Patient Forms

Laser vision correction is a type of laser eye surgery that improves vision by permanently changing the shape of the cornea (the clear covering of the front of the eye) with a laser.

We offer LASIK, or Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, Hyperopic Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (HLASIK), Hyperopic Photorefractive Keratectomy (HPRK) and Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK).

LASIK involves lifting a flap of the cornea and then applying the laser treatment below the surface. This is a technical procedure that allows for a more controlled healing process. During PRK the laser treatment is applied to the surface of the eye, making the healing process more extensive.

Yes, laser vision correction is extremely safe. Guided by one of our experienced ophthalmologists, a computer is used to gently reshape the outer surface of the cornea. Laser vision correction surgery has rapidly gained acceptance as the most advanced and revolutionary method of eliminating glasses since the introduction of contact lenses.

The procedure itself is brief and completely painless. Prior to surgery the surface of the eye is numbed with eye drops to eliminate any discomfort during the procedure.

Patients who opt to have LASIK can expect to have little to no discomfort following their treatment. PRK and HPRK patients experience some irritation, light sensitivity, and watering of their eyes for a few days after their procedure. Michigan Eye Institute will supply medication to relieve this discomfort.

Interested patients will need to set up a pre-operative consultation and examination with a Michigan Eye Institute Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. During this appointment, the doctor will determine if the patient is a good candidate for laser vision correction, review the details of the procedure with the patient, and answer any questions.

All patients undergo a complete surgical evaluation, which involves a complete eye exam, a corneal topography and a WavePrint Map. All information is then compiled by the surgeon and reviewed. Based upon findings of the reports, patient options are then presented and decided upon once the patient is confirmed to be a good candidate.

Laser vision correction surgery is an outpatient procedure. Michigan Eye Institute strongly recommends that all patients be accompanied by an adult to drive them home on the day of treatment, as well as their post-operative appointment the following day.

Patients should discontinue use of the following lenses prior to their surgery.

Soft Contact Lenses – 2 weeks prior
Toric Lenses – 2 to 3 weeks prior
Hard or Gas Permeable Contact Lenses – 4 weeks prior

Laser vision correction procedures takes minutes to complete. Even the most severe cases of myopia and astigmatism require only about one minute of exposure to the laser.

LASIK – Most patients are able to drive the next day, and see dramatic improvement in their vision by the end of the first week.

PRK – Due to the removal of the epithelium, Michigan Eye Institute monitors patients for two to three days after their treatment.

Yes. In fact, most patients choose to have both eyes treated at the same time to eliminate a second healing period. Patients who choose to have one eye treated at a time can have the second eye treated at any time that is convenient for them. A contact lens can be worn in the untreated eye or a spectacle lens can be changed to plain glass in front of the treated eye until the other eye is treated.

The unique 3D ActiveTrak element means that patients no longer have to hold their eye perfectly still. Instead, it automatically and instantaneously tracks the movements of the eye during the treatment.

Michigan Eye Institute Ophthalmologists and Optometrists advise patients to rest and stay home from work the day of treatment and possibly the day after laser vision correction has been performed. Most patients are able to return to work and resume normal activities, including sports, on the third day.

It is important to note that the risk of infection is low; however, patients must be careful for the first week to avoid certain activities like swimming and gardening.

Results indicate that most patients remain stable after six months. However, the laser will not stop the natural growth or aging processes of the eye, so candidates with a relatively stable prescription do best. Patients who require an enhancement or develop a problem will typically do so within the first few months following the procedure, not years later.

Unlike radial keratotomy, where night driving may be compromised by haloes or starbursts from car headlights, Michigan Eye Institute offers a solution that can reduce or eliminate night glare.

After treatment, patients will have required periodic visits for a year to ensure proper healing of the eye and to measure visual progress.

Patients are usually seen once or twice during the first two weeks. Then, one month, three months, six months, and 12 months after laser vision correction. After the first year, an annual eye examination should be performed regularly.

Overall, more than 95 percent of patients do not need to wear glasses after being treated. These patients are able to drive comfortably, play sports, or just watch TV without the hassle of corrective lenses.

WaveScan technology provides a measurement and a visual representation of vision based on the behavior of light waves. It compares light passing through the eye to the same light pattern from an eye that needs no vision correction.

WaveScan technology identifies and measures imperfections in an individual’s vision 25 times more precisely than standard methods used for glasses and contact lenses.

The WavePrint™ system creates the WavePrint Map, which provides a precise and more detailed analysis of a patient’s vision—like a “fingerprint,” so to speak. The doctor uses information from the WavePrint Map to plan a personalized treatment.

Presbyopia is the term used for the loss of reading vision that everybody experiences after age 40. Typically, one wears reading glasses or bifocals to compensate for the loss of reading vision.

When laser vision correction is performed, patients can choose to preserve some of their near vision by having their non-dominant eye left mildly nearsighted. This is called monovision and is a very successful approach to providing patients with both distance and reading vision.

Michigan Eye Institute employs the most advanced equipment to perform all of our laser vision correction treatments. We choose these systems based on their reliability, capabilities, and stability of results. If you have questions about which laser correction vision treatment is best for you, contact Michigan Eye Institute doctor.