What Does Pupil Size Have to Do with LASIK?

Ophthalmologist Will Examined Your Pupils

It may come as a surprise, but your pupil size plays an important role in determining the successful outcome of your LASIK surgery.  Before a patient pursues refractive surgery, it is important to have the eyes thoroughly examined by a qualified Ophthalmologist. The doctor will check your visual capability, both with and without corrective lenses. He will check the physical condition and stability of your eyes, in order to determine your best surgical options.

It has been suggested that eyes with larger pupils are more likely to have a poor outcome, with a higher risk of things like under or overcorrection, blurry vision, or poor night vision. One crucial component is how big your pupil gets in low light because it is important in evaluating how good your night vision will be after surgery.

Pupil measurement used to be rather primitive and was done with a penlight or other light source, and round circles on a card with which to compare the pupil size. Modern measurement is much more technologically advanced and involves either light amplification or infrared technology. Dallas LASIK surgeon Dr. Tylock uses the Colvard Pupillometer for this measurement. The patient focuses on a distant target while each eye is measured with the hand-held device, and because it appears to the patient that no light is entering the eye, the pupil dilates naturally. The technician, on the other hand, sees the eye illuminated by infrared light, and an accurate reading can be taken.

Using the most up to date technology is important to the Tylock Center, and that state of the art equipment is backed up by over twenty years of experience. If you are considering laser vision correction, make sure the doctor you choose has this sort of high standard and is using appropriate technology to accurately predict your results. Not everyone is a candidate for LASIK, but for those who are, laser vision correction can greatly improve their standard of living.