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LASIK Eye Surgery

What is LASIK?

Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you could wake up and see the world clearly around you? Do you wear glasses or contacts but are frustrated that they get in your way?

There is something better and it's called LASIK! If you qualify for it, LASIK is a life-changing procedure that allows you to finally achieve the visual freedom you've always dreamed of!

LASIK is the most popular kind of laser refractive surgery. Refractive surgeries improve vision issues (known as refractive errors) and blurry vision.

During LASIK surgery, a surgeon uses a laser to reshape the cornea. The cornea is the front part of your eye.

LASIK can correct refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and even astigmatism. Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is an irregular shape. The cornea is supposed to be shaped like a basketball, making it a uniformly round shape. But with astigmatism, it’s closer to a football and not as round as it should be.

This causes blurry and distorted vision. Patients who undergo LASIK usually no longer need to wear glasses or contacts anymore after the procedure, even for people with astigmatism. LASIK is a permanent procedure because it fixes your refractive errors for good!

What is All Laser Soft Touch Comfort Micro-LASIK®?

Dr. Lin’s All Laser Soft Touch Comfort Micro-LASIK® technique has been featured in numerous publications, both nationally and internationally, and practiced by ophthalmologists all over the world. As the pioneer of All Laser Soft Touch Comfort Micro-LASIK®, Dr. Lin is one of the most experienced surgeons in successfully utilizing ultra-thin cornea flaps to correct your vision.

AJ Rafael

AJ Rafael

Musician

My eyes are looking good. I just want to thank IQ Laser Vision , Dr Lin, all the staff here, for just being so amazing to me. And they have just made it such a comfortable experience. I'm really happy that I got to do this. It's still so weird that I can see clearly without contacts or glasses and I have these guys to thank!

Jason Chen

Jason Chen

Musician

In short, I don't like things on my eye or around my eye. I like to play sports, I like to play basketball and I like to record songs. When I record, the headphones push on my face while making the process uncomfortable and hard to see. LASIK has been a great convenience to my life. Thank you Dr. Lin and IQ Laser Vision!

More Testimonials

Who is a good candidate for LASIK?

You might be a good candidate for LASIK at IQ Laser Vision if:

If you have other problems with your vision, having LASIK might not be right for you. If you have serious health issues, these might make LASIK unsafe for you, leading to complications.

Another part of the LASIK candidacy process is considering what kind of lifestyle you live. If you play contact sports like rugby or are at risk of an eye injury, schedule a consultation to find out if you would even be a good LASIK candidate first.

Before you receive LASIK surgery, your eye doctor or surgeon at IQ Laser Vision will examine your eyes during a LASIK consultation. This is the only way to know for sure if you're a good candidate for LASIK.

Having this consultation allows them to learn more about your cornea. You’ll also need to stop wearing contacts before your surgery.

Contacts can slightly alter the shape of your cornea. It's worth it to wear glasses before LASIK knowing you'll be achieving permanent visual freedom shortly!

  • Before LASIK starts, you'll receive numbing eye drops. These eye drops ensure you never feel any pain during the procedure.
  • During LASIK, your surgeon will use a laser to remove precise amounts of tissue from your cornea. This process reshapes your cornea so you’ll be able to see clearly.
  • Surgeons typically make a small flap in the cornea. This flap heals itself as you recover from LASIK.
  • At IQ Laser Vision , we use a technique pioneered by Dr. Robert Lin. This technique is called ALL Laser SOFT COMFORT TOUCH Micro-LASIK®. This technique creates a very thin corneal flap to preserve more corneal tissue.
  • The full LASIK procedure takes 10-15 minutes to complete for both eyes. There are no stitches or bandages used since the flap heals on its own during your recovery from LASIK.

Determining if you are a candidate for All Laser Soft Touch Comfort Micro-LASIK® starts with your personalized consultation. The consultation is completely free with no obligations. This enables us to perform a few optometry exams to understand your current vision issues. Once that is determined your vision correction options can be presented and discussed with you.

At IQLaser Vision, we understand vision is very important and our number one goal is to provide high-quality care and service so that you can see 20/20 without the need for glasses or contacts!

What is the recovery process like after having LASIK?

After LASIK is over, your eyes may burn or sting, or even feel more sensitive to light. This is all normal and will usually go away after a few days. Because your eyes may still be numb, you won’t be allowed to drive yourself home. Make sure you have someone that can drive you home. The best thing you can do on the first day of your LASIK recovery is rest.

Taking a nap, even if it's only two or three hours, can make a world of difference and make you feel better! Follow-up appointments with your eye doctor at IQ Laser Vision are a crucial part of the recovery process after LASIK.

You'll need to see your eye doctor in the first 24-48 hours after your procedure. This is to ensure your eyes are starting to heal as they should.

You'll need to continue attending follow-up appointments in the months throughout your LASIK recovery. Your vision might be blurry at first, but by the next day, it should be much clearer.

For a few days or a few weeks, you might experience side effects like dry eyes or seeing halos around bright lights. This should get better as your vision gets clearer and you continue healing.

The first week after LASIK, don’t do these things:

  • Wear any makeup around your eyes
  • Get any water in your eyes
  • Sleeping without your eye shields on
  • Rubbing your eyes

Do not go swimming in any water for the first two weeks after you have LASIK.

This may seem difficult living in California and having the ocean right there, but if you want to enjoy your vision, follow all instructions given by your eye doctor! If you have other questions about what to expect during your LASIK recovery, make sure to talk to your eye doctor.

Questions About LASIK

  • After having LASIK eye surgery at IQ Laser Vision , you will have beautiful, clear vision! It may take a few weeks before your vision hits its peak and is as clear as it will be.
  • For most people, this means you will not need glasses or contacts to see. You’ll be able to wake up in the morning and see everything around you. This is something that you’ll be able to enjoy for the rest of your life!
  • Most patients that have LASIK are very happy with their results, with no cases of blindness report in the US, and at IQ Laser Vision, we’re proud to have an over 99% satisfaction rate with our LASIK patients.
  • As you get older, you may notice your vision is not as clear as it used to be after LASIK because of cataracts, glaucoma, or presbyopia. LASIK cannot treat future eye conditions, so you will still develop these later in life. The good news is that we also offer procedures to treat cataracts and presbyopia, so you’ll be able to regain your clear vision achieved during LASIK!
  • The cost of LASIK depends. As LASIK is an elective procedure, it’s not something that most insurance companies will cover. For many people considering LASIK, they often wonder if they can afford it. The best way to find out if you can afford LASIK is to use our Cost Calculator!
  • With the Cost Calculator, you can determine how much you’re spending on glasses and contacts and how much LASIK will cost you. For many people, getting LASIK makes more sense because you no longer have to pay for glasses and contact lenses every year. Instead, you can actually save money in the long-run when you get LASIK.
  • Many people pay for LASIK using financing and a monthly payment plan. IQ Laser Vision offers these to our patients, with some as affordable as only $5 a day. If you can afford your Starbucks coffee every morning, you can make your dreams of clear vision a reality!

LASIK Cost Calculator LASIK Price Request

  • Although LASIK is an amazing procedure, it isn't right for everyone. If you find you aren't a good candidate for LASIK, you may qualify for another procedure like PRK, SMILE, or EVO ICL instead!
  • Talk to your eye doctor to find out what they may recommend for vision correction instead. These procedures produce vision that’s virtually identical to the results of LASIK, allowing you to finally see the world without glasses and contacts as you’ve never been able to before!
  • Ready to find out more about LASIK? Schedule your free LASIK consultation at IQ Laser Vision in Irvine, CA today!

FAQs About LASIK

Is LASIK surgery a good fit for me?

You may be a good candidate for LASIK at Los Angeles and other convenient locations at IQ Laser Vision if:

  • You're at least 18 years of age
  • Your eyes are generally healthy
  • Your prescription has not increased more than 0.5 diopter in the last 12 months

It's also important to make sure that your overall health is good. Speak with you eye doctor at IQ Laser Vision about whether LASIK is right for you.

What happens during a LASIK consultation?

During a LASIK consultation, your ophthalmologist at IQ Laser Vision in San Marino and other convenient locations will ask questions about your eyes and health. They will also extensively examine your eyes.

You will be able to ask any questions you might have about the LASIK experience and how the procedure works.

Will I have 20/20 vision after LASIK

We can’t guarantee that you’ll have 20/20 vision after LASIK but most patients do end up with 20/20 vision or better after their procedure! What you can look forward to is being able to complete everyday tasks like reading a book, watching a movie, or putting on makeup without needing to worry about wearing glasses or contacts to see. That is life-changing!

What are the risks of LASIK surgery?

As an FDA approved procedure, LASIK is incredibly safe! It’s only continued evolving since its FDA approval, becoming more precise, faster, and performed with increasingly state-of-the-art technology. There has never been a better time to get LASIK than right now. Like any surgical procedure, there are risks that could occur but it’s very rare, and almost always improved.

The best way to avoid these risks is to make sure you follow all instructions from your LASIK surgeon at IQ Laser Vision both before and after your procedure. A healthy and safe recovery will ensure that you’ll have vision you’ll love for the rest of your life!

Keep in mind that you will only be able to undergo LASIK if you are a good candidate for the procedure. If LASIK would be unsafe for you, your eye doctor will recommend other procedures or just glasses. At IQ Laser Vision, we recommend no procedure in >10% of consultations.

How long does a LASIK procedure last?

The laser does its job in 20-50 seconds per eye. The procedure only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish for both eyes.

Expect to be at the offices of IQ Laser Vision for around two hours. This leaves enough time for preparation before your procedure, having numbing eye drops administered, and time to rest after the procedure.

Once you’re cleared, your surgeon will let you go home to begin the LASIK recovery process. You must have someone that can drive you home after LASIK because you cannot drive yourself home.

Is laser surgery painful?

You won’t feel any pain during the procedure. Your surgeon will give you medicated eye drops so you don’t feel any pain.

The only thing you might feel is a slight pressure. By the time you get home after the procedure, your eyes might be stinging.

Taking a 4-6-hour nap when you get home will help you be more comfortable as your eyes recover.

Can both eyes be treated at the same time?

Yes. When you have LASIK at IQ Laser Vision , many patients have LASIK performed on both eyes on the same day. This is the most common way that LASIK is usually performed on patients. Dr. Lin, the founder of IQ Laser Vision, had LASIK on both eyes at the same time over 25 years ago.

After I have laser eye surgery, will my vision change later in life?

As our body’s age, usually after 40 years old, we experience a decline in the quality of our vision, typically up close (reading) vision is affected. This age-related problem is called Presbyopia, which is due to a weakening of the lens within the eye. Click here for more information on Presbyopia and vision correction options. By age 60 many individuals may experience Cataracts, a condition in which clouding of the natural lens inside of the eye affects our overall vision. Individuals affected by Cataracts require a special lens procedure to correct their vision. Those affected by cataracts typically experience vision issues like decreased visual clarity, cloudy vision or find it difficult to drive at night. Click here, for more information on Cataracts and correction options.

Your vision will change later in life regardless of whether you have had laser eye surgery or not. The goal of laser eye surgery is to provide clear vision and eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses for your current vision impairment. Laser eye surgery is very effective in providing clear vision by permanently correcting myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. After your laser eye surgery, it can take about 3 to 6 months for your eyes to heal and completely adjust to your new vision. Included with all laser eye surgery is our 1-year Commitment Promise, which includes 1 year of follow-up appointments to monitor your vision during your healing process and to ensure your vision stabilizes at its best corrected visual acuity. For nearsighted correction with LASIK, SMILE, and PRK you may qualify for our Life-time Commitment Program. Also included is an enhancement procedure, if necessary. We find that our statistics at IQ Laser Vision , less than 1% of laser eye surgery patients require more than one procedure to achieve their best corrected visual acuity.

What will I see during the procedure?

During the procedure, we will ask you to focus on a blurry, blinking red light. Immediately after the procedure the red light should become much clearer, and you should notice an improvement in your vision.

I am very concerned about being able to remain still during the procedure?

This is a common fear many patients have and we are very aware of this. At IQ Laser Vision , we use the latest vision correction technology to reduce the actual laser treatment time required and therefore minimizing the time you need to remain still. Focusing on the laser light is also important and Dr. Lin will talk you through the entire process. Many patients only require a few seconds of treatment. If for any reason there is eye movement, our lasers are equipped with laser eye trackers that follow your eye during the procedure to deliver the treatment accurately. They are also designed to stop instantly if necessary. To minimize blinking, your eye will be numbed by an aesthetic drop and a small device called a speculum is gently placed to hold your eye lids open. We welcome you to come observe an actual procedure at our viewing room to ease any additional fears you may have and to also witness how simple and quick the actual process is.

What is the recovery process like after having LASIK?

You'll most likely be able to go back to your normal activities the day after the procedure. However, just getting new glasses, it takes about 6 months to fully adjust to your new vision. You'll need to avoid any strenuous physical activity for 2 weeks after surgery.

Will I still need to wear glasses even after having LASIK?

Most likely not. For most patients, LASIK improves their vision, allowing them to no longer need to wear glasses or contacts.

You won’t need to wear glasses most of the time. But in some situations, especially if you are over 90 years old because of presbyopia (lens hardening due to age resulting in reading problems), you may still need glasses to see with maximum clarity.

What is the difference in creating a flap with a traditional microkeratome versus a laser?

At IQ Laser Vision , we offer Custom Micro-LASIK®, this flap technique is now created with an all laser method using the Visumax or Ziermer Femtosecond LASER by creating a flap as thin as 80 microns.

Are there any long-term side effects of LASIK?

Over 30 million LASIK procedures have been performed worldwide, including our surgeon Dr. Lin, have had laser eye surgery since it was introduced decades ago. Long-term side effects are very rare, but understanding the risks of laser eye surgery is important. As mentioned above, there are a few common side effects associated with laser eye surgery but are typically short-term, including dry eyes and halos/glare. In extremely rare cases where the stromal bed is below 250 microns (0.25mm), the cornea can become unstable and require other procedures to strengthen and reshape it. At IQ Laser Vision , we measure the corneal thickness during the surgery to ensure that we maintain at least 270 microns in the stromal bed. With the Custom Micro-LASIK® thin flap technique we usually have more than 350 microns in the stromal bed for greater stability and decreased potential for any long-term side effects.

I have high astigmatism. Can it be treated?

Yes, with our Custom Micro-LASIK® technology we are able to treat up to -6.00 diopters of astigmatism.

How much does LASIK cost?

The exact cost of LASIK surgery varies depending on factors such as:

  • Where you live
  • What condition your eyes are in
  • Where you’re having the procedure done
  • How strong your prescription is

LASIK Cost Calculator LASIK Price Request

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