LASIK FAQs

No. We use a powerful numbing drop so that you feel no pain during LASIK. You may feel a sensation of pressure but most patients do not describe it as painful.

Yes. You are awake during the LASIK procedure. We give a medication to relax you, but it doesn’t put you to sleep.

No. Contacts alter the shape of your cornea. It is important that we work on the natural shape of your eye.

• Soft contact lenses must be discontinued for 2 weeks
• Toric contact lenses must be discontinued for 3 weeks
• Hard contact lens wearers must discontinue their contact lens wear for 5 full weeks minimum before their exam*
• Gas permeable lenses must be discontinued for 5 weeks minimum prior to your exam*

Most people have their LASIK performed on Monday or Friday and may return to work the next day. You should plan to rest the day of your LASIK.

• If you can avoid bumping your eye or getting something in your eye, you may return to work the next day
• We recommend no reading for 24 hours after surgery, but watching TV is fine

• Do not swim for 2 weeks
• Do not wear eye makeup for 1 week
• Do not participate in contact sports for 2 weeks
• Use protective eyewear for 3 months when playing sports where the eye could be hit (i.e. basketball); protective eyewear should be worn by everyone while playing sports with a higher probability of eye injury
• Do not rub your eye for 4 weeks
• Avoid getting soap, water, perfume, hairspray and aftershave in your eyes for 1 week
• Do not drive until your vision is clear (99% of Dr. Boling II’s patients are able to drive the morning after their LASIK)

Yes. The vision correction provided by your LASIK procedure is permanent once the healing process is complete.

Sometimes. Presbyopia, a natural part of the aging process, is the culprit for the need for reading glasses in your 40s. Since LASIK is a permanent procedure, individuals that had both eyes corrected for distance early in life will likely need reading glasses later in life, just like individuals who never required glasses for good distance vision.

There are options available to help reduce your need for reading glasses such as monovision.** This allows for one eye to be treated for distance vision and the other eye to be treated for near vision. Monovision is a good option for most of the population; however, it is important to further evaluate this option with a Boling Vision Center staff member to be sure this is the right option for you.

No. LASIK has been performed since the mid-90s in the U.S. It is actually the combination of 2 procedures; ALK and PRK, which have both been used for several decades worldwide.

The weeks following your surgery you may experience the following:

• Your vision may fluctuate during the first several weeks. This is usually due to dryness which is a common temporary side effect of LASIK that is treated with artificial tears.
• Your vision may be worse in dimly lit areas while your eyes are stabilizing.
• Night driving may be difficult due to a combination of low lighting and starbursts or glare around car lights. This is due to temporary post-operative dryness.
• Halos that persist after the first several weeks may indicate under correction. An enhancement (additional laser treatment) would fix under correction. There is no fee if an enhancement is needed.
• You may experience initial overcorrection if you are being treated for farsightedness. This usually stabilizes in 2 weeks.

Yes. LASIK was approved for the correction of hyperopia (farsightedness) in 1998. LASIK is also approved for the correction of myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism as well.