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LASIK & Advanced Vision Correction

Flaum Eye Institute / LASIK & Advanced Vision Correction / About Your Vision / Are you a Candidate?

Potential candidates should:

  • Have a stable prescription for at least 2 years
  • Best corrected vision is at least 20/40
  • Healthy eyes and corneas
  • Not suffer from any active systemic inflammatory disease
  • Over 18 years old
  • Not be pregnant

Preoperative evaluation

The decision to have laser vision correction depends on the results of an exhaustive preoperative evaluation. Just as you are a unique individual, each eye requires unique and careful examination with the best technology to determine if laser vision correction is for you.

Why so many tests?

Not everyone is a candidate for LASIK.

  • Orbscan Corneal Topographer: The shape and power of your cornea is a very important detail in determining safety for treatment.
  • Pupil Measurements: Your pupil size helps determine our ability to reduce the risks of halos, and night vision problems.
  • Corneal Thickness Measurement (Pachymetry): LASIK removes a small amount cornea tissue permanently. We want to make sure that the surgery preserves the stability of your cornea in the long run.
  • Wavefront sensing: We use the wavefront sensor to determine all of your eye's optical characteristics - beyond nearsightedness, farsightedness and or astigmatism.

Dr. MacRae turns away patients evaluated for surgery if he doesn't feel treatment is a safe option for them.

On the day of your preoperative exam, we will complete over 26 tests and points of evaluation including:

  • Three different tests to determine your current level of nearsightedness, farsightedness and five different tests to measure astigmatism.
  • Two tests that determine the thickness of your cornea.
  • Two different computerized analyses of the shape and architecture of your cornea.
  • Up to four different measurements of your pupil size under dim and bright light conditions.
  • An evaluation of all of the optical abnormalities of your eye using the Zywave wavefront sensor.This technology, which was invented at the University of Rochester, is not available in all laser vision correction centers.
  • A complete evaluation of your overall eye health. This should include measurements of your eye pressure and examination of the interior of your eye after your pupil is dilated with drops.

Whether you golf, run, or would simply like to enjoy life with less need for glasses, we will make sure that you receive the most customized treatment available to suit your everyday vision needs. The Flaum Eye Institute Refractive Surgery Center team will talk to you about your personal needs to ensure that laser vision correction is the right decision for you.

It is also important that patients considering laser vision correction have realistic goals and expectations. Your preoperative LASIK evaluation will help determine what procedure is best for you, or if laser vision correction isn't safe for you. The Flaum Eye Institute Refractive Surgery Center team is committed to providing you with honest answers regarding the safety and effectiveness of laser vision correction.