LASIK and PRK Refractory Surgery

Our doctors offer LASIK and PRK correction of myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness), and astigmatism. Please call our office at 480-994-1872 to schedule a free screening exam to see if you qualify for the surgery.

In contrast to some places that perform refractive laser surgery, in our office you will spend extensive time with your board-certified surgeon before, during, and after surgery. He will perform all the pertinent pre-op measurements himself as well as perform the actual surgical procedure and post-op care. Pre-op testing and post-op care for one year is included in the price.

We offer the latest WaveFront technology, which has been shown to be more accurate. This technique scans the eye preoperatively for the proper correction and programs the laser for a custom treatment for your eye.

We use a VISX Star4 laser VISX technology, which is located in a satellite office near the corner of Raintree and 101 Freeway. To our knowledge, this is the most up-to-date type of laser and with the longest track record available. It has a built-in "tracker" that corrects for any eye movement during the laser procedure and "iris-registration" which corrects for any rotation of the eye during treatment.

The LASIK flap is made using the Intralase laser. PRK is refractive surgery that does not require a flap. It is offered to patients who cannot undergo LASIK because of thin or excessively steep or flat corneas.

We suggest that you be at least 20 years of age, but LASIK and PRK can often be performed on people even into their 70's and 80's and those who have had previous cataract surgery. If you are over 40 years of age and are nearsighted, it is important for you to realize that your close reading vision after refractive surgery may be more blurred than before unless you use reading glasses.

A stable eyeglass prescription is very important before surgery. If you are a contact lens wearer, the doctor may require that you stop wearing them for a period of time before the actual surgery in order to let your corneas stabilize.

Our surgeons use pre-op Orbscan corneal topography and pachymetry on every patient (included in the cost of the surgery) in order to assess the health of the patient's cornea. This quick and painless test provides information regarding the suitability of the patient's cornea that is not available from other tests. Many refractive surgeons do not perform this test pre-operatively.

National statistics show that up to 15% of patients require enhancement of the procedure (a second treatment) in order to achieve their best vision without glasses. Although we have experienced a lower rate, enhancements are at no surgeon fee for up to one year from surgery (the surgery center charges a nominal fee).

In the last few years, LASIK and PRK have become safer with very predictable results. Many earlier problems with refractive surgery resulted from inadequate pre-op testing, use of older devices to make the flap, or older lasers. Our surgeons feel so comfortable with this procedure that they have had the procedure performed on two of their close family members.

Call 480-994-1872 to schedule your free LASIK or PRK screening exam or to ask one of our staff for additional information. You are also welcome to visit the VISX web site for more information about the actual laser.