Medically Reviewed by: Edward C. Wade, M.D., F.A.C.S.
A Guide to LASIK Eye Surgery Sugar Land
Have you ever had a friend or family member talk about LASIK and wondered if LASIK Eye Surgery Sugar Land is right for you? What are the benefits? The risks? Where can you find someone you trust to take care of something as important as your eyes? Rest assured, the experts at Eye Center of Texas are here to answer your questions in this comprehensive guide to LASIK Eye Surgery in Sugar Land, TX.Â
What is LASIK eye surgery?
LASIK eye surgery is a short, 30-minute procedure that uses laser refractive surgery to correct astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. For the day of your procedure, you should have someone drive you to and from the doctor’s office and avoid wearing any makeup or other cosmetics.Â
As for the surgery itself, your doctor will numb your eyes with drops to prevent any pain. Then your doctor will make an incision in your cornea to pull back a thin flap. Once a corneal flap has been made, another laser is used to reshape the tissue beneath according to your condition.Â
After that, the flap is put back in place and that’s it! Although you will likely be able to see clearly in a few short hours, your total LASIK recovery time may take anywhere from three to six months.
The most asked question we get about LASIK is, is LASIK safe? The procedure has a 96% success rate and is concerned safe and effective for most patients. If patients do complain about any symptoms post-surgery, complaints can include:
- Dry Eye That Lasts for More than a few Days
- Eye Pain
- Glare or Halo Problems
- Periodic Blurry Vision
- Problems with the Flap
- Reduced Night Vision
If you notice any of these symptoms after your procedure, please contact your surgeon immediately.
Continue reading: Lasik For Astigmatism Correction
How long does LASIK last?
One common question about LASIK eye surgery is whether it is permanent and the answer is a little complicated: yes… for the most part. The procedure permanently changes the shape of your cornea and for most patients, this improves their vision. It is possible for your prescription to regress slightly, but it will most likely remain much improved from your prescription pre-surgery. Some patients may wish for further correction through an additional LASIK procedure many years down the line, but this is not a common experience.
One thing LASIK can’t prevent, however, is the natural aging process of the eye. Cataracts are a common condition in aging eyes that can negatively affect your vision and may require correction. Presbyopia is another condition associated with aging that leads many people to require reading glasses, regardless of their history of vision correction.
Is LASIK Eye Surgery right for me?
Lasik eye surgery is great for anyone with moderate vision loss and no unusual vision problems who are tired of wearing contact lenses or glasses.
If you’ve ever encountered these issues with your corrective devices, then you might want to consider LASIK:
Glasses
- Glare off of monitors
- Losing track of where your glasses are
- Improper fit (pinching tightly or falling off your face)
- Fogged lenses
Contacts
- Difficulty putting them in
- Irritation or tearing
- Eye infection
- Expense  Â
There are other considerations you should make when deciding on LASIK, such as the cost of LASIK eye surgery. So, is LASIK covered by insurance? Because it is an elective surgery, the LASIK eye surgery cost is generally not covered by insurance and you will likely have to pay out of pocket.
What can disqualify you from LASIK?
If you are or have one of the following conditions, LASIK may not be the right corrective procedure for you:
- Unstable vision for at least a year
- A significant health risk or condition, especially involving your eyes
- Autoimmune diseases or disorders such as HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes
- Eye scarring
- Thin cornea
- Extremely dry eyes
- Pregnant or breast-feeding
- Under 18 years of age
Even if you don’t make a great candidate for LASIK, there may be other options to help improve your vision.
Are there alternatives to LASIK?
Besides the standard corrective measures such as glasses and contact lenses, PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) is another popular surgical alternative to LASIK. What is PRK eye surgery? PRK is a laser refractive surgery that has many similarities to LASIK.Â
As discussed, the LASIK procedure involves creating a corneal flap under which the doctor reshapes your eye tissue, whereas your entire outer corneal layer is removed with PRK. While that may sound scary, the success rate of the two procedures is very comparable. However, PRK usually requires a longer recovery time since the outer layer needs time to regenerate.
PRK eye surgery is recommended for those who have especially dry eyes or thin corneas. Be sure to consult with your doctor on which option is best suited to your eyes.
Trust Eye Center of Texas with your LASIK Eye Surgery in Sugar Land
If you’ve always wanted to wake up in the morning and see your alarm clock clearly or finally shed your cumbersome glasses or uncomfortable contact lenses, LASIK just might be the right choice for you.Â
Eye Center of Texas has multiple locations, including one conveniently located in Sugar Land, staffed with the best medical professionals to help you today. Contact us to get started on your path to clear vision. Â
More Helpful Articles by Eye Center of Texas:
- Why Would Someone Need a Cornea Transplant?
- Cornea Transplant Recovery
- What Causes Eye Floaters and Flashes?
- Laser Floaters Treatment: YAG Laser Vitreolysis
- Can You Reverse Presbyopia?
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Our Locations
Houston/Bellaire
6565 W. Loop S., Suite 650Bellaire, TX 77401
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
713-357-7276
LASIK/Near Vision:
Office: 713-395-1515
Fax: 713-357-7278
Pasadena
4415 Crenshaw RoadPasadena, TX 77504
Medical Office:
281-977-8800
Medical Fax:
281-977-8877
Sugar Land
15200 S.W. Freeway, Suite 130Sugar Land, TX 77478
Medical Office:
281-277-1010
Medical Fax:
281-277-4504
Clear Lake
455 E. Medical Center Blvd., Suite 110Webster, TX 77598
Medical Office:
281-332-1397
Medical Fax:
281-282-9152
Katy
Greenhouse Medical Plaza2051 Greenhouse Road, Suite 110
Houston, TX 77084
Medical Office:
346-547-7070
Medical Fax:
281-214-2971
The Woodlands/Conroe
100 Medical Center Blvd., Suite 118Conroe, TX 77304
Medical Office:
936-647-1610
Medical Fax:
936-647-1620