LASIK & Refractive Surgery Co-Management

The doctors at PEC have extensive experience in the pre-operative evaluation and post-operative care of LASIK and other vision correction procedures.

We will evaluate your eyes and discuss your visual goals to help determine if you are an appropriate candidate for LASIK, PRK or Cataract Refractive Technology. If you have appropriate goals and there are no contraindications for the procedure, we will recommend a pre-operative evaluation to determine suitability for refractive surgery. This evaluation includes:

  • Counseling on refractive surgery options
  • Eye dominancy testing
  • Review of eye history and refractive stability
  • Medical evaluation of the cornea and eye
  • Current Refraction Status

If after the pre-operative evaluation, the decision is made to proceed with surgery, your information will be forwarded to the surgeon, a pre surgery consult with a surgeon will be scheduled. Post-operative management will be provided by our doctors, and includes multiple visits over a period from the date of surgery to include medical evaluation and management of the vision and corneal healing. Evaluation of any additional needs such as reading glasses, sunglasses, or enhancement laser procedures is also included.

LASIK is currently the most popular vision-correcting or “refractive” surgery available. But there are other options as well. We will help you find the ideal solution for your problem and partner with the best surgeon to perform your procedure.

 

Introduction to LASIK

LASIK is the most popular procedure for corrective eye surgery. People may call it “LASIX,” but the true name is “LASIK,” which stands for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.”

Why is it so well-known? LASIK is better than other ways to fix your vision because it doesn’t hurt as much and you can usually see well the next day.


In LASIK eye surgery, a thin, round hole is made in the cornea with the help of a tool called a microkeratome. A laser is a more modern way to make the hole.

The flexible flap is moved out of the way by the doctor, who then uses an excimer laser to cut away some corneal tissue underneath. To change the shape of the eye, the excimer laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to remove (or “ablate”) very small pieces of tissue.


When the cornea is changed in the right way, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, giving clearer vision than before. The flap is then put back in place, hiding the spot where the corneal tissue was taken out.

People who are nearsighted and people who are farsighted can both benefit from LASIK. For people who are nearsighted, the goal is to make the too-steep cornea flatter. For people who are farsighted, the goal is to make the cornea steeper. Excimer lasers can also fix astigmatism by making a cornea with an odd shape more like a standard shape.