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 Your Visit
What you should expect
For the Evaluation
- If you wear soft contact lenses, you must be without your lenses 1 week prior to your appointment date. If you wear hard contact lenses, you must not wear your lenses 3 weeks prior to your appointment date.
- The doctors will use two different dilating drops during the exam to dilate your eyes to the maximum degree. Although we provide shaded inserts for your glasses, you may find your own sunglasses much more comfortable to use after the examination.
- You will most likely be able to drive yourself home after having your eyes dilated; however, some people find it more comfortable to have a friend or family member drive them.
- The evaluation takes approximately 3 hours. Please be prepared for some wait time between testing and for the dilating drops to take effect. The doctors and staff will be happy to assist with any questions during these wait times.
- If you are a candidate for a Laser Vision Correction procedure, you can discuss dates and payments with the refractive surgical/financial coordinator immediately following your examination.
Before surgery
- Before surgery, you should stop using creams, lotions, makeup and perfumes. These products as well as debris along the eyelashes may increase the risk of infection during and after surgery.
- Arrange for transportation to and from the Millennium Park Eye Center for your surgery and one-day follow-up visit. On the day of surgery, you may choose to take some medicine to help you relax and your vision may be somewhat blurry after treatment. Even if you plan to take public transportation or a taxi, please ensure that someone will escort you home after surgery.
- Please eat a meal before arriving to the Millennium Park Eye Center on the day of treatment.
- Ensure that all questions and concerns about your Laser Vision Correction procedure have been answered.
- Payment for Laser Vision Correction procedures is due in full 48 hours before the time of service. Please call 312-996-2020 to speak to the refractive surgical/financial coordinator.
During Surgery
- Laser Vision Correction Surgery normally takes less than 30 minutes, however, you should plan to be at the Millennium Park Eye Center for approximately 3-4 hours on the day of treatment.
- The doctors will escort you to the laser room and have you lie on your back in a reclining chair. The laser system includes a large machine with a microscope attached to it and a computer screen.
- Numbing drops will be placed in your eye, the area around your eye will be cleaned, and an instrument called a lid speculum will be used to hold your eyelids open. Your vision will dim while a suction ring is put on your eye. You may feel the pressure and experience some discomfort during this part of the procedure.
- Traditionally, the microkeratome, a cutting instrument, is attached to the suction ring to cut a flap in your cornea. With the newer INTRALASE METHOD TM, 100% blade free, tiny pulses of laser light pass harmlessly through the outer portion of your cornea and form a uniform layer of microscopic bubbles, creating the corneal flap just beneath the surface of your eye.
- The doctor will then lift the flap and fold it back on its hinge, and dry the exposed tissue. The treating laser will be positioned over your eye and you will be asked to stare at a light. When your eye is in the correct position, your doctor will start the laser.
- After the pulses of laser energy vaporize the corneal tissue, the flap is put back into position.
- A clear shield is placed over your eye at the end of the procedure as protection, since no stitches are used to hold the flap in place. It is important for you to wear this shield to prevent you from rubbing your eye and putting pressure on your eye while you sleep, and to protect your eye from accidentally being hit or poked until the flap has healed.
- Immediately after the procedure, your eye may burn, itch, or feel like there is something in it. You may experience some discomfort, or in some cases, mild pain and your doctor may suggest you take a mild pain reliever. Your eyes may tear or water and your vision will probably be hazy or blurry. Please refrain from rubbing or touching your eyes.
After Surgery
- You will return to the Millennium Park Eye center the next day for a 1-day follow-up visit. At this visit, the doctor will remove the eye shield, test your vision, and examine your eye.
- After Laser Vision Correction surgery, it is very important to keep all post-operative appointments with your doctor. The recommended exam dates following Laser Vision Correction Surgery are:
- One Day
- One Week
- One Month
- Three Month
- One Year
These appointment time increments can be changed due to scheduling difficulties. As long as you continue to see your physician at the recommended times, any enhancements needed within the first year of treatment are included in the original procedure fee. Please contact the refractive surgical/financial coordinator at 312.996.2020 for more information.
Contact the Millennium Park Eye Center immediately if you develop any new, unusual or worsening symptoms at any point after surgery. |
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