FAQs

No. Before we begin your procedure, we will numb your eyes with eyedrops. You may feel some slight pressure created by the laser that lasts only 40 seconds, but the procedure itself shouldn’t hurt. Afterwards, any discomfort you feel will only last a few hours and generally can be relieved with a little sleep, the eyedrops provided, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

It takes approximately 20-30 minutes from the time you enter the laser suites to complete your laser vision correction.

Healing takes place quickly and with very little discomfort. You may notice some slight burning and watering in one or both eyes, but with sleep, drops and acetaminophen or ibuprofen, you will most likely feel no side effects by the next day. One discomfort that some report is dry eye, which occurs because the nerves of the cornea have been temporarily altered by the creation of the flap, in LASIK or removal of stroma in PRK. Eyedrops alleviate the symptoms. As far as your vision goes, most patients report good vision the day after surgery, which can continue to improve for two to six months and then will likely stabilize.

Results will vary from patient to patient, which is why the consultation and presurgical evaluation process is so very important. Each patient’s outcome is determined by the current condition of the eye, their eligibility for a procedure, eye anatomy, and eye and health histories. You can be sure that the level of expertise of Beach Eye Care will lead to helping you achieve your best possible outcome.

Improvement in vision is for a lifetime, but other conditions such as presbyopia and cataracts will necessitate future enhancements. After your eye has stabilized after the first two to six months, your vision will usually be maintained for 5-10 years. The requirement for reading glasses in the future, is generally the result of the normal aging process. Enhancements to further improve your vision may be an option and are needed in only 1-5% of patients each year.

Because your eyesight is so important, it is normal to experience a little fear and nervousness. Most patients feel a lot better about the procedure after their consultation and they are fully aware of the entire process. Also, knowing that serious complications are statistically uncommon will help to ease your fears.

The Beach Eye Care team will inform you about risks and potential complications associated with LASIK at your presurgical exam and in a written informed consent, ranging from very minor, short-term discomfort to serious complications, which are rare. We will also tell you what you can do to avoid some of these risks. Fortunately, the incidence of serious complications is low in the hands of a competent surgeon and the latest in laser vision correction technology.

Most state departments of motor vehicles grant unrestricted driving privileges if your vision is 20/40 or better. You’ll be happy to know that more than 90 percent of all Beach Eye Care LASIK patients have this level of vision or better the day after surgery.

While most patients can go back to work the day after their LASIK procedure, we recommend that if you work in a dusty environment or outdoors, that you wait a couple of days before returning. We also recommend that for the day or two after your procedure, you not schedule any important appointments or meetings, as there may be some slight irritation, watering or blurriness that may limit your visual sharpness.

Only around 7 percent of patients will require an enhancement procedure in the first year due to the eye under or overresponding. Because each person’s eye tissue responds differently to the excimer laser, if you do need an enhancement, you must wait for your eye to stabilize, which usually takes three to six months after the original surgery.

When an enhancement procedure is performed, the corneal flap will not need to be re-created. Instead, the surgeon, using a specialized instrument, gently lifts the preexisting flap and performs the additional laser treatment. Recovery time will usually be similar to that of the original procedure. You will not be charged an additional fee for such enhancement surgery within the first year. Enhancement procedures can also be performed years later if your eyesight changes over time with minimal fees.

Many patients seek out LASIK because their dry eyes make wearing contact lenses difficult. If you have significant dryness, there are pre-procedure treatments that can help keep your eyes moist after your LASIK procedure. Dry Eyes often follow a procedure and can be especially noticeable if you use a computer often, read for long periods of time, or drive long distances. For most, frequent use of lubricating eyedrops is sufficient for the first few weeks post-procedure. Punctal occlusion and Restasis are are medical treatments for dry eyes, if you have other eye conditions that will affect dry eye, it is important to discuss this with Beach Eye Care during your consultation.

Patients who have had certain types of eye surgery are sometimes candidates for LASIK or PRK as a second procedure to improve their vision. However, these are often more difficult surgeries and have less predictable results. A presurgical exam with Beach Eye Care will determine what may be the best course of action for your vision.

Some patients may find LASIK or PRK an appropriate option following procedures like radial keratotomy (RK), and find success as long as the patient’s vision is relatively stable and there is no significant corneal scarring or epithelial debris in the incisions.

Patients who have had a corneal transplant may also see enhanced results with LASIK or PRK, especially those who developed a high degree of astigmatism as a result of the prior surgery. A clear corneal transplant will allow good vision only if it has a relatively round surface. Laser vision correction can smooth out astigmatic curves in the cornea.

Your consultation will determine whether the thinness of your corneal tissue effects your expected outcome with a LASIK procedure. The care and meticulousness of the Beach Eye Care team will ensure that you receive the proper procedure for your overall eye health. If your corneas are very thin, you may find that another procedure such as PRK or an ICL (implantable collamer lens) may be more appropriate.

If you still require correction, you can return to wearing contacts temporarily within a few days. If you had no previous problems with contacts before LASIK, it is doubtful you will have problems afterward.

The chance of problems years down the road is very unlikely. Beach Eye Care can tell you all you need to know about the success, short- and long-term of LASIK and other vision correction procedures.

No. LASIK does not prevent cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment, macular degeneration, or any other eye disease. This is why it is very important that you continue to receive continued regular eye examinations. Eye doctors refer to LASIK as disease neutral, which means that LASIK does not prevent diseases, nor will it affect treatment of other eye conditions.

Some patients choose to have one eye treated at a time however, Drs. Neatrour and Jain generally to do both eyes on the same day. Having LASIK performed on both eyes helps speed recovery time, provides balanced vision nearly immediately, and saves you the time of having to make two trips to the Center for Vision Correction.

With all of the advances in technology in eye care almost, everyone can wear contact lenses. Today there are astigmatism-correcting, bifocal, daily disposable and extended wear lenses available.

Over the years contacts have proven to be a healthy vision correction option, however it is important that you maintain regularly scheduled eye exams so that your prescription stay up to date and so that we can make sure you maintain a healthy cornea. Also, it is extremely important to follow all of the steps in the care, cleaning, insertion and removal of your contacts.

There is no set age at which contact lens wear can begin. With proper vision correction need identified, contact lens wear is a viable option as early as 10 years of age.

Actually, sports vision care doctors support the use of contact lenses for athletes, due to contact lenses’ ability to enhance depth perception, peripheral vision and eye-hand coordination. They’re also comfortable and stay in place moreso than glasses. They are also easily worn beneath protective eyewear.

Yes. There are several lenses available for those with astigmatism. There are both gas permeable and soft contact lens options. We encourage you to schedule a consultation or eye exam with Beach Eye Care to discuss the different treatment options for astigmatism.

Not necessarily. Only through consultation with your optometrist, will you be able to determine the best lens for you. While soft contacts are a perfect option for many, there are eye conditions in which gas permeable lenses are the preferred option. Overall advances in contacts give wearers sharper vision, better corneal health and more ease in caring for lenses than in the past.

There are color altering contacts available, even if you don’t have a vision correction need. They are, however, still a prescribed medical device that must be fitted for by an eye care professional, and as such should never be shared with anyone. Sharing contact lenses can cause dangerous health problems.

Either choice is appropriate. An Optometrist (Doctors of Optometry, or O.D.s) performs eye exams, prescribes vision corrections, treats eye disease, fits contacts and dispenses eyeglasses. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors (M.D.s) who specialize in eye conditions and concentrate on eye surgery and treatment of disease. Beach Eye Care’s staff includes Drs. Neatrour and Jain, both board certified ophthalmologists; Drs. Lipton and Tang, board certified optometrists, who perform our contact lens care.

The cost of your lenses depends on the nature of your vision correction problem as well as the type of contact lens most appropriate for you. The range of costs vary greatly from fairly high-cost daily disposables to GP contacts though higher in initial cost, may actually last longer and yield the greatest value. We can explain in detail the difference in lenses and pricing and together determine what is best for you.

Whether you can sleep in them depends on the type of lens you wear, your tear production, eye health, as well as other factors. GP contact lenses and certain soft lenses can be slept in, but again, Beach Eye Care can instruct you in all of the proper wear and care procedures when you are fitted for your lenses.

Yes you can. Use your thumb and index finger to gently pull the eyelids apart. Our contact lens assistants will teach you the easiest techniques to succeed.

They aren’t. Hold the top lid up and rest the edge of the lens inside the lower lid with the lens slanting out. If you look down, the lens usually moves right onto the eye.

You can’t. The lens won’t fit right unless it’s centered, and it has a natural tendency to move to the center of your eye. We can show you how to move it into position if you do get the lens off of your cornea.

Don’t worry, this is completely impossible.

When you’re putting in your contacts, the lens will want to adhere to the wettest surface, and your finger may be wetter than your eye. Dry your finger, and let your lens air-dry for a few seconds before insertion.

One benefit of gas permeable lenses is that they can’t flip inside-out. With soft contacts, if the edge is flared out, it’s probably inside-out. Some soft lenses have little marks to help you know if they’re inside out.

If you’re wearing a GP contact lens, just pull your eyelid taut to the side and blink. It should pop right out. If you wear soft lenses, use a few drops of rewetting or solution to keep the lens wet. Look up, touch the lens, and let it slide down and over to the outside corner of the eye. The lens will bunch up without pinching, so it’s easy to fold and take out.

No. As long as you wash your hands and handle your contact lenses as directed, you should not have any trouble.