FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why do some people have to wear glasses and others don’t? 

When light enters the eye, it is refracted, or bent into focus, by the cornea and the lens of the eye.  If the focus isn’t exactly on the retina, the image is blurred and you need vision correction (eg. glasses or contacts) to see well.

What is LASER VISION CORRECTION (LVC)? 

With LVC, the cornea is re-shaped with a cool, invisible laser.  The goal of LVC is to decrease your dependence on glasses or contact lenses.

WHAT ISN’T LASER VISION CORRECTION (LVC)?

LVC isn’t a procedure that can cure eye disease (lazy eye, cataracts, etc), nor is it a way to gain “super vision.”

It seems like there are many different refractive procedures.  Which do you perform? 

At Eastern Maine Eye Associates, we perform LASIK, Epi-LASIK, PRK, and refractive lens exchange.  There is no single, ideal procedure that is right for every person’s visual needs.  You and your surgeon will decide which may be best for you.  LASIK is the best choice for about 80 percent of patients.

How does LASIK work?

In LASIK, the microkeratome (fine corneal blade) is used to create a flap in the very surface layer of the cornea.  The flap then is opened like the page of a book to expose tissue just below the cornea’s surface.  Next, the excimer laser is used to finely sculpt the cornea to reshape it to change the way it focuses light.  Finally, the flap is returned to its original position, without sutures.

How do I know if I’m a candidate?

Your medical history, medications, amount of correction, and eye health are all important factors that go into determining if LVC is best for you.   You should be at least 21 years old because prior to this age, your eyes may still be growing.  A detailed eye examination with specific corneal measurements will determine the best procedure for you.

How do I take the first step?

Call us to schedule your refractive surgery screening exam.  Bring your glasses.  You do not have to be out of your contact lenses for this exam.  If you are a candidate, we will have you back for a pre-surgery exam and exact eye measurements.

What are the costs?

Our fee covers the initial screening exams, surgery, and post-op care for 1 year.  Additionally, if you need any surgical enhancement within 1 year (about 5-10% of people need this), there is no additional charge.  You will see Dr. Self at each visit.  To maintain the highest quality of care, we do not actively compete with discount laser centers on price or volume.  We understand that price is a factor for many patients; therefore we do have financing available.  Please phone 207-942-4103 for more details or follow this link for FINANCING OPTIONS.

Which laser do you use?

We feel that the VISX Star S4 laser is the best laser for laser vision correction.  The laser ablation profiles are very smooth, minimizing glare and haloes.  Additionally, the S4 is the most tissue-sparing laser available.

How long will the procedure take?

The procedure itself takes just a few minutes per eye.  You will need to be in the office about an hour ahead of time, and will need to stay about 30 minutes after the procedure.  You will need someone with you as your vision may be blurry the first few hours after the procedure and because you will be given a mild oral sedative.

Is there any pain during LASIK?

During the LASIK procedure your eyes will be numbed with eye drops, so there is no pain.  Occasionally, a patient may feel a pressure-sensation.

Is there any pain after LASIK?

There may be some mild irritation (foreign-body sensation) for the first day, but this is usually very mild.

How much time do I need to take off from work?

Most people see well enough to drive and work the day after surgery.  However, we encourage you to avoid dusty conditions and extended periods of reading or computer work as these activities can irritate your eyes.  You will need to put drops in your eyes frequently.

What are the risks?

Just as with surgery anywhere on the body, laser vision correction involves some risk.  The majority of the possible complications involve the corneal flap.  The flap risks include bleeding, infection, swelling, inflammation, button-hole flap, free flap, and ingrowth of surface cells under the flap.  The flap makes LASIK recovery very quick and pain-free with little “down time.”  For those who can accept more inconvenience in exchange for less risk, Epi-LASIK may be a good choice.  Non-flap risks include delayed healing, over-healing, under- or over-correction, need for enhancement surgery, corneal ectasia (irregular bulging), and dry eye.

Will I need glasses ever again?

Just as your glasses prescription can change every few years, your eyes will continue to change over the years.  Most of this change is due to the aging of the crystalline lens in the eye.  There may be a point at which you will require a mild prescription again or a repeat refractive procedure, called an enhancement.  Also, when we reach age 40, we begin to need extra power to see things that are close (see “What is presbyopia?” below).

What is nearsightedness (myopia)?

Myopia occurs because the focusing power of the eye is too strong, and the image comes to focus in front of the retina so you see best at near.

What is farsightedness (hyperopia)?

In hyperopia, the focusing power of the eye is too weak, and the image does not come to focus before striking the retina so images at any distance are blurred.

What is astigmatism?

Astigmatism occurs when light entering the eye at one point is focused differently than light entering at another point.

What is presbyopia?

Presbyopia occurs after age 40 and is the increasing difficulty people have focusing on objects at near when wearing their distance correction (near sighted people continue to see well at near if they don’t wear distance glasses).  Laser vision correction cannot correct presbyopia, however, many people enjoy monovision to help decrease dependence on glasses for near.

Monovision is a system where your dominant eye is corrected to optimize your distance vision and the non-dominant eye is corrected to optimize intermediate-to-near vision.