Vision Correction Procedures
It is now possible to treat a lifetime of blurred vision in a matter of seconds!

Surgical procedures aimed at improving the focusing power of the eye are called refractive surgery. Traditionally, the use of corrective lenses has been the standard for the treatment of refractive disorders such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. In the past three decades incredible advancements have been made and today most people can eliminate or greatly reduce their dependency on glasses or contacts by having a refractive surgery.

LASIK surgery has been proven to be safe and effective and offers new hope to many individuals, but there is still the possibility of risks and side effects. When considering any medical procedure, we believe that patient education is an essential ingredient for success. For this once in a lifetime decision you should choose your surgeon carefully. The LASIK procedure requires a great deal of surgical and technical skill to perform properly, so your surgeon’s experience and training are critical. You should also be sure that you are an ideal candidate. If for some reason you are not a great candidate, you may be in the future. New technology and techniques are being developed rapidly. In some cases however, LASIK may never be an option. Intraocular lens implants are sometimes an alternative. Dr. Rashid believes in safety first and he carefully examines every person’s eyes before surgery himself to ensure accurate and consistent measurements and to determine whether you are a good candidate today and for the long term.

LASIK (Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis)
After the eye is anesthetized with drops a thin layer or “flap” of corneal tissue is created which is carefully folded back out of the way. A cool beam of excimer laser light precisely and gently reshapes the inner layers of corneal tissue. The flap is replaced and adheres to the cornea in minutes.

IntraLasik or Intralase LASIK
This term refers to the LASIK “flap” being created with a computer controlled femtosecond laser, the Intralase ™ rather than the traditional hand held bladed device called a microkeratome. The Intralase method provides a safer and more accurate way to perform the LASIK surgery and can produce better visual results by avoiding some of the complications associated with the standard bladed method. Dr. Rashid always uses Intralase when performing LASIK. (See Intralase.)

PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)
PRK is when the excimer laser is used on the outer surface and top layers of the cornea to reshape and correct the curvature. This is the same laser treatment as in the LASIK procedure, but with PRK, making a “flap’ is not necessary. Dr. Rashid does not use a bladed device in either procedure. PRK has been performed over 15 years. The outer surface layer of the cornea needs to heal over a few days. Although the healing time is longer with PRK, the benefits are that it is sometimes safer to have PRK than LASIK and it can be a little more accurate and stable than LASIK for some cases. Dr. Rashid will be able to recommend the best procedure for you when he examines your eyes.

Introcular Lens Implants (I.O.L.s)
Refers to the many different artificial lenses that can be implanted into the eye to correct vision. These include the psuedophakic lenses that replace the natural lens or the phakic lenses that are inserted in the eye with out removal of the natural lens. There are different types of I.O.L.s and some of the newly F.D.A. approved lenses are multifocal. These lenses are usually recommended for patients that are not good candidates for a less invasive laser procedure. High myopia and hyperopia can usually be corrected but not all astigmatism. Dr. Rashid will recommend a lens implant surgery if it is an appropriate alternative for you.

Refractive errors
Occur when the light entering the eye is not properly focused on the retina.

Nearsightedness (myopia):
Distant images appear blurry when the cornea is too steeply shaped or the eye is too long causing light to be focused in front of the retina.

Farsightedness (hyperopia):
Close images appear blurry and sometimes far images as well, when the cornea is too flat or the eye is too short. This causes light to be focused behind the retina.

Astigmatism:
When the cornea shape is oval or not cylindrical, the light focuses on the retina on more than one point causing vision to be doubled or out of focus.

Are you a good Candidate?
Your candidacy for refractive surgery should ultimately be determined by a thorough medical eye examination given by a qualified Ophthalmologist. Dr. Rashid places great importance on the preoperative evaluation, which is why he will personally go over the details of your eye exam, your medical history and medications. You must be 18 years or older to consider having this done. (See Eligibility)

Realistic expectations:
You should also be well informed as to the risks and benefits of the procedure and have realistic expectations for the possible variable outcome of your procedure. LASIK does not always produce perfect vision. Everyone’s eyes are different, general eye health, age and health of the patient, level of prescription, laser technology used and the skills of the surgeon are some of the most important factors. Also LASIK does not correct presbyopia, the loss of focusing power that occurs after the age of 40.

Why do most people over 40-45 years of age use reading glasses or have bifocals?

Over 40 Vision (Presbyopia)
The problem occurs in the focusing lens behind the pupil. As we age the focusing mechanism within our eyes weakens, and the lens loses its ability to alter its shape to bend light precisely on the retina. Near objects appear blurry and we need to wear glasses to magnify the words on a page. This natural aging process is called presbyopia. The LASIK procedure is preformed on the cornea so it cannot correct the presbyopia. Most people with presbyopia find that having LASIK is very beneficial even though they still might need reading glasses some of the time. They are able to function in their daily lives with out glasses for distance. Some may chose monovision, which allows a person to see near and far at the same time without glasses.

Monovision:
This surgical option involves correcting the dominant eye for clarity for distance, and the other eye is left slightly nearsighted for close work. (Low degrees of nearsightedness have a magnifying effect.) The advantage would be that a person could see all distances sufficiently without any type of glasses. This option is not for everyone. Some people may experience a loss in depth perception or a decline in distance clarity. You should discuss this option with your doctor and it is recommended that you try a trail pair of contacts that would simulate this effect before you made a permanent decision.