How can I Pay for LASIK?

LASIK has the potential to dramatically improve your uncorrected vision and reduce or eliminate your dependence on glasses and contact lenses. LASIK is also expensive. Fortunately, many eye surgeons offer LASIK financing to help you plan for this cost.

Third-Party Financing: Ask your LASIK surgeon if he or she works with any outside financing companies. These companies may give you a loan to pay for your LASIK surgery, and you will pay the loan back in increments.

The nature of these loans varies widely. There are short-term and long-term loans with different monthly payments and various interest rates. Ask your LASIK surgeon's financing department how you can apply for these loans.

In-House Financing: Some LASIK surgeons have their own payment plans. Your surgeon may let you pay a portion of your surgery every month, for a predetermined number of months. Oftentimes these in-house payment plans do not have interest. Not all surgeons offer such options however.

To learn more about your LASIK options, please contact an experienced eye surgeon in your area.

Choosing a LASIK Surgeon

If you've ever considered LASIK surgery, you've probably glanced at the pages and pages of websites of LASIK surgeons in your area. It can be futile and frustrating for someone who knows they don't want to wear contacts or glasses anymore, but doesn't know where to go to get it.

Choosing a LASIK surgeon can be a time consuming endeavor, but once you find the right doctor, you can rest easy. However, getting to that point requires asking questions of the LASIK surgeon, and you may need to visit more than one. Most LASIK surgeons will offer free consultations where you can ask any question you need to.

Questions to ask your LASIK surgeon include:

• What is your experience? How many LASIK surgeries have you performed?
  
• What is your success rate with LASIK?
  
• What can I expect from my LASIK surgery?
  
• Do you have patient testimonials I can see?
  
• What kind of laser is used in your LASIK surgeries?
  
• Do you perform custom LASIK?
  
• What are my options if I am not a LASIK candidate?
  
• What kind of financing do you offer?
  
• How do you handle emergencies?
  

These questions may start a dialog that brings up many other questions. A good LASIK surgeon should answer these questions without hesitation, as well as keep in mind that your safety and satisfaction are important from the moment they greet you.

If you are interested in LASIK, please contact the LASIK Directory to find an experienced LASIK surgeon in your area today.

Choosing the Right Sunglasses after LASIK

After LASIK, you may decide to ditch your prescription sunglasses or transition lenses. You may want to hold onto those lenses, just in case you find you can still benefit from them sometimes. If you also want to buy a new pair of sunglasses, here are some tips for choosing the most effective kinds.

When trying on sunglasses, look for:

• Wide, wraparound frames to block out light at every angle.
• Complete UVA/UVB protection – should block 99 to 100 percent.
• Dark lenses to block visible light that strains your eyes.
• Polarized lenses to reduce outdoor glare.

After your LASIK surgery, your eye surgeon may provide you with wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes. After your procedure, your eyes will be very sensitive to sunlight, and you should make sure you have sunglasses with adequate coverage and UVA/UVB protection.

Sunglasses are important for everyone, and in every season. The cumulative effect of UV rays in your unprotected eyes can be quite damaging. This damage can increase your risk of vision disorders like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. You can also get a sunburn on your cornea, a condition known as "snow blindness," especially if you engage in snow sports or other outdoor recreation without sunglasses.

Of course, you should also choose a pair of sunglasses you like. It is important to wear your sunglasses most days, especially in the first year after LASIK.

To learn more about what to expect after LASIK surgery, please contact an experienced eye surgeon in your area.

Can you Have Flap Dislocation Years after LASIK?

Flap dislocation, a rare LASIK complication, can apparently occur years down the road from the original procedure. One would think once the flap has healed, dislocation is unlikely; however, it seems that some instances of trauma provide enough force to dislodge the corneal flap.

An article in the May 2012 issue of EyeWorld shares the story of a patient who experienced flap dislocation 14 years after LASIK. The doctor of the patient is interviewed in the EyeWorld article, and he says part of the problem with a late flap dislocation is diagnosis, because the patient may not go directly to their eye doctor. For example, if a person who underwent a LASIK procedure many years ago is hit in the face with a baseball, he may go to the emergency room, thinking his eye has been injured. He may not immediately consider that the corneal flap created years ago was affected.

When dislocation occurs, a couple of problems can arise. Primarily the flap can get stria, which are folds in the flap. Another possible problem is epithelial ingrowth, which is the growth of cells beneath the flap. Both of these issues can cause poor vision.

Even though the risk of dislocation is present years after LASIK surgery, the complication remains rare. When it does arise, experienced eye surgeons can remove epithelium, smooth out stria and reposition the LASIK flap. If your eye is injured in any way after LASIK surgery, you should schedule an appointment with your eye surgeon.

If you are interested in learning more about LASIK, please contact an experienced eye doctor in your area.