Lasik

 LASIK eye surgery is a very quick procedure with minimal to no discomfort. It takes about 15 minutes to complete both eyes and you will be awake during the procedure.

1. First, you’ll be screened to make sure you’re a good candidate for LASIK and that there isn’t any medical reason you shouldn’t have the procedure. We’ll also conduct WaveScan® mapping to see if this revolutionary technology is an option for you.
2. Once we schedule your procedure, you’ll arrive at our office (with a driver) at least 30 minutes before your appointment time. We will review paperwork and post-operative instructions, as well as verify that you have the necessary post-operative medications.
3. In preparation for your surgery, we will administer optional pre-operative medication, such as Valium, giving you time to relax in the waiting area. Next, we will place anesthetic drops in your eye or eyes. Then we will clean the area around the operative eye to ensure sterility. We’ll also place a sticky dot above the eye or eyes being treated, which we’ll use for reference during the procedure.
4. When it is time for the procedure to begin, you will enter the laser room and lie down on a comfortable reclining chair. The non-operative eye is covered to help you keep it still during the procedure. We will use a small device to keep your eyelids open, which helps you to avoid blinking during the procedure.
5. Next, a stabilization ring is placed on the eye to immobilize it while the flap is created, after which your doctor will gently lift and fold back the flap. Please keep in mind – there will be times during the procedure when your vision may temporarily go dark, or blurry or clear. This is quite normal, and we will make sure you feel informed about changes in your vision every step of the way.
6. The laser will be aligned with your eye and we will continue to explain what will happen during the procedure. You will be asked to fixate your vision on the blinking light.
7. The laser will start and you will hear a clicking sound, which is the sound of the laser running. Generally, within 30 to 60 seconds, we’ll be done! Once the laser procedure is complete, the flap will be gently laid back down, and the surface smoothed, allowing the flap to quickly reattach to the cornea, without the need for stitches or glue.
8. You can now sit up. At this point, we may have you go to another instrument called the slit lamp so that your doctor can look at the eye. We’ll add eye drops to your eyes and ask you to wear protection.
9. You’re ready to head home, with your driver at the wheel. It’s best to rest and keep your eyes closed as much as possible for the first 12 hours, being careful not to rub or touch your eyes for 24 hours.
10. The next day, you’ll have a follow-up appointment, as well as additional required postoperative visits to ensure that the healing process is going well. Within a few days, the cornea will be crystal clear and there will be virtually no trace of the flap. Usually there is not post-operative pain, and vision will start to improve within hours after the procedure.

Since every eye is unique, we conduct careful preoperative examinations to develop a surgical plan for each patient.

At the Eye Care Center of Northern Colorado, we are proud to provide LASIK and other vision correction procedures to Northern Colorado residents including the Longmont, Lafayette, Boulder and Greeley areas.