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Pre-Surgical
Exam
A complete
eye exam including pupil dilation must be performed to determine
the health of your eyes as well as to very carefully evaluate
your specific refractive error. The excimer laser is very
accurate but it is only as good as the information we give
it. For this reason Dr. Lipstock pays careful attention to
this number. Various tests will be performed during this exam.
During one of the tests, we actually use an ultrasound device
to measure the thickness of your cornea. This test is quite
informative for you, since we enter our laser suite for this
test and simulate the surgery so you get to see what it's
like lying face- up under the laser microscope and viewing
the laser fixation light with the eyelid holder in place.
This is important since it minimizes unrealistic fear and
apprehension.
A contact
lens can effect the shape of the cornea, therefore contacts
must be discontinued prior to both your preoperative consultation
and the LASIK procedure itself. This way we know that
the laser will be reshaping a stable corneal curvature. We
understand that for some patients this is the most difficult
part of their LASIK experience, but it is very important
in order to achieve the excellent predictability we are accustomed
to. Depending on the type of contacts you wear, you should
discontinue wearing them as follows:
- Daily
wear soft contacts: 2 weeks prior
- Extended
wear soft contacts: 2 weeks prior
- Gas
permeable contacts: 4 weeks prior
An
additional vision check will be required for gas permeable
lens wearers to document stabilization of the corneal shape.
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