We are happy that you are considering refractive surgery, such as LASIK or PRK. We
believe not everyone is a candidate for lasik surgery. When it comes to your eyes, being
discriminating is the right thing to do. Only careful examination of your eyes and your
individual case will determine whether the procedure is right for you.
There are many things you should consider before determining whether laser vision
correction is right for you. Laser vision correction is a surgical procedure and should be
approached in the same manner as any other surgery you may have; questions should be
asked and research should be done before making your decision to pursue this procedure.
For an ideal candidate, there are many advantages to having laser vision correction. Laser
vision correction gives most patients the freedom to enjoy their normal daily activities
without the dependence of corrective lenses. It some cases it allows people to pursue
careers that they would not have been eligible for without excellent vision. In general,
laser vision correction can make your life simpler and more enjoyable.
The goal of laser vision correction is to achieve the best visual result in the safest way.
The goal is not to eliminate glasses and contacts completely but to dramatically reduce
your dependence upon them in an attempt to help improve your quality of life. Night
driving glasses and reading glasses may always be needed even when an excellent visual
result is achieved.
Good candidates are at least 18 years of age, in good general health, and with no eye
diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma. . Candidates should be free of certain eye viruses
including herpes simplex and herpes zoster. Good candidates should also be free of
certain health problems including uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune or collagen
vascular disease, and any medication or condition that impairs the patient‘s immune
defenses or healing. A screening with an eye doctor trained in refractive surgery is the
best way to determine if you are a candidate and what your probable outcome may be.
It is important to be aware that this is an elective procedure and that there are alternative
forms of vision correction that are both non-surgical and surgical including eyeglasses
and contact lenses.
It is critical that a potential laser vision correction candidate has obtained a stable
prescription for at least one year. Since hormones may affect the stability of your
prescription, pregnant or nursing women are not eligible to pursue laser vision correction
until two menstrual cycles after nursing has been discontinued. This is to make sure that
the best results are achieved with the surgery, and to try to limit fluctuations in
prescription that can occur with hormonal shifts.
Complications are an inherent part of surgery and despite our best efforts, training, and
skill, we recognize that some patients will experience problems. It is our hope to educate
you as to what those problems may be so that you can make an informed decision
whether or not to proceed with the procedure. No one ever believes that they will be in
the small percentage of people that develops a significant complication, so it is important
for all candidates to appreciate that there are truly no guarantees.
When considering refractive surgery make sure that you consider the experience and
knowledge of the doctor(s) who provide your care. The levels of risk and benefit vary
according to the skills of the surgeon, his assistants, and the laser and other equipment
they use. While cost is a consideration, there are more important factors when choosing
a doctor and surgery center for your eyes. Remember that the decisions you make about
your eyes and refractive surgery will affect you for the rest of your life.
If you wear contact lenses, it is a good idea to stop wearing them before your baseline
evaluation and switch to wearing your glasses full-time. Contact lenses change the shape
of your cornea for up to several weeks after you have stopped using them depending on
the type of contact lenses you wear. Not leaving your contact lenses out long enough for
your cornea to assume its natural shape before surgery can have negative consequences.
If you wear:
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soft contact lenses you should stop wearing them for at least 1 week before your
initial evaluation
toric soft lenses , you should stop wearing them for at least 2 weeks before your
initial evaluation
rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, you should stop wearing them for at least 3
weeks for each decade that you have been wearing rigid lenses before your initial
evaluation.
We want you to make an informed decision about your eye surgery. That is why we will
provide you with a thorough examination and consultation so that you have the
information you need to decide if laser vision correction is right for you. Our goal is not
to perform as many procedures as possible, but to educate potential patients and advise
them as to whether or not they are good candidates.
Dr. Arffa is proud to be medical director at TLC Pittsburgh. TLC is the world leader in
vision correction services, including laser vision correction, with more than 50 centers
across the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Arffa and TLC offer The Lifetime CommitmentSM, for
which most patients are eligible. The TLC Lifetime Commitment is TLC’s assurance
that if a re-treatment is needed at any time in your life to maintain your distance vision
results, you will receive it free of charge, at any of their centers. While we cannot
guarantee that patients will have perfect vision for life, we will do everything we can to
help you maintain your best possible distance vision. You will receive free re-treatments
when they are medically advisable and will help maintain your distance vision.
Dr. Arffa has performed over 8,000 LASIK and PRK procedures. He is a referral
specialist in cornea and refractive surgery, and was chosen by other such specialists as
one of the “Best Doctors in America”. Dr. Arffa and his staff are committed to
providing you with the highest quality of care.