LASIK Eye Surgery

Q: What Are the Risks of LASIK?

LASIK complication rates are extremely low – but complications do happen. Complications of LASIK surgery include dislodged corneal flaps, infections, keratoconus, and irregular astigmatism. Most complications can be prevented with proper aftercare.

LASIK Eye Surgery in Jacksonville

Ever wonder what it would be like to wake up in the morning with clear, crisp vision (no glasses necessary)? That is how millions of people wake up after LASIK surgery, and you may be able to as well. Here at Bowden Eye & Associates, we are dedicated to providing the best LASIK services in the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, St. Johns and surrounding areas.

With 3 offices, we are able to offer LASIK to the residents throughout the entire Jacksonville, St. Augustine and St. Johns areas. This procedure can help you reach the clear vision you have always wanted. With our team of LASIK surgeons and state of the art facilities, we are the best choice for your LASIK procedure.

What is LASIK?

LASIK surgery (which stands for laser-assisted in situ Keratomileusis) is a vision correction procedure.

LASIK surgery permanently corrects common refractive errors like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.

The goal of LASIK surgery is to correct vision by reshaping the cornea. When you have a refractive error, it means the cornea is misshapen. This makes it difficult for your cornea to focus light onto the retina properly, resulting in blurry vision.

What Occurs During a LASIK Consultation?

If LASIK vision correction is something that you have been considering we encourage you to schedule a no-obligation consultation at one of our Jacksonville, St. Augustine and St. Johns locations. During this consultation, we will explain the entire LASIK procedure, discuss potential risks and benefits, and discuss financing options. Our LASIK surgeons are qualified to help guide you in the right direction so that you can achieve your personal best vision.

Why Should I Get LASIK at Bowden Eye & Associates?

Bowden Eye & Associates is a comprehensive vision correction practice very different from a LASIK only type of practice. If there is a different refractive surgery procedure that will work better for your individual needs we will make a different recommendation.

Dr. Sarah Darbandi and Dr. Frank Bowden are not only Certified Ophthalmologists and LASIK surgeons with excellent experience and solid outcomes with refractive surgery, they are also Corneal Specialists which is the area of the eye LASIK surgery is performed. Choosing a high-quality eye surgeon at a high-quality practice is the value we bring to our patients.

We never want a patient to be turned away over a pricing problem and will work very hard to help in any way possible. We offer a variety of payment financing solutions that we will discuss in detail at your in-person consultation.

“The procedure (LASIK) was quick. Everyone communicated with me and each other which made me feel very comfortable. My vision has improved tremendously, recovery was a breeze and they made sure I was taken care of.”
–Whitney, Jacksonville, Florida

What is LASIK Eye Surgery like?

There are three main steps to LASIK surgery. The first step is to create a detailed map of the surface of the cornea. This step is what makes our LASIK procedures “custom”. Your LASIK surgeon will use this corneal map to see exactly which part of your cornea needs reshaping.

The second step is to create a corneal “flap” on the surface of the eye. At Bowden Eye & Associates, we use the “bladeless” LASIK method. To do this, your surgeon will use a femtosecond laser. This laser will create a thin, circular hinge in the middle of the cornea. The corneal flap is then gently pulled to the side to expose the inner layers of the cornea for treatment.

The third and last step involves reshaping the cornea. To achieve this, your surgeon will use a specialized laser called an excimer laser. This laser will be programmed with your corneal topography in mind. The excimer laser will then remove microscopic amounts of corneal tissue to even out the surface. Once this step is finished, so is the surgery!

Frequently Asked Questions About LASIK

LASIK is not painful – your eyes will be numbed before treatment. You may feel some discomfort when being treated with the excimer laser, but only in the form of pressure on the eye. You should not feel any pain. During LASIK recovery, you may experience dryness and irritation, but nothing more than mild discomfort.

Depending on the person, the LASIK procedure itself takes about 10 minutes per eye. The entire process from start to finish will take around an hour (including prep time).

Generally, refractive surgery is not covered by insurance. The price of LASIK greatly depends on the provider and the methods. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $4,000 per eye.

Typically, a good LASIK candidate is over the age of 18, is of good overall health, and is free of any eye diseases or conditions. Whether or not you are a candidate for LASIK can’t be determined until you attend a LASIK consultation. During the consultation, your doctor will get your medical history, examine your eyes, and measure your visual acuity. If you clear the tests, you can schedule your surgery!

LASIK surgery is still surgery, and therefore still comes with some risks. LASIK complication rates (especially for custom LASIK) are extremely low – but complications do happen. Complications of LASIK surgery include dislodged corneal flaps, infections, keratoconus, and irregular astigmatism. Most complications can be prevented with proper aftercare. LASIK surgeons are choosy about who they operate on specifically to avoid these complications.

Your post-LASIK vision will greatly depend on what your vision was like, to begin with. The vast majority of LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. For those with severe refractive errors, this may not be possible. Vision can be greatly improved with LASIK, but there is no guarantee that you will have 20/20 vision after surgery.

Traditional LASIK uses a blade to create the corneal flap and does not rely as heavily on custom corneal topography. This type of LASIK is becoming less common as custom bladeless LASIK takes hold. This method ditches the old blade method for a more precise, less complicated procedure.

LASIK recovery is surprisingly easy. Many people are able to go back to work the very next day, although we recommend having surgery on a Friday and take the weekend to rest.

You will use some prescription drops for around a week, and you will be asked to refrain from activities like sports and swimming during recovery. Don’t wear makeup for a week after surgery, and be sure to wear sunglasses outside.