Likewise, if you have been treated for any eye infections, especially corneal infections such as Herpes Simplex or Herpes Zoster Keratitis, or even have had persistent or recurrent cold sores around your mouth, please be sure to share this at your consultation.
Be sure to tell us about any medications you are taking, or have recently taken as they can affect healing and the health of your tear film. Include over the counter, as well as prescribed medication, and even include supplements you take for any reason
Review of the Lifestyle Needs Assessment & Expectations
It is important that you identify and share with the LASIK surgeon and the staff, the lifestyle reasons you wish to have LASIK, or any type of Laser Eye Surgery. In particular, what is it about your glasses or contact lenses that you don’t like? If you didn’t have to wear glasses or contacts for seeing clearly at distance, what kinds of things would you be able to do more comfortably, conveniently, safely? By sharing these thoughts at your LASIK exam and consultation, it will be possible to help you achieve your vision correction goals.
The LASIK Eye Exam Tests
The LASIK eye exam will include measuring your visual acuity-how well you see with and without your glasses and contacts. A very careful and thorough slit lamp exam will be performed and the cornea examined in great detail under high magnification. A refraction to determine your optical prescription will be performed in the natural focusing state and after eye drops have been instilled-called a cycloplegic refraction-to see if there is any residual focusing affect that changes your prescription. During the slit lamp exam, the quantity and quality of your tears will be carefully evaluated as the function of the tears is to help with corneal healing and visual recovery after LASIK. Three important tests we will perform are pachymetry to measure the corneal thickness, aberrometry to measure the aberrations and microscopic optical distortions in your prescription, and corneal topography to further investigate the shape, contour and integrity of your cornea.
Once these tests have been performed at your LASIK exam and consultation, your LASIK surgeon will be able to help you make a sound decision as to whether LASIK or any other type of Laser Eye Surgery is good choice for you!
Patients wishing to learn more about LASIK or Laser Eye Surgery for vision correction in the greater Boston, Worcester, central or western Massachusetts are encouraged to call us at 978-728-5423 or 800-325-3937 to schedule a Free Consultation.