Amy M. Rudser, O.D.
17685 Juniper Path Suite 205
Lakeville, MN 55044
Phone: 952-898-4088
Fax: 952-898-0883
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Frequently Asked Questions
LASIK
The hype is everywhere...
- Throw away your glasses
- A visual miracle—at discount prices
- Clear vision guaranteed
- Too good to be true?
- Consumers have often been led to believe that high-tech lasers do all the work so that excellent surgical outcomes are a given, and that the only difference between surgeons is the cost of their surgery.
- Some advertising misleads people to believe laser vision correction will rid them completely of their need for glasses and contacts.
In recent years there have been several advancements in technology to create not only better but also a greater number of options for patients to correct refractive error including the lenses for glasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery procedures.
Refractive surgery can be a great option for the right candidate and Dr. Rudser would be happy to discuss the latest and best options for your individual situation determined by results from extra testing. There are several different refractive surgery procedures available depending on each patient's unique situation. If you are a good candidate for refractive surgery, Dr. Rudser will refer you to a local ophthalmologist who specializes in corneal and refractive surgery procedures.
Over 1 million LASIK procedures a year are performed in America. With a number of high profile elite athletes including Tiger Woods and Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman singing LASIK's praises, the procedure has gained a tremendous amount of public attention. However, two major myths have come along with this heightened awareness:
Unfortunately, both of these conceptions are untrue and potentially dangerous. The truth is-excellent outcomes are directly dependent on the surgeon's abilities.
LASIK has a lengthy learning curve and consistently good outcomes are gained only by complete mastery of the surgery details and the experience of performing a high number of cases. While laser correction is an amazing process, perfect visual outcomes can not be guaranteed. As with any surgical procedure, there are limitations, risks and potential for side effects-even in the hands of highly experienced surgeons.
Selecting a skilled surgeon is difficult. Abilities and results vary widely and surgeons can't judge their own skills honestly, have a strong financial bias to perform procedures and their desire to perform surgery can result in aggressive screening, so don't select a surgeon on cost alone. Outcome statistics: can vary widely—or be misleading. Better surgeons track their success and complication rates and those with nothing to hide will share them with their patients.
Throw away your glasses?
LASIK has the potential to greatly reduce dependency on corrective lenses and in some cases glasses may not be required-but treatment is not a cure all. If you expect perfectly corrected vision as a result of treatment, you may be disappointed. It is also important that you are aware of the risks and side effects and that your motivation for LASIK is strong enough for you to accept them.
Role of Optometrists in LASIK:
Optometrists play a very important role in successful LASIK surgery. They have an inside view of LASIK, experienced in before and after surgery care, they see both good and bad outcomes. With your best interest at heart they tend to be more comprehensive in screening LASIK patients and are in an excellent position to guide patients to the most skilled surgeons. They regularly: assess complex eye measurements and parameters to discover if patients are good candidates, give objective viewpoints of results you can expect to achieve, share important measurements and eye health information with the surgeon, and will closely monitor your vision throughout your recovery to ensure proper healing and stability of vision.
To research LASIK further, visit the following sites:
