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LASIK Houston
If you suffer from myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism, you have options. With LASIK surgery, offered at our Houston, Texas eye care center, we can reduce or eliminate your dependency on corrective lenses and improve your vision dramatically. Safe and effective, LASIK, along with other laser vision correction procedures, provides an alternative to eye glasses with long-lasting benefits. To learn more about the LASIK procedure, contact our eye care center in Houston today to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Andrew Watkins. Our team is dedicated to providing superb patient care.
LASIK Surgery - Overview
LASIK - Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis - is a refractive surgery procedure designed to reshape the cornea so that light can be re-focused onto the retina. As the brain interprets the signal sent to it by the retina via the optic nerve as an image, any elements that alter incoming light can result in vision impairment. Thus, irregularities of eye length or of cornea curvature that distort incoming light and provide the retina - the light receptor - with an altered image may result in blurriness near or far (nearsightedness and farsightedness), or distortion (astigmatism). Traditionally, these visual errors have been corrected through the use of eye glasses or contact lenses. With LASIK surgery, however, the shape of the cornea can be changed correcting abnormalities of corneal curvature or eye length.
To perform LASIK surgery, a small flap is made in the outer layer of the cornea so that the stroma - the connective tissue of the cornea - can be exposed. This flap can be created either with a precise, remotely operated surgical blade known as a microkeratome or the IntraLase® laser. Once the flap has been folded back, an excimer laser directs precise laser energy onto the cornea to safely and effectively remove the offending tissue. Once complete, the corneal flap is put back in place where it will heal on its own, free of sutures. Vision improvement is typically noticeable immediately, though full recovery can take as long as a year.
Risks
Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK surgery. Individuals who suffer from refractive instability, minors, individuals who participate in contact sports, and patients with pre-existing medical conditions may not be eligible to undergo LASIK.
As with all surgical procedures, LASIK is not without risk. Risks of LASIK surgery include infection, folds in the corneal flap, corneal damage, and under or over treatment. However, these risks are extremely rare, and the risk of complication can be further reduced when the procedure is performed by an experienced surgeon using the latest technology. If you are interested in LASIK, our Houston eye care specialists have the skills, knowledge, and training to help.
Benefits
Can you imagine life without glasses? The freedoms that would be afforded to you? The opportunities that would open up to you and the activities you'd be able to participate in? With LASIK surgery, all of these possibilities can be transformed into realities. Though the obvious benefit of LASIK surgery is improved vision, in some cases superior to the patient's vision at any time in his or her life, the secondary benefit is the freedom to do as you please without the inconveniences associated with corrective eyewear.
Undergoing LASIK surgery can truly be life changing. Many of our patients have reported back to us after surgery, exclaiming how amazing it is to no longer have to wear glasses after having been dependent on them for 20, 30, or 40 years. We invite you to join these patients in enjoying the many benefits that LASIK has to offer.
Learn More about LASIK Surgery
Please feel free to contact our Houston eye care center today to learn more about LASIK surgery or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Watkins. Our team educates our patients on their treatment options, and discusses the risks and benefits of each procedure in detail so that patients can make informed decisions regarding their eye care.
Our Services
What We Can Do For You
The Watkins Eye Center proudly offers comprehensive eye care and vision correction services, in addition to the most advanced refractive surgery options, such as PRELEX (presbyopic lens exchange) and iLasik with the IntraLase™. Houston patients may turn to us for:
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