Your Optometrist Is Your LASIK Specialist
LASIK is an exciting vision correction option; it is not a choice that you should make based on advertising or price alone. It is a complex procedure that requires several clinical visits, in-depth discussions, explanations and careful guidance. Your optometrist is well equipped to manage and deliver your pre and post-operative care throughout this process.
Are You A Candidate?
LASIK can treat a broad range of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism in people who are at least 18 years old, in good general health and have no eye diseases. Only an in-depth examination of your eyes, your individual case, your expectations and your lifestyle will determine whether the procedure is right for you. You deserve an honest and frank discussion about your candidacy. Your optometrist will be able to determine whether you are a candidate for LASIK.
You Need A Careful Evaluation
During your LASIK evaluation, your optometrist will do a thorough medical history, evaluate your eyes for any eye conditions and discuss with you how any health problems could potentially impact the outcome of your vision correction. Your optometrist will check your prescription to determine if it is stable or has changed. This evaluation is best carried out by an eye doctor who you know and trust, who has or examined your eyes.
Contact Lenses
If you have contact lenses you may need to stop wearing the lenses for a period of time before proceeding with surgery. Contact lenses, depending upon the type and wearing schedule, may distort the shape of your cornea and change your uncorrected vision. Leaving your lenses out will allow your eye to return to its natural shape. This process may require several visits to your optometrist, until no change occurs.
Your Expected Outcome
Your expectations are an important part of the decision to have LASIK. A complete evaluation is an important starting point, but you will need to make a decision about the outcome you desire. For many patients, improving their distance vision and near vision is possible, but certain patients may still need or prefer to wear glasses to enhance their vision. Your optometrist will discuss this with you and work to determine the treatment that will best serve your vision needs.
Choosing The Surgeon and Laser Center
Just as it is important to have a knowledgeable optometrist caring for your eyes, it is equally important that you have an experienced surgeon and a reputable laser center. Your optometrist is affiliated with TLC Laser Eye Centers. More than 500,000 LASIK procedures have been performed at TLC Laser Eye Centers. Surgeons affiliated with TLC Laser Eye Centers were among some of the first to perform laser vision correction in North America and these surgeons continue to be leaders in advanced clinical developments and techniques. More than 4,000 doctors including more than 2,000 eye doctors - have had their own vision corrected through TLC Laser Eye Centers. Call Today to book a free consultation.
The Surgery
Once all of your testing is complete and it is determined that you are a candidate, your optometrist will forward your records to TLC Laser Eye Centers. Your optometrist will also explain the procedure to you step-by-step as well as the follow-up care you will need to achieve the best results.
Care After Surgery
The outcome of your laser procedure depends as much on the right care after the surgery as the procedure itself. After your surgery, your optometrist will manage your post-procedure care. This includes examining if your eyes are healing properly for a year after your procedure, and answering any questions that you may have during the healing process.
Lasik Eye Surgery Lifetime commitment
Qualified nearsighted patients may be eligible for the TLC Lifetime Commitment program*. The program provides a no-charge surgical re-treatment to qualified nearsighted patients who undergo surgery with TLC Laser Eye Centers and meet eligibility requirements.
*Call us today for complete membership guidelines. Contact your Affiliate Doctor to determine if you are a candidate for LASIK and the TLCLifetime Commitment.
LASIK Does Not End Your Need For Eye Care
Vision correction surgery does not eliminate the need for eye care. Regular eye health exams and assessments of your vision and vision needs will need to be conducted on a regular basis. Your optometrist, who follows you through your vision correction procedure, will be the best person to care for your eyes in the years to come.
Is The Least Expensive Always The Best?
You may have seen ads in the paper and heard the radio commercials about discount LASIK centers that claim to offer the "cheapest price." Ask yourself, "Is the cheapest always the best?" Is that how you selected your car or your computer? More to the point, is that how you select your other health care providers? Why would you be any less selective when it comes to your vision care? You should expect to pay a fair price for good quality care.
When you make the decision to proceed with LASIK surgery, the focus should be quality care, an experienced surgeon, and a reputable laser center for a fair price. Your optometrist is the one to help you make an informed decision. Always rely upon the eye doctor who knows you best!
