Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Am I a good candidate for LASIK?

A: You will need to undergo a thorough exam from your eye doctor to determine whether you're a candidate for LASIK. You must be at least 18 years old, in good general health, and have generally good eye health with no diseases including, but not limited to cataracts and glaucoma.

LASIK surgery is intended to treat a wide range of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

Through either your initial exam with your eye doctor or your consultation at the Boston Center, the doctor will confirm if you're eligible for the procedure, explain the surgery, and answer any questions to help with your decision. Your doctor will also explain what you can results you can expect by measuring your prescription and examining your eyes and overall vision. The Boston Laser Eye Center® has an outstanding record of doing what is best for each individual patient and many people choose Boston based upon our reputation for outstanding patient care.

Q: What is Custom LASIK?

A: CustomLASIK is very similar to Conventional LASIK, but involves the use of a device called a wavefront analyzer. This allows the surgeon to tailor the traditional procedure to your individual eyes. This customized procedure can result in patients seeing clearer and sharper than ever before.

Q: What's the different between Custom and Conventional LASIK?

A: CustomLASIK uses a device called the wavefront analyzer to measure the contours of your eye, and the way in which light passes through it. A map of your cornea is then programmed into the laser, and your eye is treated based upon that map. CustomLASIK helps to treat "higher order" aberrations: imperfections in your eye that impact your vision. Higher order aberrations have not been previously treatable with Conventional LASIK.

The Conventional LASIK procedure is still a widely chosen option for many patients, though most LASIK patients now prefer CustomLASIK and the individualized level of care it provides. You can trust your eye care professional to help you decide which procedure is best for you.

Q: What can LASIK do for me?

A: The laser vision correction procedure has been extremely successful in reducing dependency on glasses and contact lenses but the degree of improvement still and will always vary for each individual. Although Boston cannot promise patients perfect vision, most patients with mild to moderate prescriptions do attain vision close to 20/20 or better, and the need for glasses or contacts is gone.

CustomLASIK is a very exciting development for the laser vision correction industry. Extensive studies have shown that CustomLASIK can improve not only what you can see but how well you can see it. In the past, vision was measured using a standard eye chart. The doctor would proclaim your vision as a number such as 20/20 based on how well you could see the letters on the chart. With CustomLASIK, doctors can focus on the quality of your vision as well. Many patients who have had CustomLASIK are able to see clearer than ever before. Furthermore, because the Custom procedure corrects the unique imperfections in each individual's eye, it is likely that night vision will be improved. Boston stands behind its patients' distance vision results for life because we have confidence in the stability of results over the long-term. The Lifetime Commitment SM program ensures free enhancement procedures for life for qualified nearsighted patients - and this commitment will be honored by any Laser Eye Center location in North America.

Q: How do I decide which procedure I should have?

A: Either your own eye doctor or a Laser Eye surgeon would be the best person to help with that decision. CustomLASIK is often what many patients choose now because of the level of customization. You should schedule a consultation with your own eye doctor or a Free Consultation with a surgeon at Boston Center to determine what is right for you.

Q: What does LASIK cost?

A: The price of the procedure is determined by the laser technology needed for your specific condition, and level of correction required. The cost of CustomLASIK is typically greater than the cost of Conventional LASIK because CustomLASIK is performed using some of the most advanced technology in the vision industry.

Q: Does the procedure hurt?

A: Most patients will use the word "uncomfortable" to describe the procedure. Typically, the anxiety and the fear of the unknown is the reason for most of the discomfort, as the procedure itself is relatively pain-free. Your eyes are numbed with anesthetic drops prior to surgery, and you also may be given a mild sedative. After your procedure, your eyes may feel irritation for a few hours or dryness, but most patients will nap after the procedure and feel dramatically better afterward. You will be given eye drops for any dryness you may experience for several days following the surgery.

Q: What can I expect with recovery?

A: Most LASIK patients usually see extraordinarily well within 24 hours following their surgery. Patients with higher prescriptions may need additional time and may recover more slowly. Although the speed of actual recovery depends on each individual person, most patients will be seeing clearly within the first few days following their procedure.

Q: What are the risks?

A: The chance of having a vision reducing complication is minimal according to a number of clinical studies to. Millions have had excellent results from laser vision correction. However, as with any major surgery, there are a few risks associated with the disease.

Potential complications include dryness, night glare, complications in making the surgical flap, under or over-correction, and loss of best-corrected vision. At Boston Laser Eye Centers, these and other risks of the surgery are discussed before to the surgery to assist each patient in making an educated decision about the procedure. We proceed with the surgery only when it is safe for each candidate. As well, extensive post-op care helps in identifying and addressing any potential complications that may arise during the healing process. The best way to prevent complications is to choose a surgeon who is experienced and respected in the community. This is one of the advantages of choosing Boston Center. Boston Center is careful to partner with only the most knowledgeable eye care professionals.