To hear answers to your questions about laser vision correction, contact our practice today. We proudly serve Huntsville, Decatur, and nearby areas of Alabama with exceptional patient care and education.
Huntsville Center for Sight
2780 Bob Wallace Ave. SW
Huntsville, Alabama 35805
256.536.7483
1.888.828.7483
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Dr. Craig Thorstad is the first ophthalmologist in north Alabama to perform both PRK and LASIK laser vision correction surgeries. Patients of his practice, which serves the areas in and around Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama, benefit greatly from his commitment to becoming both knowledgeable and experienced with the latest and most effective procedures.
Dr. Thorstad is also dedicated to ensuring that his patients are completely educated about and comfortable with their laser vision correction options. While many prospective patients approach vision procedures with many questions, Dr. Thorstad and his staff are happy to address any issue that will help the patients' understanding. Contact the Huntsville Center for Sight today to schedule a private and informative consultation.
LASIK laser vision correction, a procedure that our Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama surgeons are proud to offer, uses a cool laser beam to reshape your cornea so that it can focus light and images on the back of your eye more correctly. The beam is computer-controlled, based on an extremely precise set of calculations which are taken when you have your pre-LASIK examination.
The most recent advances in LASIK surgery have shown that this reshaping works best if we do the reshaping process "internally" by folding back a thin flap from the top of the cornea. We replace the flap after the laser beam shapes your cornea, and it begins to reattach itself almost immediately without stitches.
The word LASIK stands for Laser–in–Situ Keratomileusis — the medical term which means "to shape the cornea from within."
The laser used for your vision correction procedure can make a lot of difference in how satisfied you are with the results. We use the VISX Star S3 ActiveTrak® Excimer Laser system, which follows your eye in three dimensions; this allows more safety and predictability to the performance of the laser procedure. It also uses seven variable-sized beams to give the fastest, smoothest treatment possible.
VISX® invented the technology for laser vision correction over 15 years ago, and more than three million laser vision correction procedures have been performed in the United States with their technology, making the VISX® laser the most popular excimer laser in the country. The VISX® laser has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatisms.
People who lead active lives often find that glasses and contact lenses interfere with their activities and lifestyle choices, making laser vision correction a beneficial option. The surgeons at our Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama-area practice suggest that candidates for LASIK be:
You may not be able to have LASIK laser vision correction if you have an autoimmune disease, uncontrolled diabetes, cataracts, or glaucoma. Our complete pre-operative exam will allow us to make sure that you are a good candidate for LASIK.
Most people choose to have the LASIK procedure performed on both eyes at the same time. It allows for the quickest results and minimizes the disruption to your daily life.
LASIK laser vision correction performed at our Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama-area practice typically takes about 15 minutes, or less than 10 minutes per eye. The process of using the excimer laser to reshape the cornea actually takes only a few seconds.
Anesthetic drops will ensure that you do not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure. Following the surgery, you may feel some scratchiness, watering, or other slight discomfort for a few hours. We recommend that you take a nap for the first few hours after the laser vision correction procedure. By the time you wake, the period of possible discomfort is usually over.
Your vision will likely be slightly foggy for the first few hours following the surgery. You vision will clear up during the proceeding 24 hours. Most patients are able to see clearly enough to drive themselves to their own post-LASIK checkup the next day without the use of glasses. Patients with a high degree of nearsightedness and those who undergo hyperopic LASIK may take longer to achieve their optimal vision.
Many people need reading glasses after they reach age 40. If you wear reading glasses or bifocal lenses, you may be able to eliminate them with monovision, which requires using LASIK to correct your vision so that one eye is slightly nearsighted, for reading without glasses.
To be sure we get an exact measurement of your eyes and to ensure proper shaping with the VISX laser during the vision correction procedure, you must:
As with any other medical procedure, LASIK laser vision correction surgery carries some risk of complications; however, it is rare for them to become serious. We give each of our patients a full list of risks for "informed consent" before the laser vision correction procedure, and the surgeons and staff at our Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama-area office will be more than happy to discuss your concerns with you to ensure you are comfortable with your treatment plan.
Studies have shown that approximately 99 percent of LASIK patients can see at 20/40 or better after the procedure; people with 20/40 vision are able to pass a driver's exam without glasses. About 85 percent can see at 20/25 or better.
In most cases, insurance does not cover the cost of laser vision correction surgeries. However, it is wise to check with your own insurance company be sure of what your insurer will and will not cover. Some patients are able to use their medical flexible spending account for LASIK.
Most people see clearly enough to go back to work the next day or two. It depends upon your occupation.
For about one or two days after the procedure, you will need to wear clear eye shields when you sleep to prevent yourself from accidentally rubbing your eyes. You also should not swim for the week following the procedure.
In Europe, where LASIK has been performed for a longer time than in the United States, patients who underwent the LASIK laser vision correction procedure more than 11 years ago are still seeing clearly today without problems.
Studies have shown that the results achieved by LASIK are permanent. For this reason, LASIK is recommended only for adults whose eyes are no longer changing to a great degree. In the rare instance when a patient's vision regresses or changes after the procedure, an enhancement procedure can be performed.
To have your questions about any of our laser vision correction procedures such as LASIK answered, please do not hesitate to contact the Huntsville Center for Sight today. Our surgeons and staff are prepared to address any questions you may have about the laser-aided vision correction surgeries we offer to our neighbors in the Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama area.