LASIK FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About Laser Vision Correction

If you have trouble focusing clearly on objects close by or in the distance, the problem could be an abnormality in the shape of your eyeball or cornea. Glasses or contacts can help, but another option can improve your vision without the need for corrective lenses. 

LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a surgical procedure to correct vision, one of many advanced treatment options offered by Daniel Tepper, MD, and the team at Wicker Park Eye Center in Chicago, Illinois. 

Here’s what you need to know about LASIK and how it might meet your needs. 

Is LASIK safe?

It’s perfectly natural to be wary of any kind of surgery on your eyes. After all, vision is an integral part of how we navigate our environment. Why would you risk it?

When you look into LASIK more closely, you see that this approach has an outstanding safety record. The surgery works by reshaping your cornea, the clear, protective film at the front of your eye. Shaped like a dome, the curvature of your cornea can distort your vision. 

The ability to reshape the cornea and correct vision was discovered by accident. A nearsighted young boy in Russia who had glass shards in his eye found his vision dramatically improved once the glass was removed. Researchers began to study and refine corneal reshaping. 

LASIK received FDA approval in the late 1990s, and experts continually refine the technology used in the procedure. LASIK is now among the most popular surgical procedures in the United States and the world, with an outstanding record of safety and efficacy. 

How does LASIK work?

The cornea lets light enter your eye and works with your eye’s lens to bend the light before it reaches your retina, the layer of cells that transmit the signals your brain interprets as sight. 

LASIK uses carefully controlled laser energy to reshape your cornea. The technology measures the position of your eye throughout the process, at a speed of around 500 times per second. 

Special eye drops keep your eye completely numb throughout the procedure, and an eyelid speculum and suction ring keep your eyelid open and your eye in the necessary position from start to finish.

The LASIK process usually takes less than 30 minutes. You’re awake during the procedure, but you won’t feel pain. You can go home afterward.

Can LASIK give me 20/20 vision?

The vast majority of people who undergo LASIK are happy with their results. More than 90% achieve 20/20 vision, and virtually everyone experiences at least 20/40 vision after laser vision correction. 

You can see out of the treated eye immediately after your procedure. The tissues heal quickly, and most people reach their full results 2-3 months after LASIK. Most people can see well enough to drive after their follow-up visit a day or two after surgery. 

If you’re ready to explore how LASIK can improve your vision, we’re here to help. Call us today at 773-804-8310, or book your appointment using our easy online scheduling tool.