LASIK Portland

What is LASIK?

LASIK or Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is one of the most successful surgical procedures in the world today. The more modern version of this laser vision correction procedure, Sub-Bowman keratomileusis (SBK), is just as successful and can be used to treat farsightedness (hyperopia), nearsightedness (myopia), presbyopia, and astigmatism. Doctor Tersigni and Tersigni Vision use information gained from your Tersigni Vision Advanced Ocular Analysis, performed early in the process, to fully map the eye’s interior and surface to ensure complete precision during the LASIK procedure.

And, as technology has advanced, there are now many patients who have previously been told they are not a candidate either because they were too old, too young, or have astigmatism, who can now have LASIK eye surgery or one of the modern LASIK alternatives offered at Tersigni Vision.

Candidacy Questions

How can LASIK surgery at Tersigni Vision improve my quality of life?

Your quality of life can be greatly enhanced by the clearer vision LASIK provides. The reduced dependence on corrective lenses, such as eyeglasses and contact lenses, improves your comfort and confidence in everyday life.

Who is a candidate for LASIK surgery?

When determining who are the best candidates for LASIK laser vision correction surgery there are several factors to consider. LASIK may be able to help overcome refractive error and achieve clear vision if you:

• have farsightedness, nearsightedness, presbyopia, or astigmatism
• have had stable eyeglasses or contact prescription for a year
• are at least 18 years old
• are in good health

Even if you are not a candidate for LASIK, you may be a candidate for one of the many modern LASIK alternatives that we provide at Tersigni Vision.

Does Tersigni Vision offer refractive surgery for those who aren’t suitable for LASIK?

Yes, Tersigni Vision provides the full range of refractive surgery options beyond LASIK for those who aren’t suitable candidates. These may include PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy), ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens), RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange), and more. There are many tools and technologies available to us to help eliminate your need for an eyeglass prescription.

How is my eye examined before LASIK surgery at Tersigni Vision?

At Tersigni Vision, we perform a comprehensive eye exam before recommending LASIK. This includes evaluating your cornea, retina, eye pressure, and other aspects of your eye health. This guarantees that the process is appropriate and tailored to your particular needs.

How does LASIK address astigmatism?

At Tersigni Vision, LASIK treats astigmatism by reshaping the cornea to correct the uneven light refraction, enhancing your visual perception and reducing your dependence on corrective lenses.

Can LASIK make you go blind?

There haven’t been any incidents of blindness directly linked to LASIK reported. The safest elective surgery in the world, according to research, is LASIK surgery. Although there is still risk with any medical procedure, wearing contact lenses actually has a significantly higher risk of eye damage, visual impairment, and vision loss than does laser eye surgery. To minimize any potential hazards, Tersigni Vision will only perform LASIK on approved patients with healthy eyes. We will spend as much time as you need to make sure you understand the advantages and disadvantages of LASIK so you can decide if it is the ideal procedure for you.

What is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s stance on LASIK?

The FDA has approved LASIK as a safe and effective procedure for correcting certain vision problems. At Tersigni Vision, we only use FDA-approved technology and techniques for LASIK and other vision correction procedures.

Can dry eye syndrome affect my LASIK surgery results?

LASIK surgery outcomes may be impacted by dry eye syndrome. Because of this, we extensively evaluate your eye health before recommending LASIK, assessing for dry eyes among other things. Prior to LASIK, we might recommend treatment if you have dry eyes.

Can I get LASIK surgery at Tersigni Vision if I have keratoconus?

LASIK may be ineffective or inappropriate for someone with keratoconus, which is a disease of the cornea. For individuals with keratoconus, however, we provide a number of alternative vision correction solutions. Dr. Tersigni will perform a thorough eye examination so that we can choose the most appropriate course of action for you.

Can having glaucoma affect my eligibility for LASIK surgery at Tersigni Vision?

Yes, glaucoma can affect your eligibility for LASIK surgery, but it doesn’t automatically exclude you from being a candidate. We will do a thorough eye exam to assess your unique circumstances and offer the best guidance.

How does LASIK affect the retina?

LASIK is performed on the cornea, which is on the front of the eye, and the retina is not directly involved. To guarantee overall eye health and suitability for the procedure, we do perform a careful retinal examination before surgery.

How Can I Pay for LASIK?

Even though there is an upfront expense associated with a vision correction surgery, for the majority of patients, it ultimately works out to be substantially less than the lifetime cost of glasses and contacts.

All standard payment methods are accepted by Tersigni Vision, including cash, credit card, checks, and more. While LASIK and other laser vision correction surgeries are usually not covered by insurance, we can also work with Medical Savings Accounts  (MSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). A LASIK procedure in Portland is also tax-deductible, and we have financing options to best fit your budget.

See our Affordable Financing Options

Technology Questions

What technology does Tersigni Vision use for laser surgery?

Tersigni Vision uses state-of-the-art femtosecond laser technology and an excimer laser for LASIK surgery. The femtosecond laser creates a thin surgical flap in the cornea, and the excimer laser is then used to reshape the underlying corneal tissue with incredible precision.

What role does the excimer laser play in LASIK surgery at Tersigni Vision?

The Excimer laser plays a key role in LASIK surgery, precisely removing corneal tissue to reshape the cornea. This helps correct refractive errors such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism, improving your visual acuity.

What is SBK?

LASIK was initially conducted with a microkeratome, or mechanically controlled blade. Although it was an excellent procedure, it wasn’t quite as precise as many surgeons would have liked. However, it was safe and helped a lot of patients.

From this desire for better precision came the femtosecond laser used in SBK. This laser is more accurate, comfortable, precise and predictable. This has allowed many patients who were previously excluded from LASIK to be able to enjoy the freedom and confidence that SBK LASIK provides.

What is Wavefront?

The latest technology in LASIK includes wavefront-optimized, wavefront-guided, and topography-guided LASIK procedures. These are collectively referred to as “custom” treatments. With the aid of these technologies, Dr. Tersigni can provide a more magnified image of the tiniest details of the eye. He does this by using precise maps of the cornea. This allows for a truly customized treatment and can sometimes help you have better vision than you can get in glasses or contacts.

What is the importance of accuracy and precision in LASIK surgery at Tersigni Vision?

A good LASIK procedure requires accuracy and precision at all times. With the help of corneal topography mapping and our excimer laser technology, we can precisely reshape your cornea to enhance your visual acuity.

How is corneal topography utilized in LASIK?

Corneal topography allows us to map the surface of your cornea, identifying irregularities and aiding in precise and individualized treatment planning. It ensures that the LASIK surgery improves your eye health and visual acuity with the highest accuracy and precision.

How does Tersigni Vision use wavefront technology in LASIK?

Wavefront technology helps us create a detailed 3D map of your eye, capturing minute imperfections that traditional methods may miss. The excimer laser is then guided by this information during LASIK surgery, perhaps resulting in better results and visual quality.

Procedure Question

What does the Day of Your LASIK Procedure look like?

Despite the procedure only taking about 15 minutes, on the day of your LASIK eye surgery, you should expect to be at Tersigni Vision in Portland for approximately two hours. You will also require someone to drive you home.

Special clothing does not need to be worn for the procedure. Sometimes, we may repeat some of the tests conducted during your Tersigni Vision Advanced Ocular Analysis to double-check that everything is accounted for.

When it’s time for the actual procedure, you will be given eye-numbing drops, and a gentle eyelid holder will be put in place so there will be no need to worry about blinking. The laser eye correction will then be performed first by creating the surgical flap with the femto-second laser, and then comes the excimer laser treatment, with each step usually taking less 20 seconds per eye.

How long does LASIK surgery take?

Dr. Tersigni, who performs LASIK in Portland, Oregon, has his patients expect to spend about  2-3 hours at our vision correction center on the day of their procedure. This allows them plenty of time to fill out any necessary paperwork, perform any necessary testing, complete the LASIK eye surgery (which only takes around 15 minutes), then take time to recover before leaving with someone to drive them home.

Do I need anesthesia during LASIK surgery?

Yes, we numb your eye with local anaesthetic in the form of eye drops during the treatment to ensure you feel as little discomfort as possible.

After LASIK Questions

After your LASIK procedure, your surgical technicians will give you post-operative instructions, as well as protective eye shields to use during sleep the first two nights.

Most LASIK eye surgery patients experience little, if any, discomfort during or after the procedure, though it’s not uncommon for your vision to be blurry for the first two to three hours. However, it won’t be long before you can see vivid, clear details without the use of glasses or contact lenses.

Most patients can return to work and daily routine the day following their surgery. Your surgeon will schedule a follow-up appointment for the day after your surgery to ensure that everything is healing correctly. At this appointment you will be cleared to return to regular activities.

How long does LASIK last?

The changes made to the eye’s cornea during laser eye surgery are permanent and should last the rest of your life. However, the eye will continue to age and change along with the rest of your body and those aging changes (most commonly presbyopia and cataracts) can affect your vision, leading to the need for reading glasses. Eventually, most everyone will need cataract surgery when they get older. Rarely, there are occasions where a LASIK enhancement is needed if the original surgery doesn’t achieve the desired results or your eye changes significantly for some other medical reason.

Will I need contact lenses or glasses after LASIK surgery?

After successful LASIK surgery, most patients no longer require contact lenses or need to wear glasses for clear vision. In the rare event of residual refractive error, temporary use of contact lenses or glasses may be needed.

Questions about Tersigni Vision and Dr. Tersigni

Does Tersigni Vision in Portland, Oregon provide LASIK surgery?

Yes, Tersigni Vision is proud to provide Portland LASIK eye surgery services to residents in Portland, Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest region.

What is the significance of board certification for a LASIK surgeon?

Board certification is critical as it confirms the LASIK surgeon has met specific training, skill, and experience standards. Dr. Tersigni is a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) with advanced training in LASIK and vision correction.

How does Tersigni Vision maintain a clean and safe clinic environment?

Tersigni Vision strictly adheres to the highest hygiene and safety standards to prevent infections. This includes frequent sanitization of our premises and surgical tools, use of personal protective equipment, and rigorous hand hygiene practices.

What is the difference between optometry and ophthalmology?

They are not the same even though they are both frequently referred to as eye doctors. Routine eye exams and the prescription of corrective lenses (such as glasses) are the main areas of focus in optometry. The comprehensive medical and surgical treatment of the eyes and visual system is the emphasis of the medical speciality of ophthalmology. Dr. Tersigni is a fellowship trained ophthalmologist and vision correction surgeon. This requires much more training than for an optometrist. An ophthalmologist has a medical degree and is an M.D. An optometrist does not have a full medical degree and is an O.D.

What qualifications does the physician at Tersigni Vision hold?

Our lead physician, Dr. Tersigni, is a fellowship trained ophthalmologist holding an M.D. degree. He is an expert in LASIK and other forms of refractive surgery and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of ophthalmology.

How does Tersigni Vision ensure patient satisfaction?

Patient satisfaction is at the heart of what we do at Tersigni Vision. To guarantee the best outcomes and a relaxing patient experience, we maintain open communication, offer individualized care, and use cutting-edge technology.

See the first article in our LASIK FAQ series: How Long Do The Results of LASIK Last?