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Take Your Vision Beyond 20/20
Getting LASIK In Austin, TX
Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? Are you looking for a way to reduce your dependency on these visual aids? LASIK is a very popular refractive procedure that can provide visual freedom for those who qualify as a candidate. In fact, it’s the most popular elective medical procedure that patients choose to have!
Thousands of people undergo LASIK surgery each day. Its popularity continues to increase as new advancements are continuously made. As a procedure, LASIK is constantly evolving thanks to state-of-the-art technology and new techniques. These ensure that LASIK is a safe, comfortable, and effective procedure. LASIK has a very high success rate and few possible complications. Over 96% of patients who have had LASIK are happy with their results.
If you’re ready to reduce your reliance on glasses and contacts, LASIK may be an excellent option for you. At Westlake Eye Specialists, we are proud to offer this life-changing procedure to allow patients to experience greater visual freedom.
Why Should I Consider Having LASIK?
The number one reason that most patients consider having LASIK is to reduce their dependence on glasses or contact lenses. LASIK is a permanent procedure, meaning that you will be able to experience the results of LASIK for a lifetime.
Although LASIK can correct refractive errors like astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness, it will not improve vision affected by other eye conditions. If you have worn visual aids for most of your life, you will likely have a refractive error.
Aside from visual freedom, there are many other reasons that people decide to have LASIK. Sometimes, it is as simple as not liking how they look wearing glasses.
Some may wear contact lenses and experience frustrating dry eye symptoms. Whatever your reasons, they are valid if you want to achieve visual freedom!
LASIK can genuinely be life-changing and allow you to experience a whole new lifestyle. Take your first step towards a hassle-free vision, and contact Westlake Eye Specialists to learn more about our LASIK surgery services today!
Some may wear contact lenses and experience frustrating dry eye symptoms. Whatever your reasons, they are valid if you want to achieve visual freedom!
LASIK can genuinely be life-changing and allow you to experience a whole new lifestyle. Take your first step towards a hassle-free vision, and contact Westlake Eye Specialists to learn more about our LASIK surgery services today!
Meet Your Austin LASIK Surgeons
At Westlake Eye Specialists, we are more than just a LASIK clinic. With 20,000+ surgeries performed, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional care to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Zarmeena Vendal, MD
Dr. Vendal is a board-certified ophthalmologist and surgeon who is a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology and the owner of Westlake Eye Specialists.
Andrew Plummer, MD
Dr. Plummer is an eye physician and surgeon specializing in premium laser assisted cataract surgery. He is a diplomate of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
How is LASIK Eye Surgery Performed?
During LASIK surgery at Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin, your LASIK surgeon will create a flap on the surface of your cornea. The LASIK surgeons at Westlake Eye Specialists only perform bladeless LASIK, as it’s more precise and leads to better patient results.
The excimer laser creates the flap of tissue in the cornea that is needed to complete LASIK surgery. This laser is fast and effective.
The excimer laser is also computer-guided, leaving less room for the possibility of human error. After creating the corneal flap, your LASIK surgeon can then reshape the inner layers of your cornea.
Reshaping the cornea corrects your refractive error. For many people, the result of this means they will experience clear vision and visual freedom!
After reshaping the cornea, your LASIK surgeon will reposition the flap and leaves it to heal on its own without the need for stitches. Please refer to our LASIK eye surgery FAQ for more information and common questions asked by patients.
If you don’t qualify as a candidate for LASIK surgery, our eye surgeons offer a number of LASIK alternatives that can help you experience visual freedom.
What Technology is Used for LASIK?
At Westlake Eye Specialists, we aim to provide the most advanced state-of-the-art LASIK Technology. We strive to make LASIK surgery as safe and accurate as possible.
We aim to stay up-to-date with surgical skills and technology to accomplish this goal. At Westlake Eye Specialists, our LASIK surgeons have the skills and expertise necessary to provide a great experience and outcome.
Before you can schedule your LASIK procedure, you will need to undergo a series of preoperative tests to determine if this procedure would be a method for vision correction for you. The technology starts in this diagnostic process.
Preoperative Care
One of the most vital pieces of equipment LASIK surgeons use to consider whether or not you may be a good candidate for LASIK is the Pentacam.® This technology provides your LASIK surgeon with an overall view of the anterior segment of the eye in just a matter of seconds.
The anterior segment is a section of the eye that will be affected most during LASIK surgery. With the help of the Pentacam, your cornea will be analyzed for its thickness and curvature.
This will help your eye doctor determine your candidacy for LASIK.
Creating the LASIK Flap
LASIK is performed using a bladeless laser known as a femtosecond laser to create the flap. This method has proven to be safer than conventional LASIK, which uses a microkeratome with a blade in it.
This allows for greater precision in creating the flap and removing the required corneal tissue. The Johnson & Johnson Vision Intralase system is advanced technology with patient safety in mind.
Many eye doctors still debate if Intralase is better or safer than traditional LASIK, but the technology has become a standard over the years.
LASIK Eye Surgery Procedure
During the actual LASIK surgery, an excimer laser is used to remove the underlying corneal tissue. At Westlake Eye Specialists, LASIK surgeons use the VISX Star 4 ActiveTrak excimer laser system.
This laser can significantly reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses for people with varying degrees of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and even astigmatism.
LASIK has only been around and approved since the late 1990s. You might be surprised to know that the first excimer laser was produced in 1976 by IBM and was primarily used to create computer microchips.
The VISX Star 4 laser used by our practice is FDA-approved.
What is the Recovery Like After LASIK?
The recovery time after LASIK is relatively quick and easy. Most people are able to go back to work the next day!
Since your vision may need some time to adjust after your LASIK procedure, you will need to schedule a ride home from the LASIK procedure with a friend or a family member. Avoid doing too much on the first day.
Resting for a few hours is one of the best things you can do to get your recovery off to a good start! After LASIK, your eye doctor will prescribe eye drops to prevent inflammation and infection.
It’s essential to take these exactly as directed. It’s normal if your eyes feel gritty, sore, or irritated in the first few days after LASIK. They may also feel dry.
Dryness is the most common side effect after having LASIK. It’s often temporary and easy to manage using lubricating eye drops and artificial tears.
An essential component of your LASIK recovery is follow-up appointments with your eye doctor. You’ll need to see your eye doctor in the first 24-48 hours after the procedure.
This is to ensure your eyes have started to heal as they should. If there are any complications, they can catch them early on and treat them.
What Activities Should I Avoid After LASIK?
There are some activities that you should avoid as you recover from LASIK. For the first month, it's best to avoid the following:
- Swimming in any body of water
- Wearing any eye makeup
- Getting water in your eyes
- Playing contact sports
- Strenuous exercise
LASIK Could be for YOU!
If you’re tired of wearing glasses or contacts and want improved vision, LASIK surgery could be the answer you’ve been looking for!
Contact the eye doctors and ophthalmologists at Westlake Eye and schedule an appointment in Austin or Kyle, Texas or take the LASIK self-test today!
LASIK
Financing
At Westlake Eye Specialists, we understand the importance of providing accessible options for your best vision. While LASIK cost is determined by factors such as the level of vision correction you’ll need and how complex it will be to treat your eyes, we aim to make this life-changing procedure accessible to you through our financing options.
LASIK FAQs
A: An exact price cannot be determined without a laser vision consultation since LASIK is a customized procedure based on the unique vision correction needs of each patient. On average, LASIK costs $2,000 – $5,000 per eye in Austin, TX. LASIK procedures cost different amounts per person depending on geographical location, the experience of the surgeon, and the variations in surgical techniques required based on the patient’s eyes.
A: This is the first and most common question from those considering LASIK. Some people are not candidates for LASIK for a few reasons, such as the severity of their refractive error or existing eye conditions. To determine if you are a candidate, schedule a LASIK consultation at Westlake Eye Specialists. The doctor will ask you about your eye health and family history. They will also consider your refractive error and the condition of your cornea.
A: This depends on each person. LASIK surgery at Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin generally takes around 15 to 20 minutes, but expect to be at the surgery center for a few hours.
A: During the procedure, you will have been given an anesthetic and will not be able to feel the laser. After the procedure, you may feel some discomfort in the form of watery, itchy, or gritty eyes. This will subside.
A: LASIK is considered a permanent procedure. However, LASIK does not stop the aging of the eye.
LASIK cannot halt any vision changes related to other age-related eye conditions like cataracts and presbyopia.
A: While LASIK surgery at Westlake Eye in Austin is regarded as one of the safest surgical procedures today, it does come with some risks. Experienced LASIK surgeons experience a less than 1% complication rate.
Some risks include:
Decreased night vision
Under or over-treatment
Severe dry eye syndrome
Outcomes may not be as good in patients with severe refractive error
Some far-sighted patients may see diminished results with age
A: PRK today is also known as Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA). Both ASA and LASIK use the same excimer laser to reshape the cornea to help reduce your dependency on glasses for distance vision.
Most patients will have the same visual outcomes for either procedure. The difference between the two is what takes place before the reshaping, and the healing that is required afterward.
During LASIK surgery, your LASIK surgeon will first create a thin flap on the surface of the cornea, which is then lifted out of the way before the excimer laser reshapes the inner layers. The flap is then repositioned.
The flap can be created using a specialized blade or with a separate type of laser. At Westlake Eye Specialists, our LASIK surgeons use All-Laser LASIK and never use a blade.
This reduces the remote but real risk of complications that can occur when using the blade. With LASIK, on the day of surgery, vision may be blurry at first but rapidly improves in the following hours to days.
There also may be some discomfort on the first day, which generally resolves by the next morning. ASA surgery requires no flap creation.
So, ASA avoids any issues with the creation or healing of a flap. Instead, surface cells are moistened and then wiped away, allowing the excimer laser to reshape the inner layers of the cornea beneath the surface layers.
The surface cells are then allowed to heal naturally over the following days and weeks. You may experience discomfort in the form of burning, tearing, or an itching sensation during the healing process, which may be prolonged to 3-4 days following the surgery.
Subsequently, vision heals in more gradually until surface cells organize back into their original position. Both vision correction procedures can be excellent choices for most patients.
A: A comprehensive eye examination will be done at Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin or Kyle, TX, before the LASIK procedure to ensure that you are a good candidate. One of our Austin, TX, LASIK surgeons will explain what you need to do to prepare.
If you are wearing contacts, you must remove them before your preoperative evaluation. Remove hard or gas-permeable lenses 3-6 weeks in advance and soft lenses 7 days in advance.
Are you ready to determine if you are a candidate for LASIK? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin, TX, today!
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