LASIK FAQs

LASIK is an outpatient surgical procedure that uses high-accuracy pulses of light to reshape the surface of the cornea (the lens on the front of the eye). The ultimate goal of LASIK is to help patients enjoy the comfort and freedom of clear vision without the use of glasses or contacts.

LASIK can correct most common eye conditions: nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism – allowing a majority of patients to achieve 20/20 vision or better.

Not everyone can be a candidate for LASIK. Certain eye, health and lifestyle conditions may disqualify some candidates from the procedure.

Are your eyes healthy (no cataracts, glaucoma, etc.)?

Your eyes must be healthy. If you have any condition that will affect how your eyes respond to surgery or the healing process, you must wait until that condition has totally healed. Conditions, such as cataracts and glaucoma may disqualify you immediately.

Are you over 18 years of age?

You must be an adult – 18 years or older to qualify.

Has your prescription remained stable?

You must have stable vision for at least one year. Many young adults experience changes in their prescriptions, and should wait until their eyes have “settled” into one prescription.

Are you NOT pregnant or nursing?

If you are pregnant or nursing, certain hormonal changes will affect your eyes. Surgery should not be performed until your hormones have “normalized” after pregnancy.

The industry average cost of LASIK is varied.

• Advertised prices can range from $600 per eye to $3500 per eye.
• On the low end are 'bait-and-switch' gimmicks designed to lure patients into calling with the intention of up-selling to a higher priced option. On the high end are surgeons that price services as a premium for ‘celebrity’ status or to reassure patients they are paying for the 'best'.
• Stewart Surgical provides services at a cost that allows us to offer the industry’s best equipment and to spend the time necessary to ensure predictable results.
• To help those that want the best results possible but need financial assistance, we offer 2-year, interest-free financing for qualified applicants. Monthly payments are as low as $150 per month.

One of the first questions many people ask is if LASIK is painful. You will be pleased to know:

• During surgery, most patients only feel slight pressure while some patients even report not feeling a thing.
• Valium will help calm your nerves.
• Following LASIK surgery, many patients experience mild irritation for several hours. Dr. Stewart’s skill combined with the quality of our advanced lasers help ensure a nearly painless experience and fast recovery time.

Dr. Stewart has a reputation for safety and predictable results that is among the best in his field. Despite this stellar track record, you should understand that LASIK – like any surgery – has potential risks. Some of these risks can occur before, during and after surgery. While most complications can be corrected or treated, some issues can be more problematic.

• In less than .03% of the cases, a cornea flap complication can occur during surgical preparation. This could be a free cap, a torn cap or a button-hole in the cornea. These types of intraoperative complications are extremely rare, but on occasion, can happen. Usually, the surgery is cancelled, the cornea is allowed to heal for 3 to 6 months, and LASIK can be done at a later date.
• Postoperative infections are extremely rare but can occur. The use of antibiotic drops after surgery, greatly reduces the risk of infection.
• Other potential risks include severe dry eye syndrome, various visual issues (halos, glare, starburst, double vision and loss of sight) and the continued need for glasses or contact lenses after the surgery.

Potential Need for Enhancements:

• The need for an enhancement is a possibility. The national average for patients requiring enhancements after surgery is about 8-10%. If you are extremely nearsighted, farsighted, or astigmatic, your chance for an enhancement is higher than the average patient.
• Farsighted patients have the tendency to regress more than nearsighted patients. Planning for this regression, Dr. Stewart uses 20 years of experience to carefully ‘overcorrect’ farsighted patients during surgery by 20%. This means that a farsighted patient will initially be nearsighted right after surgery. These patients' distance vision will continue to improve and perfect over a two to three week period.

Vision results vary greatly depending on the skill and experience of your surgeon and the quality of their equipment.

• Over 94% of Dr. Stewart’s patients experience prescription results of 20/20 (‘perfect’ vision).
• Many patients even experience 20/15 (better than 20/20).
• Certain unique eye conditions may not be conducive to these results; however, these patients may be able to drive without glasses or may only need them for certain activities after LASIK.
• Dr. Colby Stewart is proud of a 20-year track record of producing vision correction results and post-surgical eye health that places him in an elite group of surgeons throughout the nation.