To make the arrangements for your laser vision correction surgery, call our office directly or use the form below.
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A: LASIK eye surgery is a form of lamellar (layered or flap like) refractive surgery which has been performed since 1949. Patients who have undergone these earlier and more invasive procedures fifty years ago have not had any unusual problems. The Excimer laser has been used since 1985 to correct vision. Well over 15 million LASIK procedures have been performed world wide.
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A: No. LASIK does not cause, nor prevent cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration or any other eye diseases. Ophthalmologists term LASIK as a disease neutral procedure. Again, LASIK does not cause disease; it does not prevent disease, and it does not prevent diseases encountered in the future from being treated.
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A: A good LASIK candidate must beat least 18 years old and have a stable prescription. You must also myopia up to -12.00 or hyperopia up to +6.00. Your level of astigmatism may be as high as 6.00 diopters. You should not be pregnant or have any unstable medical condition, or any uncontrolled eye diseases.
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A: LASIK can benefit a great number of people with myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Candidates should have a strong desire to be less dependent on corrective lenses, have established realistic expectations, and understand the risks associated with the surgery.
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A: Laser vision correction is exciting, but it isn’t for everyone. We like to make sure that everyone undergoing a procedure has healthy eyes. However, generally speaking, anyone who sees well with glasses or contacts but is not happy with their eyesight without optical devices is probably a good candidate for laser vision correction.
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A: Tylock Eye Care & Laser Center has a tiered pricing system which means that the cost of LASIK is based on the individual’s amount of correction. Pricing can vary from patient to patient depending on the patient’s prescription, their choice of procedure, and the agreed decision between the doctor and patient on what will give the patient their best personal vision. Please contact one of our Patient Education Coordinators for more information on the cost of your procedure.
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A: Before the LASIK procedure begins, your eye is made numb by drops. While you may feel a pressure sensation as the corneal flap is being made, actual pain is rare. Any discomfort you may feel subsequent to the LASIK procedure will last only a few hours. Sleep and lubrication, as well as Tylenol or Ibuprofen, are usually enough to counteract any discomfort.
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A: LASIK is often done on both eyes at the same sitting. The results are predictable and the procedure is safe enough that most people undergoing LASIK surgery prefer to have both eyes done on the same day. However, if they wish, a patient may correct one eye at a time.
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A: The excimer laser is very accurate. The laser removes .25 microns of tissue with each pulse. We never had this kind of delicate and accurate control in corneal surgery before the development of the excimer laser…in fact the excimer laser could engrave your initials in a human hair without destroying its structure.
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A: A device called a lid retractor is used to hold the eyelids open during the procedure so you do not have to worry about blinking. Minor movements of the eye do not affect the procedure. To comfort you almost all patients who go through a procedure say it was a lot easier than they had expected.
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A: With the VIS® S4 ActiveTrak laser system you do not have to worry about eye movements since the laser’s sophisticated tracking system is dedicated to following your eye movements. This brings peace of mind to the patient. VISX® has the only laser system that can capture all three dimensions of intra-operative eye movements without the requirement of pupillary dilation.
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A: There are four natural forces that cause a newly made corneal flap to re-adhere to the cornea: Tissues like to stick together. Within seconds hydrostatic forces between the flap and the corneal stroma create a seal between the two tissues, causing the flap to begin to re-adhere. Endothelial cells are constantly pumping fluid out of the cornea. This pump function maintains corneal clarity and creates a natural vacuum that holds the flap down. This process begins working in a matter of minutes. Within hours the epithelial cells grow over the edge of the flap. This process helps to glue down the flap and takes just a few days to complete. Eventually, the internal healing process allows for the flap to be permanently glued down. The corneal flap is most vulnerable during the first twelve to sixteen hours immediately after surgery. With each passing hour it grows more and more stable until it is fully re-adhered.
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A: Patients are tested for dry eyes in their complete LASIK evaluation. If a patient is diagnosed with having dry eyes, the doctor may recommend that the patient have IntraLASIK. Several advantages of IntraLASIK help reduce dry eye symptoms as the surgeon can create a custom flap on these patients. This will be discussed with the doctor at your LASIK evaluation.
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A: After performing more than 40,000 refractive surgeries, Dr. Tylock has not had any of his patients go blind. However, as with any surgery, there are risks involved which you need to be aware of prior to having your surgery.
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A: This depends on the type of treatment you have. LASIK patients often have legal driving vision (better than 20/40) the next day and are ready for work and other daily activities. A lot of improvement will be noticed the next day though gradual improvement is still noted for the next few weeks.
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A: As we age, our eyes lose the ability to focus on images up close. We continually move an image, such as a book or newspaper, farther and farther from our eyes in order to bring it into focus. This condition is called presbyopia. When presbyopia progresses to the point where our arms are not long enough, we need reading glasses or bifocals. Everyone will experience presbyopia, whether they started with corrective lenses or not. Presbyopia is simply an aging process of the internal lens of the eye and typically begins around the age of 40 to 45. Patients in their forties or older who are experiencing difficulty with their reading vision, it is possible to treat one eye for near vision and the other for best distance vision, therefore decreasing the necessity for both near and distance glasses. If you are considering this process, called monovision, it is advisable to try it out with contact lenses before proceeding directly to LASIK surgery. If you have already been successful with monovision in contact lenses, you will most likely enjoy this type of correction through PRK or LASIK. If you are over 40 and hope to avoid glasses altogether you can also choose to restore your vision at all distances with the intraocular lens implant Crystalens® or ReSTOR®.
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A: Astigmatism refers to the curvature of your cornea. A "normal" cornea is round, like a basketball. If you have astigmatism, your cornea is shaped like a football. Astigmatism can occur alone or in addition to either nearsightedness or farsightedness and can be corrected with LASIK.
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A: Yes, the surgical technique used will not change. However, your lens implant used during cataract surgery will be calculated using a different formula.
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A: General laser surgery for vision correction is really a two-step approach. First, a corneal flap (a hinged opening) is created and then folded back. Then, an excimer laser reshapes the inner cornea and the flap is folded back onto the eye. Corneal flap creation is considered the most critical step in vision correction surgery. A high quality, smooth fitting corneal flap is essential for an excellent result. Before IntraLASIK was introduced, the flap was created by cutting a thin flap along the top of the cornea with a surgical blade held by a device called a microkeratome. Refractive surgeons recognize that the microkeratome is frequently seen as the source of many complications as considerable skill and training are required to properly use it. Now, the more advanced IntraLASIK creates the corneal flap with a computer controlled laser, the IntraLase®. Your doctor programs in your corneal measurement, custom-tailored to the individual shape of each eye, into the accompanying software and the laser machine follows the parameters exactly. IntraLASIK makes your laser vision correction surgery truly all-laser.
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A: Although the use of surgical blades in vision correction has produced excellent results in most patients, the vast majority of serious complications involve the cutting of the corneal flap. The all-laser IntraLASIK approach eliminates the surgical blade and microkeratome. The use of IntraLASIK’s laser beam to create the corneal flap is safer and more precise. The all-laser approach bevels the edge of the flap so when it is folded back after the inner cornea is reshaped, the edges fit precisely and exceptionally well, virtually eliminating the complications associated with corneal flaps made by other methods.
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A: IntraLASIK is the most advanced tool available to vision correction surgeons now. After its clinical trials, it received FDA clearance in 1999. Since then, the select group of surgeons who have obtained IntraLASIK are well trained in its use before incorporating it into their practice for patients.
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A: Thousands of eyes have been corrected using the IntraLASIK approach. There have been no complications at all from it: no risk of perforating the eye, no partial, irregular or incomplete flaps; no infections; and no other problems associated with it such as scarring and blurry vision.
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A: Actually, the use of IntraLASIK is completely painless and patients are quite comfortable during and after the surgery with it. Patients will typically feel pressure, but experience no pain. You should be relaxed and confident, knowing that you and your surgeon have selected the most advanced, safest approach to correcting your vision.
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A: The IntraLASIK part of your vision correction surgery takes less than a minute per eye to make the flap.
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A: Right after the surgery, you can expect to stay with us for 20 minutes to a half-hour to rest and allow the effects of the numbing solution to wear off. We’ll also check your eyes and then you are free to go home with our follow-up instructions. You’ll notice your vision will be improved immediately and your eyes comfortable. Most patients say their eyes feel normal by the next day and you can return to your normal activities, secure that your doctor has provided you with the most advanced, reliable and safest choice in vision correction surgery.
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A: Studies have shown approximately 50 percent of Custom IntraLASIK patients will see better than they did with their glasses or contact lenses. One needs to understand that although this vision improvement is possible, it is by no means guaranteed.
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A: When you read about claims that Custom IntraLASIK is safer than conventional LASIK, they are referring to the reduced likelihood of creating night vision or contrast sensitivity problems. While overall this may be true, it is not the case for the majority of patients. With appropriately selected cases, traditional LASIK provides fine night vision and contrast sensitivity. For higher risk patients as determined by individual measurements Custom IntraLASIK is the preferred approach.
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We have provided a list of nearby hotels for your convenience. If you are interested in LASIK surgery or other vision correction surgery with Dr. Tylock, contact Tylock Eye Care & Laser Center today.
3100 N. MacArthur Blvd. | Irving, Texas 75062 | Copyright © 2006 Tylock Eye Care & Laser Center