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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

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

What is the Allegretto Laser?

The Allegretto Laser is an FDA-approved laser system used to perform laser vision correction with the most advanced technology currently available.  It is the first laser approved by the FDA to treat a wide range of nearsightedness and farsightedness, with or without astigmatism.  This system corrects vision through a fast, accurate and safe procedure that leaves patients with vision that is 20/20 or better.  Most patients who undergo LASIK using the Allegretto Laser do not experience night glare or halos, symptoms commonly associated with the LASIK procedure.

This laser system uses a 0.9mm small-spot laser beam that transmits 200 pulses per second, more than any other laser currently available for the LASIK procedure.  Correcting one diopter of vision takes just four seconds of treatment.  The laser can also extend to treat an 8.0mm area, with a blend zone of 9.0mm, making it an ideal choice for patients with large pupils.

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Can the Allegretto Laser be used to treat astigmatism?

Yes, this procedure can be used to treat nearsighted patients with astigmatism of -.50 to -6.00, and farsighted patients with astigmatism of +.50 to +3.00.

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What are the benefits of using the Allegretto Laser for your LASIK procedure?

The Allegretto Wave Excimer Laser offers patients many benefits over other laser systems during the LASIK procedure, including increased speed, accuracy and safety. 

Some of the benefits offered by this laser system include:

  • Maintain prolate shape of the cornea
  • Does not induce higher order aberration
  • More accurate eye tracker
  • Wavefront Technology
  • Perfect Pulse Technology
  • Faster pulse rate than any other laser
  • Larger treatment areas

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What is the difference between prolate and oblate cornea curvatures?

The Allegretto Laser takes a different approach to reshaping the cornea.  While the normal shape of the cornea is higher in the center (prolate), most lasers flatten the cornea and make it oblate, which can lead to spherical aberration and a lower quality of vision, especially at night.  Many patients experience glares or halos after their LASIK procedure.

The Allegretto Laser maintains a prolate curvature while treating the cornea both centrally and peripherally.  This offers patients improved vision quality during day and night.

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What is Wavefront Technology?

Wavefront technology compensates for the curvature of the cornea and increases the size and location of the corrected area, effectively reducing side effects such as poor night vision, glare and halos.  Earlier laser vision correction techniques focused only on the centered front of the cornea, resulting in a flattened circular area that ended abruptly and created spherical aberrations that could lead to unwanted side effects.

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What is Perfect Pulse Technology?

Perfect Pulse Technology allows for complete control over nearly every aspect of the procedure, to ensure the most accurate level of correction possible.  These controls maintain the energy stability during the procedure so that each laser pulse creates the same result.  Perfect Pulse Technology maintains energy levels without being affected by room temperature or humidity, as some other lasers often are.

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What is the IntraLase procedure?

Also known as bladeless LASIK, the IntraLase procedure eliminates the need for a metal blade during the laser vision correction, and instead uses laser energy to create the corneal flap.  This procedure relieves many of the anxieties experienced by patients who felt uneasy about “going under the knife” for laser vision correction.

Using a laser to create the corneal flap allows your surgeon to have greater control over the procedure and usually helps produce more accurate results.  The results from the IntraLase procedures are often significantly better than the traditional LASIK procedure, with patients experiencing vision up to 20/12.5.  Over one million IntraLase procedures have been safely performed across the world.

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What are the benefits of the IntraLase procedure?

IntraLase offers patients many benefits over traditional LASIK using a blade.  Most patients achieve better vision quality with the IntraLase procedure, including strong night vision.  This procedure also allows your doctor to customize the corneal flap to fit exactly what’s best for your eye, by controlling the diameter, depth and angle with the use of the laser.

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Who is the IntraLase procedure best for?

While this procedure can be performed on nearly any patient seeking laser vision correction, it can be especially beneficial for patients with thin corneas, who are worried about the flap that would be created with a blade.  Many people with thinner corneas may not have been candidates for the traditional LASIK procedure because of the size of the flap that would be created with the microkeratome blade. 

IntraLase is also beneficial for patients who are uneasy about undergoing LASIK with a blade, and patients with dry eyes.  Dryness is common after laser vision correction, so patients whose eyes are already dry often worry about the effect this procedure will have on them.  Patients who undergo the IntraLase procedure do not usually experience the degree of dryness that those who undergo traditional LASIK do. 

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What is monovision laser correction?

Monovision laser correction uses the same technology as the traditional or IntraLase LASIK procedure, but corrects one eye to see well at distance and one to see objects close up.  This procedure is beneficial for patients with presbyopia, who want their distance vision corrected, but also want to avoid wearing glasses or contact lenses for reading and other up-close activities. 

Monovision correction is typically performed on patients who are accustomed to monovision from glasses or contact lenses, and enjoy the balanced correction they currently receive.  This procedure is most commonly performed on patients over the age of 40.  Some patients may be unable to adapt to the changes of monovision, and in these cases may require a reversal procedure.  Distance vision will then be corrected and reading glasses will still be required.

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What steps should I take on the day of my procedure?

On the day of your LASIK procedure, we recommend that patients dress comfortably and warm.  Please be sure to not wear any makeup, perfume, cologne, aftershave or scented moisturizers in the surgical suite. 

In order to ensure a smooth process for you and our other patients, we ask that you please arrive on time for your appointment so as to not interrupt our scheduling.  It is important for patients to have someone to drive them home after the procedure.  This person can stay with you at the center or can pick you up later.

Please review your consent form prior to your arrival at the center, and bring the form with you when you arrive.  This form is standard for all medical procedures and is meant to keep you informed on all aspects of your procedure.

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What can I expect after the LASIK procedure?

After LASIK, patients may experience blurry vision, stinging, redness and watering for the first few days.  Dr. Mitchell will provide you with several different types of eye drops to help alleviate these symptoms, but most will go away on their own within a few days. 

Patients can set their own limitations for activities after LASIK, depending on how they feel and how their vision is progressing.  You can return to work as soon as you like and resume driving once you feel comfortable.

Your progress after the procedure will be monitored during your follow-up visits scheduled with Dr. Mitchell.  Follow-up visits are scheduled after one day, one week, one month, and again after three, six and twelve months to ensure proper and thorough healing from your LASIK procedure.

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What steps should I take to care for my eyes after the LASIK procedure?

After LASIK, patients should go home and close their eyes for a few hours.  Upon waking, most will experience significant improvement in their vision.  Vision may be blurry for the first few days after the procedure, but will continue to improve over the next four weeks.  Full recovery may take three to six months. 

Patients should not rub their eyes or squeeze them tightly for the first week after the procedure.  Makeup and swimming should be avoided as well, and dusty environments should be avoided for five days. 

Dr. Mitchell may provide you with several different types of eye drops depending on your needs after the procedure.

  • Pred Forte – these drops are taken every two hours on the day of the procedure to reduce swelling, redness and inflammation
  • Vigamox – antibiotic drops to prevent infection, taken four times a day for five days
  • Lubricating drops – these can be used as much as desired to help relieve dryness
  • Restasis – prescription strength drops to also help relieve dryness
  • Percocet – pain relieving drops that can be taken if needed

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What risks are associated with laser vision correction?

Although LASIK is considered a safe procedure that most patients undergo with no long-term problems, there are certain risks associated with any type of surgical procedure. Some of these risks may include:

  • Infection
  • Irregular healing
  • Perforation of the cornea
  • Overcorrection
  • Retinal detachment
  • Hemorrhage
  • Cataract formation

Patients can reduce these risks by choosing a skilled and experienced surgeon like Dr. Mitchell to perform their laser vision correction procedure.

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Why should I choose Dr. Mitchell for my LASIK procedure?

Dr. Mitchell is a board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologist who has performed over 7,000 refractive procedures throughout extensive practice experience, including performing laser vision correction on many other doctors.  Dr. Mitchell has also trained hundreds of surgeons on use of the Excimer Laser.

As the Medical Director of the Mitchell Refractive Surgery and Eye Center, Dr. Mitchell performs all of his procedures in state-of-the-art facilities that were built exclusively for the LASIK procedure.  With these facilities and Dr. Mitchell’s expert skills, patients usually experience superior results, with more than 95% of our patients achieving 20/20 vision or better.

Dr. Mitchell is certified to use the latest laser technology, including both the VISX Star 4 Laser and the Allegretto Laser.  He also performs LASIK using the IntraLase bladeless laser technique, which creates the flap used in the traditional LASIK procedure without the use of a blade, offering patients a completely blade-free LASIK experience. 

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22023 State Road 7, Suite #102 Boca Raton, Florida 33428 Tel: 561.451.0655