LASIK Surgery

In Cleveland, OH

Dr. Rom with PatientIf you are looking to free yourself from glasses or contacts, Insight Eye Center offers LASIK for vision correction. Our Board Certified Ophthalmologist, Dr. Michael Rom, has performed thousands of LASIK procedures for patients in the Cleveland area. We encourage our patients to learn more about the procedure prior to scheduling a consultation. During an evaluation, you will have the opportunity to talk to the doctor and ask any questions you may have before deciding to move forward.

What is LASIK?

LASIK is an acronym for Laser-Assisted in-situ Keratomileusis, and it is the world’s most popular laser vision correction procedure. It is a safe, effective procedure that provides immediate results. LASIK has helped millions of people see clearly independent of glasses or contact lenses, and it makes it possible to resume a more active lifestyle. LASIK eye surgery is used to correct refractive errors. The treatment reshapes the cornea by removing a predetermined amount of corneal tissue based on the individual’s unique treatment plan. This reshaping of the cornea improves the eye’s focusing power and enhances patients’ visual acuity.

Choose Dr. Rom As Your LASIK Surgeon

“My eye doctor found cataracts on both my eyes and referred me to Dr. Rom. I am so grateful to Dr. Rom for his expertise and dedication concerning my eyesight. He removed the cataracts and gave me LASIK vision correction. I had no pain and have 20/20 vision for the first time in 45 years!” – G.G. “Dr. Rom and his staff calmed my anxiety and did a truly miraculous thing -perfect eye sight. The procedure ended up being a pleasant event and my recovery was so easy. I highly recommend LASIK and I highly recommend Dr. Rom – thank you for making my life better!” – Caleb C.

Learn More About Laser Vision Correction

Can Everyone Have LASIK?

No, about 65% to 80% of patients are good LASIK candidates. Some practices will offer a second opinion on what “good candidacy” is, and will claim that 90% of people are “great candidates”, but we always err on the side of caution. We aren’t willing to perform LASIK on patients with contraindications just to make a quick buck, because we really do have our patients’ best interests in mind.

LASIK Candidates

If you’re over the age of 18 and have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, you may be a good candidate for LASIK. Ideal candidates are those who have:

  • No health issues that would affect the eyes.
  • No active eye conditions that may impact healing.
  • A stable vision prescription for at least one year.
  • An understanding and agree to the expected outcome.

To find out more about LASIK and if you are a good candidate, schedule a free evaluation at Insight Eye Center. If you are not a candidate for LASIK, you may be a good candidate for other vision correction procedures including PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy).

How Will My Vision Be After Laser Vision Correction?

In FDA clinical trials, the vast majority of patients see 20/20 or better after LASIK – in fact, more than half experience vision that is 20/16 or better afterward.

How Much Does LASIK Cost?

The cost of LASIK varies from practice to practice, and it varies by a lot. Your typical LASIK “mill” wherein low-experience surgeons are brought in to perform multiple surgeries in one heavy day can have prices that we’ve seen as low as $299 per eye. Compare that to the other extreme, where some surgeons charge close to $10,000 for bilateral procedures. These variations are predicated on differences in surgeon experience, technology, location, overhead, and many other factors. At Insight Eye Center, our price is very reasonable, all things considered, but the price does vary from patient-to-patient based on factors that are best left discussed with Dr. Rom or our staff. We do offer 0% financing to patients through CareCredit for all our procedures.

Risks Of LASIK Eye Surgery

Most patients are very pleased with the results of their refractive surgery. However, like any other medical procedure, there are risks involved. That’s why it is important for you to understand the limitations and possible complications of refractive surgery. Before undergoing a refractive procedure, you should carefully weigh the risks and benefits based on your own personal value system, and try to avoid being influenced by friends that have had the procedure or doctors encouraging you to do so.

    • Some patients lose vision. Some patients lose lines of vision on the vision chart that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery as a result of treatment.
    • Some patients develop debilitating visual symptoms. Some patients develop glare, halos, and/or double vision that can seriously affect nighttime vision. Even with good vision on the vision chart, some patients do not see as well in situations of low contrast, such as at night or in fog, after treatment as compared to before treatment.
    • You may be undertreated or overtreated. Only a certain percent of patients achieve 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts. You may require additional treatment, but additional treatment may not be possible. You may still need glasses or contact lenses after surgery. This may be true even if you only required a very weak prescription before surgery. If you used reading glasses before surgery, you may still need reading glasses after surgery.
    • Some patients may develop severe dry eye syndrome. As a result of surgery, your eye may not be able to produce enough tears to keep the eye moist and comfortable. Dry eye not only causes discomfort but can reduce visual quality due to intermittent blurring and other visual symptoms. This condition may be permanent. Intensive drop therapy and the use of plugs or other procedures may be required.
    • Results are generally not as good in patients with very large refractive errors of any type. You should discuss your expectations with your doctor and realize that you may still require glasses or contacts after the surgery.
    • For some farsighted patients, results may diminish with age. If you are farsighted, the level of improved vision you experience after surgery may decrease with age. This can occur if your manifest refraction (a vision exam with lenses before dilating drops) is very different from your cycloplegic refraction (a vision exam with lenses after dilating drops).

 

Different Types Of LASIK Treatments

Bilateral Simultaneous Treatment

You may choose to have LASIK surgery on both eyes at the same time or to have surgery on one eye at a time. Although the convenience of having surgery on both eyes on the same day is attractive, this practice is riskier than having two separate surgeries. If you decide to have one eye done at a time, you and your doctor will decide how long to wait before having surgery on the other eye. If both eyes are treated at the same time or before one eye has a chance to fully heal, you and your doctor do not have the advantage of being able to see how the first eye responds to surgery before the second eye is treated. Another disadvantage of having surgery on both eyes at the same time is that the vision in both eyes may be blurred after surgery until the initial healing process is over, rather than being able to rely on clear vision in at least one eye at all times.

Monovision LASIK

Monovision is one clinical technique used to deal with the correction of presbyopia, the gradual loss of the ability of the eye to change focus for close-up tasks that progresses with age. The intent of monovision is for the presbyopic patient to use one eye for distance viewing and one eye for near viewing. In the same way, with LASIK, a presbyopic patient has one eye operated on to correct the distance vision, and the other operated on to correct the near vision. In other words, the goal of the surgery is for one eye to have vision worse than 20/20, the commonly referred to goal for LASIK surgical correction of distance vision.

Since one eye is corrected for distance viewing and the other eye is corrected for near viewing, the two eyes no longer work together. This results in poorer quality vision and a decrease in-depth perception. Many patients cannot get used to having one eye blurred at all times. Therefore, if you are considering monovision with LASIK, make sure you go through a trial period with contact lenses to see if you can tolerate monovision, before having the surgery performed on your eyes. Find out if you pass your state’s driver’s license requirements with monovision. In addition, you should consider how much your presbyopia is expected to increase in the future. Ask your doctor when you should expect the results of your monovision surgery to no longer be enough for you to see near-by objects clearly without the aid of glasses or contacts, or when a second surgery might be required to further correct your near vision.

Finding The Right LASIK Surgeon

If you are considering refractive surgery, make sure you:

  • Compare. The levels of risk and benefit vary slightly not only from procedure to procedure, but from device to device depending on the manufacturer, and from surgeon to surgeon depending on their level of experience with a particular procedure.
  • Don’t base your decision simply on cost and don’t settle for the first eye center, doctor, or procedure you investigate. Remember that the decisions you make about your eyes and refractive surgery will affect you for the rest of your life.
  • Be wary of eye centers that advertise, “20/20 vision or your money back” or “package deals.” There are never any guarantees in medicine.
  • Read. It is important for you to read the patient handbook provided to your doctor by the manufacturer of the device used to perform the refractive procedure. Your doctor should provide you with this handbook and be willing to discuss his/her outcomes (successes as well as complications) compared to the results of studies outlined in the handbook.

Be cautious about “slick” advertising and/or deals that sound “too good to be true.” Remember, they usually are. There is a lot of competition resulting in a great deal of advertising and bidding for your business.

Schedule A Free LASIK Evaluation

Most patients see 20/20 or better after LASIK! People come from all over Cleveland to have LASIK at Insight Eye Center. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Michael Rom. Call our Mentor office at (440) 205-5840 or our Chardon office at (440) 286-1188. Our practice serves Mentor, Chardon, OH, and the surrounding Cleveland areas.