What to Expect from LASIK Eye Surgery San Francisco

Comprehensive Clinical Consultation
Preparing for Surgery
The Day of Surgery
Recovery
After the Surgery

Comprehensive Clinical Consultation

At Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, laser vision correction starts with a comprehensive clinical consultation. The primary goal of this evaluation is to determine whether you are a candidate for laser vision correction and, if so, which procedure is the best for you. During the evaluation, your eyes will be dilated and examined thoroughly to ensure they are healthy.

A corneal topography machine will be used to determine the contour of the surface of the cornea. In addition, you will receive a full ophthalmologic examination, your tear function will be evaluated, and the thickness of your cornea will be measured. A Kaiser Permanente refractive surgeon will then review the results of the exam and discuss with you your options for laser vision correction.

An equally important objective of the consultation is to educate you regarding all aspects of laser vision correction and help you understand what you can reasonably expect from the procedure.

Preparing for Surgery

Prior to your laser vision correction procedure, a Kaiser Permanente refractive surgeon or specially trained optometrist will examine you in preparation for surgery.

If you wear contact lenses, plan to remove them prior to this examination, and again before the surgery itself.

Soft Contact Lenses — Remove at least one week before your pre-operative exam.

Soft Toric Lenses — Remove at least 2 weeks before your pre-operative exam.

Rigid Gas-Permeable or Hard Contact Lenses — Patients who have worn hard and/or rigid gas permeable contact will need to remove them at least one month before an initial pre-operative exam. Patients who have worn theses lenses for over 20 years may need to be out of the lenses an additional month or two prior to surgery.

The Day of Surgery

Your laser vision correction procedure will be performed in a modern laser suite. On the day of surgery, you will arrive at the Northern California laser center where the procedure and post-operative care will be reviewed with you.

After cleaning the area around your eyes, anesthetic drops will be applied to numb your eyes and you may be given a light sedative to help you relax. No general anesthesia is necessary.

The procedure begins with a surgeon using a small device that holds your eyelids open during the procedure to prevent blinking. You don't have to worry about blinking or closing your eye during the procedure. You will be asked to focus on a small blinking light. The typical procedure takes approximately 15 minutes from start to finish. The actual laser treatment lasts about one minute.

Recovery

The staff will review your post-operative instructions. Immediately after surgery, your eyes will be more sensitive to light and your vision will still be somewhat blurred. You will not be able to drive safely, so you will need to arrange for a ride home. You will be given protective glasses to make your ride home more comfortable.

A few hours after the surgery, you may experience some minor discomfort and irritation in your eyes. Plan to relax and keep your eyes closed as much as possible for the remainder of the day. This step is critical to ensuring the best outcome from the surgery and allows the flaps to permanently seal into good position. You will also be given eye drops to help relieve some of the discomfort and keep the eyes moist. For many patients, the vision will start to approach the clarity of their prior vision with glasses or contacts on the very next day!

After the Surgery

Fluctuation of Vision- While your eye heals, you may notice fluctuations in your vision. This is normal and usually resolves within several weeks after the surgery, but in some cases may persist longer.

Post-Operative Care — Post-operative care is an important component of laser vision correction. The day after your surgery, your doctor will check your eyes to make sure they are healing properly. Most patients are able to return to work within a couple of days, some even the day after the surgery.