Pasadena Towers
800 East Colorado Blvd. Suite 450
Pasadena, CA 91101
Toll free: (888) 737-8732
Tel: (626) 449-6494
Fax: (626) 449-0813
LASIK (Laser in-Situ Keratomileusis), a procedure for patients who want to reduce their dependency on glasses and contact lenses, can correct visual problems due to nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. LASIK does not correct presbyopia, an aging process of the eye that decreases the ability to read small print after the age of 40.
LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive eye surgery. Dr. Stout, co-founder of the Laser Vision Correction Center at the Doheny Eye Institute at the University of Southern California (USC), started performing LASIK during clinical trials and continued offering the procedure once it was approved by the FDA in 1995. Dr. Stout has helped thousands of patients to achieve clear, crisp vision, and he can help you too. After LASIK, patients generally notice an immediate improvement in vision, with a more gradual refinement occurring over days or weeks. Patients usually achieve at least 20/40 vision, which is acceptable vision for driving according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. However, most patients may achieve 20/20 vision or better. To learn more about LASIK surgery, turn to our FAQs page for answers to some common questions.
Benefits of LASIK Surgery
LASIK offers numerous benefits over other forms of Laser Vision Correction. The procedure is completed in minutes. There is less risk of scarring, less surface area to heal, decreased risk of corneal haze, less postoperative discomfort, and a more rapid return of vision. Most patients can drive and return to work the day after their surgery.
Using new technologies and techniques physicians are generally able to correct refractive errors and restore clear, crisp vision. Procedures like LASIK allow people to decrease their dependence on glasses and contacts and to notice an immediate and dramatic improvement in their vision.
Read what Dr. Stout's patients have said about their LASIK surgery on our Testimonials page.
Contact Dr. Stout today for a free LASIK consultation.
Custom Cornea LASIK and Wavefront™ Technology
Custom Cornea LASIK uses advanced Wavefront™ technology to correct errors in vision that cannot be corrected through traditional LASIK. Traditional LASIK can correct only lower order aberrations (hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism). With custom LASIK, however, both lower and higher order aberrations can be corrected. Higher order aberrations are unique to each individual eye and can be measured using a Wavefront™ map, a 3-dimensional map of your eye. The information from this map is then transferred to the VISX Star 4™ Custom Cornea Laser where it is used to provide vision correction that is truly customized to your needs.
With Wavefront™ technology, patients are often able to attain 20/20 vision or better, and the risk of side effects such as halos and glare is reduced. To find out if you are a candidate for custom LASIK, contact Dr. Stout today.
The VISX Star 4™ Custom Cornea Laser System
Dr. Stout uses the VISX Star 4™ Custom Cornea Laser to perform LASIK surgeries. This is a state-of-the-art laser for vision correction. It is safe, incredibly accurate, and produces exceptional results. The immense precision of the VISX Star 4™ gives Dr. Stout the ability to correct highly individualized, complex vision problems.
Because the cornea is an uneven surface, minute areas will need more reshaping than others. The VISX Star 4™ Custom Cornea Laser is especially useful in its ability to adjust to your unique corneal shape. Other lasers may lack the ability to change their beam size and may therefore remove more of the cornea than is necessary during surgery. The VISX Star 4™ can change size and adapt to any cornea, and is therefore the laser of choice among refractive surgeons.
The VISX Star 4™ uses three-dimensional tracking technology. Unlike two-dimensional tracking lasers, the VISX Star 4™ can work with undilated pupils, improving LASIK accuracy. After LASIK surgery, the cornea is smooth—far smoother than with less advanced lasers.
Dr. Stout, through the University of Southern California Doheny Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, has access to the latest, state-of the-art technology—including the VISX Custom Cornea Laser System. Contact our practice to determine if you are eligible for custom LASIK surgery.
Photorefractive Keratotomy (PRK) Surgery
Photorefractive Keratotomy, also known as PRK, is similar to LASIK in that it is a laser eye surgery designed to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. As with LASIK, PRK reshapes the cornea so that light entering the eye will be properly focused on the retina. Unlike LASIK surgery, however, the PRK procedure is performed on the surface of the cornea rather than underneath it, so no flap is required. For this reason, PRK is sometimes referred to as "flapless LASIK", or "LASIK without the flap."
The advantage of PRK is its high degree of success in correcting nearsightedness in particular. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, 86 percent of patients who undergo PRK surgery develop 20/20 vision post-surgery, and 95 to 98 percent develop 20/40 vision or better. The disadvantages of PRK include mild post-surgery discomfort such as watering of the eyes, a longer amount of time to attain the final corrected vision result, and a slightly less predictable outcome.
If you would like to schedule a complimentary LASIK or PRK consultation, contact Dr. Stout today.