Before Surgery:

The most natural response before your procedure is a mixture of both eager anticipation and nervousness. Most patients describe similar feelings before their surgery, so be assured this is normal. Your pre-operative medication will help you to relax.

• You may drink fluids or eat a light meal before surgery.

• Please, no alcohol before surgery.

• Take your high blood pressure, heart and breathing medications before Surgery.

• Wear comfortable clothing.

• Scrub your eyelashes with Eye-Scrubs the night before and the morning of the surgery. Do not use any eye drops the day of surgery.

• No eye makeup on the day of your LASIK.

• No soft contact lenses should be worn for 48 hours in the eye that is going to have the laser surgery.

• No hard or gas permeable contact lenses should be worn for 3-4 weeks in the eye that is going to have the laser surgery.

• Disposable/soft contact lenses and/or glasses can be worn in the interim.

• You will need to bring someone to drive you home or arrange for transportation.

What you will experience during surgery:

When you arrive for surgery, you will:
• Check in with the receptionist.
• Arrange payment for your surgery.
• Read and sign their consent form.
• Take your pre-operative medication with a small amount of water.

Should you have any questions, Dr. Kursar will be happy to speak with you before your LASIK. You will be taken to the patient preparation area where:

• The medical assistant will care for you.

• You will be asked to put on a surgical cap and shoe covers, but you will remain in your regular clothing.

• Several types of eyedrops will be placed in the eye to be treated. These include anesthetic eyedrops, antibiotic drops, anti-inflammatory drops and lubricating drops. It is very rare to react to any of these eyedrops, but if you have a history of any allergies, please inform our staff.

• Your other eye will be covered during your LASIK. (Remember to look at the red light during your LASIK).

Inside the Laser Room:

• Dr. Kursar always calibrates the laser before your LASIK. He programs the laser for your prescription before you even enter the laser room.

• You will be talked through each and every step of the way.

• You will be positioned on the patient laser bed.

• The patient bed will then be adjusted to precisely align your eye with the aiming system. Remember to look at the red light with both eyes open.

• To prevent blinking. A small eyelid speculum will be placed in position. The sensation to blink is eliminated with the anesthetic eyedrops.

During your laser surgery:

• Before the actual laser treatment, Dr. Kursar will take you through a practice session to familiarize you with the laser.

• The area on your eye where the procedure will be performed will be marked with a circular optical zone marker. You will feel a little pressure but no discomfort.

• The corneal flap will then be made. No pain is experienced. The vision in this eye will go dark as the flap is made. Dr. Kursar will ask you if your vision is going dark.

• The laser makes a clicking or snapping sound. No pain is experienced

• The laser produces debris and gases which have an unpleasant odor. Remember the Excimer Laser is a cool laser and no burning is produced.

• The Laser is performed in small steps. Most surgeries take 30-45 seconds stopping every 10 seconds to dry the corneal bed.

• It is not uncommon for a patient to move their eye during LASIK. Your eye should remain as steady as possible, but a little movement does not cause undo risk to your eye.

The Excimer Laser can be stopped and started precisely within a fraction of a second. Dr. Kursar maintains complete control during your LASIK.

• The corneal flap is allowed to air dry for 3-5 minutes to permit it to adhere.

• The eyelid speculum is removed and eyedrops instilled.