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WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW
BEFORE HAVING LASIK SURGERY

Let us help answer some of the most commonly asked questions
ISN’T ALL LASIK THE SAME?

No, there are about 140 variations on the Lasik procedure, based upon the equipment used. When the military
approved Lasik for astronauts in 2007, they chose iLasik. This represents a specific combination of all-laser
equipment, no blades involved, that yields what they felt to be the most accurate, fastest healing, and safest Lasik
available. This is the procedure of choice at Hale Vision, which has the only 5th generation Intralase Laser in the
Southeastern Wisconsin area, for the creation of the Lasik flap.
DO I HAVE TO STOP WEARING MY CONTACTS PRIOR TO A LASIK EXAM AND
PROCEDURE?

Yes, the FDA requires the removal of soft contacts for 2 weeks prior to Lasik exam and treatment (3 weeks for hard
contacts). These represent minimum times and in reality it could be longer depending on the condition of your cornea
which is usually related to your contact lens wearing history. At Hale Vision, we understand that this is an
inconvenience and have developed a “consultation system” that allows you to get a very good assessment of your
candidacy without the extended contact lens removal. However, as the only FDA laser physician certifier in the
Milwaukee area, Dr. Hale states “I can assure you that these contact lens requirements were created by the FDA and
are essential for the quality of your eventual results. Prospective patients should be wary of any facility that doesn’t
abide by them.”
WHAT WOULD DISQUALIFY YOU FOR HAVING LASIK?

Automatic disqualifiers are called “contra-indications” and include:
• Current Pregnancy & Breast Feeding • Collagen Vascular Diseases, ie, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, etc. • Autoimmune Disease and Immunodeficiency Disease • Active use of the drugs Accutane or Cordarone (or derivatives) in the past 6 Personal disqualifiers are often discovered during the evaluation and include:
• Thin corneas, some corneal scars, previous diseases or trauma to the eye, retinal diseases, too high of a prescription, and some other issues that can be found during the exam. Note that patients disqualified for Lasik may be eligible for another surgical option at Hale Vision as we are
not limited to laser only vision correction procedures. You should not abandon your search just because
you have something mentioned on the above lists or have been previously told you were not a candidate.
DOES HAVING “DRY EYES” MAKE ME A POOR CANDIDATE FOR LASIK?
Maybe, temporary dry eye is the number one side effect of Lasik, so this could be worsened by having a pre-existing condition of dry eye. If you have mild or moderate dry eye that can be cleared up, you may now be a candidate. However, if the dryness is severe or cannot be controlled, then one of our other non-laser solutions may be a better option for you. WILL MY NIGHT VISION BE WORSE AFTER LASIK?

Glare and halo can be somewhat worse after Lasik, even iLasik. This is usually temporary and mild and resolves as
the eye heals. In some case, night vision issues can linger due to the overall vision not being quite sharp enough. This
can be resolved with an enhancement or secondary “tuning” procedure. A very large study done in Europe showed a
rate of 1.2% of night vision issues with iLasik. This low rate is part of the reason that at Hale Vision we specialize in
iLasik.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A CENTER OR A SURGEON FOR LASIK?

Look at a surgeon’s commitment to the field, the depth of his experience and his reputation. The number of surgeries
performed is something usually touted by high volume, assembly line corporate laser centers, where volume is their
main goal in order to satisfy investors. The higher the reported number of surgeries, the less involvement the surgeon
typically has in each case.
• Dr. Hale is the only FDA physician certifier/proctor in Southeastern Wisconsin. • He brought the first Visx laser to the Milwaukee area. • He brought the first Intralase laser to Milwaukee. • He performed the first iLasik in Milwaukee • He began doing refractive surgery in 1984; 12 years before the lasers were approved. • He is on the staff of the Medical College of Wisconsin as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and participates in the refractive surgery training of the eye residents. • Dr. Hale created the Advanced Vision Correction Foundation, LLC and has been involved in the training of hundreds of doctors around the country, including most of those in the Milwaukee area, in different refractive surgery techniques over a period of twenty years. He is totally dedicated to this field and has earned the reputation worthy of a doctor who has devoted his professional life to the well-being of other’s vision, and to promote physician training in vision correction. HEAR FROM ONE OF OUR PAST PATIENTS

Prior to the surgery I was going through a rough time with my vision. I could no longer could wear contacts and my 20/2000 vision prevented me from enjoying active sports and hobbies that were dependant on excellent vision. I had dry eyes and was often uncomfortable while wearing glasses when working on computers at my graphic design job. The first LASIK surgeon I visited told me I was not a candidate for this type of procedure. Several months later I was delighted to discover I was a candidate by your requirements. Weeks later I was freed from glasses and contact lenses for the first time in my life. My girlfriend at the time (now my wife) also had LASIK a couple years later and she has also had fantastic results! Five years later my vision is excellent and I could not be happier. One of my new hobbies is flying remote controlled airplanes. With only the help of polarized sun glasses I have excellent long distant vision. Sincerely, Joshua Contact us at 262-789-9029 or contact@halevision.com to schedule your

Source: http://www.halevision.com/cm/pdfs/What%20you%20Should%20know%20before%20having%20Lasik%20Surgery.pdf