This information was compiled with input from Steven J. Dell MD, a laser eye surgeon of international renown who works in Austin, Texas. Austin boasts a number of laser eye surgery clinics. As well as Steven’s Dell Laser Consultants, there are the Eyes of Texas Laser Center, the Lasikplus Vision Center and the Mann Eye Institute and Laser Center.
Surgeries offered include LASIK, Epi-LASIK, LASEK and PRK. The option chosen depends on the prescription, cornea thickness and maximum dilation pupil size. LASIK is the most popular such treatment in Austin, which is attributed to the short post-operative recovery time of the procedure.
Laser eye surgery can often remove the need to wear glasses or contact lenses.
To ascertain your suitability, a pre-operative consultation will be required. This entails a full eye examination and careful analysis of the eyes. Ideally, this would be conducted by the surgeon who will perform the operation. It is recommended that the patient should be in good health, have a stable eye prescription and be over 21 years of age. There is no upper age limit.
Laser eye surgery is unlikely to benefit you if you can see fine in the distance but need glasses to read, however CK Treatment is sometimes available in this instance.
More than 90% of laser eye surgery patients report 20/20 vision – or better after treatment. The same percentage of subjects is “satisfied” with their outcome.
Any treatment won’t be permanent. The eye changes naturally with age, which is likely to require reading correction at a later stage of life. 3% of subjects need enhancement surgery within a year. The eye may change in the future, requiring correction of vision.
No surgery is free of risk. A very small fraction of patients, less than 1%, experience persistent problems after the operation. These can include glare, hazy vision and dryness of the eyes. The risk is minimized if the surgeon and clinical team are experienced and use the latest available methods.
The treatment doesn’t hurt immediately, thanks to anesthetic eye drops, but minor discomfort can be felt for 48 hours after the surgery.
A pre-op consultation can be expected to last one or two hours. The surgery take 15-20 minutes but usually a patient will arrive two hours early.
