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Q. Will I have perfect vision after the procedure?
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A. While you can expect improved vision after surgery, the amount varies between individuals. 99% of Dr. Seidenberg's patients can pass their driver's test without their glasses or contact lenses (that translates into 20/40 or better). 93% of his patients achieved 20/20 or better vision after treatment in all refractive ranges without glasses or contact lenses.
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| Q. Can I have both eyes done on the same day? |
A. LASIK is usually performed on both eyes the same day. In the event that this cannot be done safely, one eye will be treated at a time. If a patient's second eye is treated at a separate time than the first, one of the following three methods is used to gap the transition period:
- The patient will wear a contact lens in the untreated eye during that period.
- The patient will wear his or her glasses with one lens covered or removed.
- The patient will do nothing to the untreated eye.
The solution that is best for you will be determined by discussion between
you and Dr. Seidenberg.
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Q. How soon before I can go back to work?
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A. Most people return to work within one to three days after the procedure is completed, depending on the amount of correction necessary. You may resume driving when you are confident that your vision is adequate and safe. Typically most patients can legally drive without their glasses or contacts one day after the procedure.
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Q. Does the procedure hurt?
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A. The laser treatment itself is painless. After LASIK, most patients experience only some irritation, tearing and sensitivity to lights for a few hours. Usually, no pain medication is necessary. However, PRK patients commonly feel greater discomfort for a few days. These patients can be successfully treated with oral pain medications.
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| Q. What is 3D Active Trak? |
| A. The unique 3D Active Trak element means that you no longer have to hold your eye perfectly still, which is a challenge for many patients. Instead, the laser automatically and instantaneously tracks the minute movements of your eye during the LASIK treatment. |
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Q. What are the risks of Laser Vision Correction?
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A. It is essential that you understand as much as possible the limitations and risks. The risk of having a serious vision-threatening complication is less than 0.1%. Complications include under-correction and over-correction (which can be improved with an enhancement procedure), infection, healing haze, night glare, dry eyes, loss of best corrected vision and corneal flap complications.
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| Q. What are the long-term effects of the procedure? |
A. The excimer laser procedure has been prevalent in many countries around the world since the late 1980's. Many clinical studies have investigated the long-term effects of the excimer laser on the cornea and no long-term negative effects on the integrity of the eye have been demonstrated in any of the studies. Patients who require an enhancement procedure or develop a problem will typically do so within the first few months following the procedure, not years later.
The majority of Dr. Keith Seidenberg's patients achieve 20/20 vision after their procedure and remain, to date, without any difficulties.
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| Q. What is Dr. Seidenberg's Lifetime Commitment? |
A. Because Dr. Seidenberg has confidence in the stability of his patient's outcome for life, he offers the following program:
If over time, your prescription changes, you will receive free re-treatments when they are medically advisable to help maintain your distance vision. (Hyperopic patients are covered for two years). Most myopic and astigmatic patients qualify. |
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| Q. Which technique is better for me, PRK or LASIK? |
A. Both procedures are highly effective in correcting myopia, astigmatism, and hyperopia. Dr. Seidenberg performs exclusively LASIK except in patients with unusual corneal problems. LASIK has several advantages over PRK:
- Minimal discomfort for only a few hours.
- Recovery of functional vision overnight.
- Higher range of correction.
- Less chance of regression and haze.
- Ability to perform an enhancement procedure, when necessary at 3 months following the initial procedure. There are several factors that should be considered when choosing the best procedure for any particular individual.
Dr. Seidenberg will be glad to review both procedures when you come in for your complimentary consultation.
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| Q. What is wavefront-guided Custom LASIK? |
| A. This advancement became widely available in 2004. Wavefront-guided Custom LASIK is a procedure that involves the use of a wavefront analyzer and enables Dr. Seidenberg to customize the Conventional LASIK procedure to your individual eyes. This customized procedure can result in patients seeing clearer and sharper than ever before. |
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| Q. What is the difference between wavefront-guided Custom LASIK and Conventional LASIK? |
A. Custom LASIK uses a tool called the wavefront analyzer to accurately measure the way light travels through your eye. The resulting map of your eye is then programmed into the laser, and the laser treats your eye based upon that personalized 3D map. Custom LASIK helps to treat “higher order” aberrations, which are tiny imperfections in the eye that can have a significant impact on one's quality of vision. In fact, higher order aberrations have been linked to visual glare and halos. Higher order aberrations have not been previously treatable with contacts, glasses or Conventional LASIK.
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| Q. Is the actual LASIK part performed the same as wavefront-guided Custom LASIK? Or is Custom LASIK a completely different procedure? |
| A. The actual LASIK procedure is performed in exactly the same way in both Conventional LASIK and Custom LASIK. The pre-op testing for Conventional LASIK and Custom LASIK differ greatly. The wavefront analyzer used with Custom LASIK brings a whole new level of knowledge and accuracy to the surgeon. |
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| Q. What can wavefront-guided Custom LASIK do for me? |
| A. Clinical studies have shown that Custom LASIK can improve not only what you can see but how well you can see it. In the past, all vision was measured using a standard vision chart. If you could see the letters, the doctor would proclaim your vision as a number, such as 20/20, 20/100, etc. But now, with Custom LASIK, doctors are able to focus on the quantity and quality of your vision. Many patients who have had Custom LASIK are reporting being able to see clearer than ever before. It's as if someone had taken an ink pad and freshly stamped each letter on the vision chart in bold black letters. Because Custom LASIK corrects the unique imperfections in each individual's vision, it is likely that night vision will be improved. |
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| Q. How will I know what procedure I need to have? |
| A. Dr. Seidenberg is the best person to tell you that. Custom LASIK is necessary for some and desirable for many. Everyone's eyes are different. and your eyes may best be treated with Custom LASIK. You should schedule a consultation with Dr. Seidenberg. Together, you can determine what is right for you. |
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| Q. Can anyone have LASIK done? Am I a candidate? |
A. In general, candidates for the excimer laser procedure must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 21 years of age or older.
- Have stable vision for a year prior to the procedure.
- Be free of certain diseases of the cornea and retina.
- Have realistic expectations about the outcome of the procedure. Understand that complications, while rare, can result. Every person's situation is unique. In order to assess whether you are a candidate, you must have a pre-procedure consultation with Dr. Seidenberg.
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| Q. Does insurance cover the procedure? |
A. Although most health plans do not cover Laser Vision Correction, it is best to check with your carrier.
- Many flexible benefit plans do pay for the procedure.
- A growing number of plans offer discounts for LASIK surgery
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| Q. Are there any other major advancements on the horizon? |
| A. Extremely nearsighted patients, (over 12 diopters), may benefit from intraocular implants. These are currently investigational.
Intrastromal rings can correct low degrees of nearsightedness, but don't appear to offer any advantages over LASIK. In addition, they are more invasive than the LASIK procedure.
Conductive Keratoplasty (uses radiofrequency), a laser by Sunrise (not excimer), and OrthoKeratology (wearing a hard contact lens at night) are advertised to correct farsightedness and reading. However, they provide only a temporary fix and retreatments are necessary.
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