Pre-op Consultation
In preparation for your initial refractive consultation, you will need to remove your contact lenses at least one week before your appointment. If you do not wear contacts, continue to wear your eyeglasses as normal.
When you arrive for your appointment, you will be greeted by our front office staff for new-patient registration.
After registration, a technician from our PEOPLE SMILE & LASIK team will begin to take detailed measurements of your eyes through a series of tests, using multiple machines. During the exam, the technician will need to dilate your eyes. Once dilated, more measurements will be taken before meeting with the doctor.
While in with the doctor, you will continue with the exam. After all the testing is complete, the doctor will discuss the findings from the evaluation and give a recommendation for the best Lasik options for you. Once you and the doctor have come to a conclusion of if/when Lasik will be performed, surgery will be scheduled at the time of check-out.
The initial consultation typically lasts 2 to 2.5 hours.
Day of Surgery
After checking in for your surgery appointment, you will meet with your doctors to review your upcoming procedure. You will then be transferred to the surgery center to begin preparation, where medication with be administered before the procedure to help with any anxiety or discomfort.
During surgery, you will be coherent enough to follow simple instructions given by the surgeon. Although you will be awake during your procedure, your eyes will be numbed and you will be unaware of most of your surroundings. A PEOPLE SMILE & LASIK nurse or team member will be by your side to guide you throughout the entire length of the surgery.
After the procedure, your eyes will be evaluated by the doctors during a post-op examination. It is normal to experience a mild burning sensation or dryness after surgery.
You should expect to be at our office for at least 2 to 3 hours, but the procedure itself lasts less than 20 minutes. The pre-op and post-op care takes up the majority of time on the day of surgery.
Post-op Instructions
After surgery, you will be given multiple eye drops to use and a list post-op instructions to take home. You will also be advised to rest for the remainder of the day/evening.
Before you are discharged, a follow up appointment will be scheduled for you to return the next day for the doctor to review your healing and progress.
Although many patients see significantly better for their 1-day follow up appointment, results may vary. It is important to continue to be seen for a series of follow up exams, as scheduled: 1 week, 1 month, 3 months.
Once you are released of post-op care, you will be encouraged to see your primary optometrist for yearly eye exams.