What You Can Expect Prior to Surgery

Your initial consultation will be with a LASIK technician who will prescreen you to see if you are a candidate for laser correction surgery. If you meet the qualifications, you’ll set an appointment to meet your LASIK surgeon for a comprehensive eye examination and evaluation focused on your eyes and you specific situation.

At this consultation, your LASIK team will use the wavefront analyzer to capture a three- dimensional map of each eye. Light is sent into the eye and reflected off the retina, through the pupil, and back into the analyzer, which arranges the light to recreate the unique shape of that eye, showing all aberrations. This information is electronically transferred to the laser, enabling your surgeon on the day of surgery to customize your LASIK treatment to your unique visual requirements. It is the ultimate starting point for laser vision correction. At this consultation your surgeon will advise you how to prepare for your upcoming surgery:

Care Prior to Surgery

  • Take fish oil supplements to decrease dry eye symptoms
  • Insert artificial tears (liquid drops) four times per day

What You Can Expect During LASIK Eye Surgery

You’ll be asked to arrive 45 minutes prior to surgery to sign various forms, including your operative consent form. You’ll also receive post-operative instructions and meet again with your surgeon to answer any questions. Because you cannot drive after surgery, please make arrangements to have someone take care of your transportation.

Surgical Care

  • You will take a Valium to relax and settle back into a near- horizontal position in your surgical chair
  • A special pillow keeps your head comfortable and still
  • Anesthetic drops are applied to numb your eyes; additional drops are used throughout the procedure
  • Your surgeon will place a special ring that gently applies pressure to flatten your cornea and hold the eye still
  • This pressure, or suction, may be uncomfortable and darken your vision; this is normal, but is only temporary
  • A lid speculum is placed into the eye to prevent blinking
  • Anesthetic drops are again applied and the iFS laser creates a flap on the surface of your eye
  • Once the flap is created, the suction is turned off and the ring removed
  • Your surgeon folds back the flap and prepares to apply the excimer laser
  • Your surgeon then sets the 3D eye tracker using the iris registration to stay on course throughout surgery
  • Using the wavefront customized analysis of your eye, cool laser light is applied to the inner corneal layer to precisely reshape the eye’s imperfections.
  • Your surgeon aligns and closes the flap, allowing the healing process to begin

What You Can Expect After Surgery

Recovery time is typically one or two days, but every person is unique and your healing experience will depend on the underlying health of your eye and the ease of your surgery. That’s why it is imperative to plan regularly scheduled visits for your surgeon and technician to monitor your progress. Blurry or foggy vision is typical immediately after surgery. Your eyes may feel somewhat sore and gritty, also normal. These symptoms will improve and irritation will subside within a few days. Your eyes may also be slightly swollen and you may see red spots (superficial blood) on the whites of your eyes, but these symptoms will also disappear within weeks after surgery.

Care Immediately Following Surgery

  • Do not rub your eyes or squeeze your eyelids
  • Expect drowsiness for several hours after surgery due to the Valium
  • As soon as possible after surgery, get some sleep — and be sure to wear your protective eye shield
  • When you awake, take the prescribed medication and eye drops; note, these may sting
  • Wash your hands prior to using drops and do not touch the dropper to your eye
  • Meet your surgeon for your first post-op visit the day after surgery
  • If you have severe pain, severe loss of vision, or a discharge other than tearing — call our office anytime, 24/7

Ongoing Care Following Surgery

  • At your first post op-visit, your surgeon will validate whether your vision is acceptable for driving
  • You’ll also want to change your driver’s license to remove your vision restriction
  • Wear the protective eye shields at bedtime or while napping for one week after surgery
  • Do not swim or use a hot tub, sauna, or any place with treated water for two weeks after surgery
  • Resume normal exercise, but for contact sports wear eye protection for three months after surgery
  • Do not wear eye makeup for two weeks after surgery
  • Purchase new makeup and brushes to avoid spreading bacteria from used products
  • Continue taking fish oil supplements and artificial tears
  • Continue taking eye drops per your surgeon’s instructions

Lifetime Commitment

Our team of eye experts at Edina Eye understands LASIK surgery is a commitment and a procedure that will change your life. As the premier LASIK surgeons in the region we assure you your eyes are in gifted hands. We cherish your commitment to Edina Eye and in return we want to offer you a lifetime commitment.

The benefit of this program is assurance that if any further laser vision correction enhancement is medically advisable, eligible and participating patients will receive a lifetime of no-charge enhancements.

Eligibility

  • Your initial laser eye treatment was performed by an Edina Eye physician on or after May 1, 2013
  • You complete one routine eye exam per calendar year at Edina Eye (Please note these annual routine eye exams are your responsibility to schedule and fees incurred at these visits are your responsibility)
  • Your enhancement is medically advised by an Edina Eye physician
  • You have signed an Edina Eye Lifetime Commitment acknowledgement form stating you understand the conditions of this program

Exclusions

You are not eligible for the lifetime commitment due to, but not limited to, the following:

  • Patients who do not complete their annual routine eye exams at Edina Eye
  • Patients whose original laser vision correction was not completed at Edina Eye
  • Patients whose loss of vision is a result of an accident involving trauma
  • Patients whose vision is reduced due to irregular astigmatism
  • Patients whose cornea is too thin
  • Patients who had RK, ALK, or other refractive procedures prior to having laser vision correction
  • Patients diagnosed with an ocular disease such as, but not limited to, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal tear or detachment, ectasia or macular degeneration
  • Patients seeking an enhancement as a result of developing or progression of presbyopia
  • Patients with diseases such as, but not limited to, diabetes, active autoimmune and collagen vascular disorders in the event that you choose not to participate in or do not qualify for the Lifetime Commitment program, you, as an Edina Eye patient, will still be eligible for our standard enhancement policy

Standard Enhancement Policy

At Edina Eye, every laser vision correction surgery patient qualifies for our standard enhancement policy: free post-operative visits and medically advised enhancements for the first year after their initial laser procedure. On occasion, non-laser related treatment may be needed in the first years’ time, which may result in billable charges. After the first year has lapsed, an enhancement typically equates to 50% of a full laser fee. Please note that this fee is subject to change with technology advancement.

Acknowledgement of Receipt and Review of the LASIK Lifetime Commitment

Please note you will be required to sign a separate Lifetime Commitment Agreement acknowledging you have received a copy of Edina Eye’s Lifetime Commitment Membership Guidelines, including your eligibility and the eligibility exclusions. Signing the Lifetime Commitment Agreement Acknowledgment form indicates you have received, read, and agree to the Lifetime Commitment guidelines. For monovision patients, your signature acknowledges you understand if you elect to have a monovision eye corrected for distance or the distance eye changed to monovision, a charge will be applied.

*Terms & Conditions of the Edina Eye Lifetime Commitment are subject to change with or without notification. Effective as of May 1, 2013.