lasik Archives - Bright Vision Optometry | Chino Hills, CA 91709 | Eye Doctors

Let me tell you about my recent LASIK experience. Growing up, I always needed some form of vision correction. As a child, I only wore glasses when I was sat in the back of the classroom. As I got older, I became more dependent on my glasses and contact lenses – to the point where I had to wear them 24/7.

As much as I appreciated that my glasses and contacts helped me see clearly, they always felt like a nuisance to me. Whether it be losing a contact lens while on vacation, or having my glasses fog up from wearing a mask, I started to grow a love-hate relationship with my glasses and contacts. This all changed when I got SMILE, which is a procedure similar to LASIK!

SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a refractive surgery procedure, similar to LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis). Both of these are procedures that reshape your cornea, which is the front part of your eye, so that you may see clearly. Check out this chart that briefly describes the difference between the two:

Here’s how my SMILE experience went…

Preparing for My Pre-Op Appointment:
I had to be out of my contact lenses for a week in order to allow the front part of my eye to return to its natural state. This allows for the optometrist to get the most accurate measurements of my eyes at the pre-op appointment.

Pre-Op Appointment:
At my pre-op appointment, the optometrists took some scans of my eye, checked my refractive error, and evaluated the health of the front and back parts of my eye. All of this was done to make sure that I was a good candidate for either SMILE or LASIK. In total, this exam took about 2 hours. I had to get dilated at the exam, which meant that my eyes would be more light sensitive and items close to me would appear blurry for about 4 hours.

Preparing for the Procedure:
Starting one week before my procedure, I had to put preservative-free artificial tears into my eyes four times a day. In addition, I had to eat 2000 mg of Omega 3 pills. Both of these were done to promote the stability of my tear film, which makes the procedure go more smoothly. Starting one day before my procedure, I had to put an antibiotic-steroid eyedrop into my eyes four times a day. This is done to clean the my eye and reduce the risk of inflammation and post-op complications.

Procedure:
I got my procedure done about 1 week after my pre-op appointment. Before getting the procedure done, everything that performed the pre-op was repeated, just to ensure that my eyes would be eligible to have the procedure completed. After signing some consent forms, I was given a small dosage of Xanax before entering into the operating room. The ophthalmologist put in some drops to numb my eye before completing the procedure. In total, it took about 3-5 minutes to complete both of my eyes. Going into the procedure, I felt super anxious (naturally, I’m the type of person who thinks of all the worst case scenarios possible), but it ended up being super quick and painless!

Post-Op:
Once the procedure was completed, my fiancé walked me to his car and drove me home. I knocked out for about 16 hours. It is recommended to get as much sleep as you may get after the procedure in order to promote your eyes’ ability to heal from the surgery. When I woke up the next morning, I was able to see so clearly! I panicked for a second because I thought I slept in my contact lenses. After getting ready, I went back to complete my 1-day post-op appointment, which serves to make sure that no complications happened following the surgery. By this point, I was able to see 20/25 in both eyes. After a week, I was able to see 20/20 in both eyes. After a month, I have been able to see 20/15 (which is better than 20/20) in both eyes.

With that said, I definitely do not regret getting SMILE/LASIK done! In fact, I wish I had it done sooner! If you are interested in getting SMILE or LASIK done, we do offer free consultation appointments at Bright Vision Optometry. We would love to be a part of your SMILE/LASIK journey! 👀

Have you ever thought, “Am I a good LASIK candidate?” If you wear glasses or contact lenses, it is likely that you have grown to have a love-hate relationship with them. While your glasses or contact lenses help you see clearly, they can often be quite annoying. For instance, the feeling of a frame on your face may start to irritate you throughout the day, and the worry of running out of contact lenses may be unsettling.

In either case, the most inconvenient thing about glasses and contact lenses is that without them, you cannot see. Can you imagine being able to see clearly from the moment you wake up without having to grab your glasses or put in your contact lenses? LASIK has the opportunity to make that dream a reality!

Our patient Shanna’s LASIK story.

LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) is an FDA-approved surgical procedure on the eye that reshapes the front of your eye so that you can see clearly. While you are awake during the procedure, anesthetic is applied to prevent you from feeling any pain.

Typically, the recovery time is only 24 hours, after which you’ll be able to clearly see day and night! In addition, LASIK is a safe procedure. In fact, 90% of patients are successful at achieving 20/20 vision or better, and 99% of patients are successful at achieving 20/40 vision or better (JCRS, Vol. 42, Issue 8, August 2016), both of which would make you eligible to pass the DMV Vision Standards in California. It is important to note that the likelihood of achieving a successful outcome with LASIK depends on whether you are a good LASIK candidate for the procedure.

So, what makes a good candidate for LASIK? Take a look at the following list:

Having refractive error (within certain limits)
1. Nearsightedness (Myopia) < -11.00 D
2. Farsightedness (Hyperopia) < +5.00 D
3. Astigmatism < 5.00 D
Older than 18 years old (best age after 25 years old)
By this time, your vision and overall development is generally stabilized. If your prescription is still changing, you will need to wait until your vision has been stable for at least one year before getting LASIK done.
Not pregnant
LASIK is not recommended for patients who are pregnant because your vision can change during pregnancy. We recommend completing the LASIK procedure after you have given birth and after your vision has remained stable for at least 12 months.
Have a healthy body and healthy eyes
LASIK is recommended for people who have no underlying systemic conditions like an autoimmune disease, which may potentially prevent you from healing properly. In addition, it is recommended for people who do not have ocular conditions such as keratoconus, dry eyes, glaucoma, or cataracts.

Keep in mind, if you are someone who has higher amounts of nearsightedness and you are not a good LASIK candidate, there’s a newer procedure called ICL (implantable collamer lens). This may be a good alternative surgery option if you have ever been told your prescription is too high for LASIK.

If you are interested in getting LASIK done, we encourage you to come in for a consultation appointment! At the appointment, our eye doctors will carefully evaluate your prescription, eye health and personal lifestyle to determine whether you are a good candidate for LASIK. If you are a good candidate for LASIK, we will refer you out to our trusted partner LASIK surgery center so that you can part ways with your glasses and/or contact lenses. If you have any questions, feel free to call or text us as 909-627-1111 so that we can help you out. We hope to see you soon!

Tag: lasik

My LASIK Experience!

Are You a Good LASIK Candidate?