Please upgrade to the latest version of Flash Player.

Click here if you already have Flash Player installed.

Change Text Size

About Dr. Alan Mitchell

Dr. Mitchell, a board certified ophthalmologist, is one of an elite group of fellowship trained refractive surgeons and has performed over 10,000 refractive procedures. He is currently Medical Director of the Mitchell Refractive Surgery and Eye Center. >>Read More About Dr. Mitchell

Eye Surgery

LASIK

LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a safe, reliable and painless way to improve vision and reduce or eliminate the need to wear glasses or contact lenses. LASIK changes the way light is bent, or refracted, as it passes through the cornea so that it focuses properly on the retina and objects can be seen clearly.

During the procedure, a device called a microkeratome cuts a thin flap in the surface of the cornea. Patients are given anesthesia so they can't feel the instruments. Next, the flap is then lifted and an excimer laser beam reshapes the cornea's curvature to improve vision. The flap is then closed and covered with a protective contact lens.

The entire procedure takes only 15-30 minutes per eye, and patients are often ready to leave within an hour or two. The flap heals on its own within a few days with no need for stitches.

A common complaint after surgery is sensitivity to light, but this will subside. Antibiotic eye drops will be prescribed for a few days, along with any other post-operative instructions. Full recovery takes a few weeks.

Cataract Surgery

During cataract surgery, a small ultrasonic probe is inserted into the eye which breaks up, or emulsifies, the cloudy lens into tiny pieces and gently sucks, or aspirates, those pieces out of the eye. Phaco surgery requires a small incision of only 3.2 mm or less. To make your procedure as painless as possible, anesthesia is a combination of local and/or topical along with IV sedation.

With the recent advance of foldable IOLs, artificial lenses can be implanted through the same small incision that is created in the phaco procedure. These IOLs are made of a flexible material, allowing them to be folded for implantation. Once inside the eye, the lens unfolds and returns to its original shape.

Laser for Cataracts

LASEK, or Laser Assisted Subepithelial Keratomileusis, is a modification of the LASIK procedure for patients with very thin or very steep corneas. First, the outer layer of the cornea (the epithelium) is cut with a trephine. The trephine has a much finer blade than the microkeratome used in LASIK. Next, the eye is bathed in a special alcohol solution that loosens the edges of the epithelial flap. The flap is lifted so the central cornea may be exposed and treated with an excimer laser. After treatment, the flap is replaced and allowed to heal. A contact lens may be worn for a few days until recovery is complete.

More of the cornea is exposed for treatment with LASEK than with LASIK, making LASEK a better choice for patients who require greater vision correction. However, it also requires a longer recovery time.