Main Office

Dr. Black's Eye Associates of Southern Indiana
302 West 14th Street, Suite 100A
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Phone: (812) 284-0660
Monday—Friday | 8 a.m.– 5 p.m.

Vision Surgical Center

Dr. Black's Eye Associates of Southern Indiana
302 West 14th Street, Suite 100B
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Phone: (812) 284-1700
Monday—Friday | 8 a.m.– 5 p.m.

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What Can LASIK Surgery Correct?

How LASIK can change your life.

The advanced LASIK surgery we perform for our patients in Louisville and Kentuckiana can correct 3 specific types of common vision conditions. The technology used in LASIK surgery is safer and more effective than ever, and at our Vision Surgical Center in Jeffersonville we use the fastest laser available for LASIK.

Before describing the eye conditions that LASIK treats, it’s important to know whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure. Advances in technology have increased the number of people considered good LASIK candidates. This includes people who are farsighted, even though misconceptions persist that LASIK is only used to treat nearsighted patients.

We generally talk about a window for LASIK, referring to a potential patient’s age. Men and women in their mid-20s to mid-50s can usually benefit from the procedure. Because our eyes continue developing even into our early 20s, it’s usually a good idea to delay LASIK until a patient’s vision is stable. Between ages 40 and 50 our vision again starts changing and other eye conditions, such as cataracts may develop.

For people who are good LASIK candidates, these are the 3 eye conditions the procedure corrects:

Nearsightedness (Myopia)

Already the most common vision-related eye condition, nearsightedness is becoming even more prevalent. The likely reason is that people spend more time looking at screens and other extended near-vision tasks, causing eye fatigue. Myopia occurs when the cornea (the front surface of the eye) curves too sharply, or the eyeball itself is slightly longer than normal.

Nearsightedness causes light rays to focus in front of the retina, instead of directly on its surface, so that it’s harder to see objects at a distance. Nearsightedness is often an inherited condition and is usually corrected with eyeglasses or contact lens. Patients diagnosed with nearsightedness as a child can get LASIK after their vision is stable—which usually means having the same vision correction prescription for at least a year—to minimize or even eliminate their need for glasses or contacts

Farsightedness (Hyperopia)

Farsightedness affects about 25% of the population and is characterized by difficulty focusing on objects when they’re close. It occurs when light rays focus behind the retina, rather than directly on it. An eyeball of a farsighted person is shorter than normal. It’s fairly common for children who are born farsighted to outgrow the condition as the eyeball develops.

Even though the symptoms are similar—difficulty with near vision—farsightedness shouldn’t be confused with presbyopia. Presbyopia is an age-related condition that people often start noticing after about 40 years of age.

LASIK can greatly reduce or, in some cases, eliminate the need for glasses or contacts.

Astigmatism

Another very common vision problem, astigmatism is sometimes mistaken as an eye disease. It’s actually more like nearsightedness or farsightedness because it’s also a refractive error that can be corrected with glasses, contacts, or LASIK. It occurs when the cornea is asymmetrically shaped, such as being unevenly curved. Patients diagnosed with astigmatism may notice both near and distant blurry vision. Eye strain, headaches, and frequent squinting are some of the common astigmatism symptoms.

If you’ve been thinking about getting LASIK surgery and want to learn whether you’re a candidate for the procedure, you can contact us using the online form to request a consultation with an eye doctor in the Louisville area. Or you can call our main office at (812) 284-0660 to schedule an appointment at the location nearest you.

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