Are you someone who suffers from vision impairment every day? Are you getting tired of the hassle of dealing with glasses and/or contacts? LASIK could be right for you!

What is LASIK?

LASIK is a form of corrective eye surgery categorized as a laser refractive surgery. The purpose of LASIK is to reshape the cornea.

By reshaping the cornea, light gets refracted into the eye correctly. When light refracts as it should, refractive errors become corrected!

During LASIK, your surgeon will create a small flap in your cornea. After flap creation, the flap is then lifted, exposing the corneal tissue underneath.

A laser is then used to either create a steeper or shallower curve of the cornea by removing parts of the tissue.

The surgery itself is very quick and painless. You’ll receive numbing eye drops before the procedure. This makes LASIK a hundred percent painless! The most you may feel is slight pressure while the flap is being made.

LASIK is only about 10 to 15 minutes per eye, and is usually over after a half hour to hour. Your LASIK surgeon will want you to rest for a few minutes after the procedure.

Once you’re cleared, you can go home! You’ll need a ride to and from the procedure because of the numbing drops. Once you get home, you should rest in a dark room for 3-4 hours.

This gives your eyes a head start on healing and recovery! Your vision may be markedly improved right after LASIK or in the next few days. Most patients end up with 20/20 vision after LASIK, if not better!

Eligibility

LASIK surgery is not right for everyone. It’s important for you to schedule a LASIK consultation if you want LASIK. During your consultation, you’ll undergo various tests. You’ll also need to answer questions about your health and your family history.

If you have an autoimmune disease or don’t heal well after surgery, LASIK may not be right for you. The same is true for conditions like glaucoma or cataracts.

Even if LASIK isn’t right for you, there are other procedures to consider! It’s also important to have stable vision levels for at least a year before receiving LASIK surgery. You can find out about your LASIK eligibility by setting up an appointment at Vision Care of Maine.

The Cost of LASIK

Because LASIK surgery is an elective surgery, it isn’t covered by insurance companies. You will need to pay for it out of pocket and the average cost per eye is somewhere between 1,500 and 2,500 dollars.

Not sure you can afford the up-front cost? There are options for financing the procedure and making it affordable.

Talk to your employer and see if they offer an FSA. You can also set up payment plans with a financing company or see if LASIK is tax deductible.

Ready to find out if LASIK is right for you? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Vision Care of Maine in Bangor!