stabilize completely.

Once the results stabilize, your correction is permanent. If you develop a need for glasses in the future, you can blame that on the normal aging processes that affect everyone.

Patients are typically able to drive the day following LASIK after their first-day postoperative exam.

Patients are typically able to return to work and resume normal activities within a few days of the surgery.

Yes. LASIK will not impede you from getting cataract surgery in the future if you need it.

Most people do not need glasses or contact lenses to see distance clearly after laser vision correction. However, if a patient does need them to improve their vision after LASIK, they typically can wear contact lenses.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or questions post-surgery. You can reach us at 704-365-0555. It’s important to remember that even minor, everyday corrective eye treatments, such as wearing contact lenses, carry some risk. In recent studies and our experience, most patients achieve excellent results without significant complications. Serious complications appear to be rare. Trauma to the eye shortly after the procedure, while the eye is still healing, can cause complications and the need for surgery. Resist rubbing your eyes for one month post-LASIK. Take care to avoid being hit in the eye as the impact can move the flap.

Some patients do require a second treatment in order to get the vision they desire. If a second treatment is necessary, it is usually performed 6-12 months after the first procedure.

Infections after LASIK have been reported but are rare. Occasionally, your surgeon may cancel your procedure if the flap created is not adequate. Your LASIK can be rescheduled several months later.

Most patients experience halos around lights and some starbursts or glare at night for several weeks to months after their surgery. In general, these are noticeable but not debilitating, and they disappear within six months to a year.

We have established a very competitive price and offer our patients the option of affordable monthly payments through a credit card company called Alphaeon. Alphaeon offers different financing options to make it easy for you to enjoy the benefits of Laser Vision Correction. Your monthly payment and interest rate will depend on the terms of the financing plan you choose. They also offer a plan that charges NO INTEREST for up to 12 months. You can call 1-855-497-8176 for more information or apply online at https://goalphaeon.com/.