Gailey Eye Clinic

Who is a good candidate for LASIK?
You would need to be over the age of 18 so that your eyes have finished developing. There should be no prescription changes for at least a year, so that your vision is stable. You would need to have good general health with no conditions that could interfere with healing. Your corneas (front clear covering) would need to be of a minimum thickness. That is because LASIK works by removing tiny pieces of corneal tissue to reshape the cornea and for your safety there must be enough thickness left after treatment.

Beyond these requirements, there is a gray area where your LASIK surgeon can make a judgment call. For example:

• If you are diabetic, you could be a candidate if you have it under good control
• If you are severely myopic, you might be able to have LASIK or ASA might be a better choice
• If you have presbyopia, an age-related progressive deterioration of near vision, you might be able to have LASIK monovision

Only your LASIK doctor can determine your candidacy after a thorough eye exam, study of your medical history, and various vision tests.

What is Custom LASIK?
Custom LASIK is LASIK done after a Wavefront diagnosis. The early LASIK procedures were based on the same diagnosis as glasses and contact lenses are, and provided only the same degree of correction they provide. With Wavefront technology delivering a far more precise diagnosis of each eye's vision defects, Custom LASIK can give a far more precise treatment. You will then have improved night vision as well as greater acuity of vision.

Does LASIK hurt?
No. We will give you numbing eyedrops before any treatment is begun. Also, our Allegretto excimer laser is programmed to work only on your designated treatment area and only to the depth your treatment plan calls for. The laser does not touch any other tissue. The procedure takes only a few minutes and afterwards we will have you relax in our office for a while, closing your eyes, until your eye doctor determines that it is safe for you to go home.

You will need a ride home and will probably feel like sleeping the rest of the day. When the local anesthetic wears off, you may feel some grittiness and dryness but we will give you moisturizing eyedrops to soothe that and you can use them as often as needed. You will notice vision improvement immediately and by the following day you can return to work.

Will my LASIK results be permanent?
Yes. Having LASIK is like having glasses or contacts built in to your eyes. However, as we age, presbyopia creeps up, giving blurry near vision. When that happens, we will talk with you about ways of correcting it. It happens to everyone after the age of about 40.

If you would like to schedule a personal consultation, please contact our eye care office today. We serve Peoria and Bloomington in Illinois.