The advent of the LASIK procedure has made vision correction surgery a painless, stress-free experience for millions of patients living with nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. An outpatient LASIK procedure of Dr. Boothe can take as few as 15 minutes and requires minimal recovery time, allowing patients to return to work within days. The procedure has resulted in immense joy and improved quality of life for patients, who marvel at their renewed vision.
Pre-Operative Consultation
Undergoing LASIK surgery begins with a pre-operative consultation with Dr. William Boothe to discuss any unique factors of your health history that may affect your procedure. Be prepared to provide information about past vision surgeries, eye conditions, your history with wearing glasses or contacts, and what you hope to achieve by undergoing LASIK treatment. This is also the time to ask Dr. Boothe any questions you may have about the procedure.
To conclude the consultation, technicians at the Boothe Eye Care and Laser Center will perform various tests on your vision in preparation for your operation. These include using a sophisticated topographer, or eye scanner, to map the contours of your cornea and understand the exact refractive error in your vision. It will also include a corneal pachymetry test to measure the thickness of your cornea. Once you complete these steps, you will be ready to schedule an appointment for your LASIK procedure.
The Procedure
On the day of your procedure, plan to arrive about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled time of your procedure. Dr. Boothe will begin by applying an anesthetic drop in your eye to ensure that you are comfortable and relaxed throughout the procedure. After you are properly positioned, a speculum is gently placed to keep your eyelids open. Dr. Boothe will create a thin, circular corneal flap from the surface of your eye. For traditional LASIK procedures, this involves using a handheld microkeratome instrument. For INTRALASIK procedures, an IntraLase FS laser is used to make the incisions for the corneal flap.
The flap is gently folded back like a hinge allowing the laser to access tissues beneath the corneal surface. Dr. Boothe will ask you to look into a target light while he uses a computer to operate the laser energy pulses that are sent to your eye. You may hear clicking sounds during this time as the laser shapes your cornea. For the next few seconds (or up to a minute depending on your corrective needs), the laser will gently vaporize microscopic layers of tissue in your eye to correct and clarify your vision.
Once the sculpting is complete, Dr. Boothe restores the flap. You will receive instructions on applying medicated drops to help the healing, which will occur naturally without the use of stitches. Dr. William Boothe will also provide you with sunglasses or other eyewear to protect your eye during the healing process.
The excimer lasers used by Dr. Boothe for this process are the most sophisticated technologies available in the field of refractive eye care today. He recalibrates the lasers on site multiple times each day to ensure the utmost precision and results.
Recovery Period
Many patients experience blurriness immediately after the procedure, but vision typically clarifies within a few hours and may continue to improve over the course of a few days. It is recommended that you designate a friend or family member to drive you home following your procedure where you can rest for a few hours. Be sure to follow instructions for applying medicated drops and avoid any windy or turbulent environments that could dry out your eyes. Also avoid falling asleep so you can continuously hydrate your eyes with eye drops, which is key to speeding the healing process.
Once vision begins to clear up, many patients experience 20/25 vision within the first day of their operation. Remember to attend your post-operative appointments—Dr. Boothe believes in following up with all of his patients to ensure steady recovery. You should be able to return to work the Monday after your procedure is complete.