Providing LASIK Surgery to Residents of Iowa and Nebraska - LaserVision Correction
Many vision problems can be corrected by reshaping the cornea. The cornea plays an important role, in conjunction with the lens, in focusing the image onto the retina at the back of the eye. When the cornea does not have the proper shape, the image will not be in focus. By surgically altering the cornea to correct its shape, as with LASIK surgery at our office, serving Iowa, most or all of the blurriness can be eliminated.
Photo-Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) and Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery from our office near Iowa are two procedures that utilize lasers to reshape or change the curvature of the cornea to correct visual imperfections.
LASIK surgery, available to Iowa and Nebraska residents at LaserVision Correction, had its origins in 1949 by Dr. Barraquer – one of Dr. Schlichtemeier's professors. It has now evolved into a successful technique for correcting refractive errors. The current procedure, done on an outpatient basis, can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. LASIK surgery can correct a much higher degree of nearsightedness with or without astigmatism than any other refractive procedure, generally with excellent results.
The Procedure
During LASIK surgery at our office, serving Iowa, anesthetic eye drops are used to numb the eye. Dr. Schlichtemeier creates a flap in the tissue of the eye and then positions the eye under the excimer laser, which has been computer programmed to remove microscopic amounts of the internal corneal tissue. Removal of the tissue changes the curvature of the cornea.
If the patient is nearsighted, tissue closer to the central part of the cornea is removed to decrease the curvature or flatten the cornea.
If a patient is farsighted, tissue in the peripheral part of the cornea is removed to increase the curvature of the cornea.
To correct for astigmatism, selected tissue at certain angles is removed to insure that the cornea curves equally in all directions. After reshaping the cornea with the laser, Dr. Schlichtemeier returns the flap to its original position. The corneal tissue has extraordinary natural bonding qualities that allow effective healing without the use of stitches.
Since only local anesthetic is used, LASIK surgery patients at our office near Iowa remain awake during the procedure. The entire procedure takes only a few minutes. Improved vision is often possible immediately. Eye drops and night protection are needed for designated periods of time.
Advantages of LASIK :
- Faster healing time
- Rapid visual recovery
- The second eye can be done the same day
- Treatment of a wider range of nearsightedness
WaveLight ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Laser
Dr. Schlichtemeier uses the WaveLight ALLEGRETTO WAVE® laser to perform LASIK surgery at his office near Iowa. This is the most advanced laser available today. Some of the features of the WaveLight ALLEGRETTO WAVE® laser that help make laser vision correction procedures fast, safe, and effective include:
- PerfectPulse Technology® allowing the precise control of each laser pulse for highly accurate vision correction.
- Wavefront Optimized® technology which compensates for the curvature of the cornea, resulting in a more natural, curved cornea after treatment, reducing the occurrence of glare, halos, and night vision problems.
- High-speed eye-tracking technology which measures the eye’s location ever 4-6 milliseconds and automatically realigns the laser to ensure the accurate placement of each pulse.
- Energy control system for consistent treatment. The laser is first calibrated to the appropriate level for your procedure. Then, during treatment, each laser beam passes through three checkpoints on its way to the eye and is automatically adjusted if needed.
- Proprietary overlapping system, allowing each affected area to cool between laser pulses, resulting in a more comfortable procedure for the patient and faster healing than with other lasers.
To get strong, sharp vision without glasses or contacts, contact LaserVision Correction today.
