Welcome to your resource for everything LASIK!

For some individuals it can be challenging, while for others it is no big deal. Since our team has performed over 100,000 LASIK procedures, we are confident that we can get you through it. This should not be an issue that determines whether or not you decide to undergo the LASIK procedure.

You can expect the following:

• Plan on being at Woolfson Eye for 2-3 hours
• Dress comfortably and warmly (the laser room is cool)
• Arrange for a ride home
• Procedure time of approximately 10-15 minutes
• Total laser time of 20-70 seconds per eye
• Rest comfortably after your LASIK procedure
• Eye drops and shields for use during sleep for first four days or as directed by your doctor

Your refraction must be performed on a stable eye and cornea. Our Contact Lens Removal Guidelines are as follows:

• Soft Daily Wear – 2 weeks
• Soft Extended Wear – 2 weeks
• RGP / Hard Lenses – 4 weeks plus 1 week per decade of wear
• Toric – Minimum 2 weeks

You should not wear any jewelry, makeup, perfume or hairspray on surgery day.

Woolfson Eye Institute feels strongly that an informed patient is a happy patient. During your comprehensive consultation, our doctors will ensure you understand the risks and benefits of having LASIK surgery in order for you to make the best decision for yourself.

Hundreds of eye doctors have had LASIK on their own eyes – Dr. Woolfson has operated on over 300 eye doctors. We feel this puts the relative risk in perspective, and we’re honored to have been chosen by so many eye doctors to do their surgery.

Most LASIK patients are functional and legal to drive the next day. We encourage patients to take a rest day after surgery. While most patients notice dramatic visual results within the first few days following their procedure, the speed of visual recovery depends on personal healing patterns and the amount of treatment provided. Patients with extremely high prescriptions, for instance, often recover more slowly, but tend to be some of our happiest patients.

We also encourage our patients to avoid swimming pools and hot tubs for one week. In addition, please do not participate in any ball sports for about a week.

With a busy schedule, including family, work, and other commitments, the amount of time you must allow for recovery is a valid concern for anyone considering laser eye surgery.

We sometimes tell our patients that “LASIK is like magic,” which of course is hyperbole, but for most patients, the recovery time following LASIK is minimal.

Patients commonly undergo the procedure and then have 20/20 vision (and minimal irritation to the eyes) the very next day.

Most patients are able to return to work the following day. Apart from your post-procedure instructions, you will be free to resume most of your normal activities, except for the restrictions below:

• Do not shower until the day following your procedure. When you do shower, avoid letting water directly in your eyes.
• Do not rub your eyes for at least seven (7) days.
• Do not wear eye makeup for one week.
• Do not drive the day of your procedure.
• Do not watch TV or read for prolonged periods of time for a few days.
• Wear your protective sunglasses for the first two days following your surgery.
• Do not exercise for one week.
• Avoid swimming, hot tubs and whirlpools for one week.
• Avoid outside and dusty environments for one week.
• Avoid contact sports that could result in an eye injury for one month.

We understand that many people research about LASIK recovery times before they have their procedure. If you’ve been researching and thinking about having laser vision correction surgery for a while now, but haven’t yet, give us a call today (contact us today) to schedule your free LASIK evaluation!

Woolfson Eye Institute has LASIK centers across the Southeast in Georgia (Atlanta/Sandy Springs, Airport Location, Cumming, Lawrenceville), North Carolina (Asheville), and Tennessee (Chattanooga, Knoxville). We are prepared to give you your best vision, so contact us today!

Woolfson Eye Institute’s Lifetime Assurance Plan is an exceptional vision care policy offering LASIK retreatments, known as enhancements, to patients throughout their lifetime. While most patients have a single successful treatment, a small percentage of patients may require a slight fine-tuning of their result. Patients who are eligible for the program receive enhancements with similar technology free of charge.

Eligible patients will be given a Woolfson Eye Institute Lifetime Assurance Passport to document their compliance in returning for post-operative visits and their yearly examinations with an affiliate eye doctor.

If you have any questions about the Lifetime Assurance Program, please call 1.866.LASER.22 (866.527.3722).

Depending on your prescription and how quickly you heal, you may experience the results of LASIK immediately. Most Woolfson Eye Institute patients are capable of reading the clock in the laser room moments after their procedure, and usually demonstrate legal driving vision the next day. You can expect your vision to continue to improve over the next few days or weeks, as your eye doctor monitors your progress at your regularly scheduled appointments.

For most patients, laser vision correction permanently reshapes the cornea, resulting in excellent vision even many years later. A small percentage of the more than 200,000 eyes that our surgeons have treated, have required a repeat treatment or a ‘LASIK enhancement.’

As with any other medical procedure, there are risks involved. Please visit our Risks & Benefits page to learn more.

Woolfson Eye Institute can assist you in obtaining financing with monthly payments as low as $48.00.

If you have a Medical Flex-Spending Account through your employer, you can use pre-tax earnings to reduce your effective cost by hundreds of dollars.

Many companies participate in our Group Advantage Plan, which can significantly reduce the cost of your procedure. Check with your employer; if they do not currently participate, we may be able to offer the program to your company prior to your payment for LASIK.

Of course, you also have the option of extending your payment period by using most major credit cards.

The process begins when you schedule your LASIK consultation with a Woolfson Eye Institute doctor or your private Woolfson Eye Institute-affiliated eye doctor who will provide a complete examination to assure that you are a candidate for LASIK. This pre-operative visit usually requires a dilation that can lengthen your visit and leave your vision temporarily blurred. Your doctor’s office then schedules your surgery, and your pre-op exam results are transferred to the Woolfson Eye Institute surgeon and Clinical Directors for careful planning of your procedure.

Following surgery, your doctor will closely monitor your progress for a full year. After your year of free follow-up care, you need to be seen on an annual basis in order to maintain eligibility for the Lifetime Assurance Plan.