What is LASIK?

LASIK Eye Surgery is a procedure that changes the prescription of the your eyes.  It has two major surgical components.  The first step is the creation of a thin layer of cornea from the surface of the eye called the flap.  The second step is using the excimer laser to reshape the exposed cornea to change the prescription.  Finally the thin layer is placed back into position.  Each step is essential to recovery and quality of your vision.

The 20/20 Difference The Excimer laser is used to change the prescription of your eyes.  Methods used for LASIK are conventional, custom, wavefront optimized or the CustomVue with Iris Registration.  Even though all are considered LASIK, these are not the same, and their outcome and results can be very different.  The safety and the precision of your surgery can vary depending on the method applied to your surgery.  Only CustomVue is truly personalized to your eyes.  In regards to quality, there is no greater test of visual quality than night vision.  The LASIK & Night Vision page specifically addresses studies done by the US Navy and how it demonstrated the great superiority of the iLASIK surgery over standard LASIK.  Read the page on CustomVue and Iris Registration to learn why as a part of the iLASIK procedure, they are essential to ensuring the accuracy of your laser treatment.

iLASIK Recovery

iLASIK surgery provides the fastest recovery compared with any other format of laser vision correction.  The studies from the US Navy address that issue specifically along with many other studies done in commercial settings.  At Northern California Laser Center, our experience has been that most patients have excellent vision in as little as a few hours after their iLASIK procedure.  Many patients find it convenient to schedule a Friday surgery with Dr. Ash, allowing them to recover over the weekend and return to work on Monday.  The most common issue affecting many patients in early days after LASIK is dry eyes.  Please read the page on LASIK & Dry Eyes for better understanding how integrated all aspects of the LASIK are in providing you the best results.

Is LASIK the best choice for you?

By far one of the most important questions is whether LASIK eye surgery is the right choice for you!  There are many factors such as the curvatures of your cornea, the thickness of the cornea, the prescription of your eyes, your age, and your personal desire amongst others, which determine the best choice for you.  There are times when Dr. Ash finds some patients are better off not doing LASIK, or other technologies such as PRK or Surface Ablation may be a better suited for some.  Verisyse Phakic IOL and Visian ICL's may at times be the better technology for some other patients with higher prescriptions and/or thinner corneas or irregular corneas.

Some patients starting in their 40's lose their ability to read up close - which is called Presbyopia.  Monovision LASIK may be a consideration for some, while Clear Lens Extraction may be a better option for others using Presbyopia Correcting Implants.  Some of the current Presbyopia Correcting Implants are PanOptix, Symfony, ReSTOR, ReZoom, Tecnis Multifocal and CrystaLens.  The best option for you will be discussed with Dr. Ash at the time of your appointment and determined by the individual characteristics of your eyes, your lifestyle and desired outcome.

Dr. Ash is an experienced Cornea, Cataract and LASIK surgeon that has successfully performed thousands of surgeries.  With his knowledge, experience and access to cutting edge technologies, a one-to-one personal consultation will allow for choosing the best technology for You.  Call (209) 524-2020 for a consultation today or fill out the contact form on the page.