LASIK – Laser Vision Correction

A Play-by-Play of an actual LASIK procedure

You will enter the laser room and lie down on a reclining chair below a microscope that is part of the laser. When you look up into the laser, you will see a red light with a ring of lights around it. Dr. Stanley Braverman will ask you to look directly at this “fixation” light while the procedure is performed.

The LASIK Miami procedure usually takes about ten minutes. Numbing eye drops will be used to make your entire procedure painless. As each step is performed, Dr. Stanley Braverman will explain exactly what is happening. First one eye will be treated, then the other. The eye which is not being treated will be temporarily covered. You can have one or both eyes treated on the same day.

Usually both eyes are treated simultaneously. Dr. Braverman has found that patients tend to like this better and the recovery time is shorter. An eyelid holder will be placed between your eyelids to prevent you from blinking. Next, your surgeon will use a highly-refined instrument called a microkeratome to create the corneal flap. You will feel slight pressure but no discomfort. As a perfectly normal part of this procedure, your vision will become dark for a few seconds.

After the flap is created, you will be able to see the fixation light again. The protective flap will be folded back and the laser applied to the cornea beneath the flap. Generally, the laser is used for less than one minute. Then the flap is folded back into place, where it adheres naturally and securely without the need for sutures.