Keys to Quality LASIK

In traditional LASIK surgery, the corneal flap is created with a blade. This generally provides good results, but it carries more risk and can be difficult to ensure an accurate depth and consistent results in all patients. Your doctor should also offer completely bladeless all-laser LASIK that delivers unprecedented accuracy and consistent results.

Our team of 14 eye care specialists all grew up in the region and are all now residents of Sioux Falls, Fargo, Bozeman, Omaha and Alexandria. If there is ever a need for you to be seen by one of our doctors, they are here for you day and night. Is your doctor from around here?

To decrease the risk of infection, your doctor should use completely separate, sterilized equipment for each eye, even if you are having both eyes done on the same day. Some surgery centers reuse blades and equipment on the second eye, which increases the risk of infection.

Wavefront technology should be used to measure the high and low order aberrations to calculate the total optical fingerprint for your eyes. Custom laser technology should be available to maximize the quality of your vision and reduce the risk of glare and halos at night.

Having the most advanced lasers and technology upgrades ensure your eyes have the most precise procedure. Vance Thompson Vision has two of the industry’s latest Excimer Lasers, the VISX STAR S4 and the Wavelight EX 500.

If an irregularity on the curvature of the cornea is not detected before surgery, you may experience poor results. Pentacam diagnoses these different irregularities and should be used as important pre-operative measurements to maximize a favorable outcome.

If corneal thickness is not measured or is measured incorrectly, there may not be enough tissue preserved during the surgery. As a result, you may have irregular vision. If the cornea is not thick enough for laser vision correction, then implant technology may be a great option for you.

Using drops with 1% Cyclogel dilates the pupil and relaxes the lens, allowing your doctor to achieve a more accurate measurement of nearsightedness or farsightedness and to ensure that the retina and internal eye are healthy.

Service from your doctor shouldn’t end with the procedure. Your after-care should include multiple follow-up visits between one day and two years after your refractive surgery. Vance Thompson Vision is committed to ensuring individual care for each patient, along with the highest level of experience available.

Vance Thompson Vision also offers advanced lens implant options for patients who may not be good candidates for LASIK or PRK. By offering these lens implants, we can help more patients lower their dependence on glasses without pushing laser technology past its capabilities.

Knowing the strength and resistance of the cornea is vital in determining which procedure is best suited for the patient. Your doctor should have this technology available when determining your treatment plan.

As one ages, the lens of the eye changes, causing changes in our best corrected visual acuity. Detecting internal light scatter can help your doctor understand if you are a good candidate for laser vision correction or best suited for an implantable technology.

Optimizing your tear film is vital to the success of refractive surgery. Gathering accurate pre-operative information with advanced diagnostics is so important for having a proper tear film composition. Successful outcomes are dependent on maintaining proper eye hydration. Is your doctor properly checking your eyes for dryness?

Don’t worry about your eye moving—advanced tracking technology follows the eye to make sure every laser pulse is put in an accurate location. In addition, the amount and quality of tear film are essential to how the cornea will heal after surgery. If your tear film is inadequate, we will correct it to an optimal level before proceeding.

Our doctors have been instrumental in pioneering LASIK from the beginning. Understanding the evolution of refractive surgery and knowing where things are headed helps our doctors make the best decisions for your individual case. In the end, who do you want to make your LASIK recommendation?