IamA (LASIK Surgeon) Here to answer any questions AMA!

What would be the outcome of a surgery if an earthquake happened during it?

That's a great question and because we're located in Los Angeles, California we're best equipped for that and to answer your question!

I've been in practice for almost 20 years and have not encountered this situation. That being said, we have a backup generator to complete the surgery should an earthquake occur.

Edit : Yes, sorry. The laser equipment will stop treatment the moment it detects movement. This way if you move, it will not affect the procedure. The same can be said for an earthquake. The backup generator allows us to finish the surgery after the earthquake.

I think he meant because of the shaking of an earthquake, affecting the precision work you are performing.

Yes, sorry. The laser equipment will stop treatment the moment it detects movement. This way if you move, it will not affect the procedure. The same can be said for an earthquake. The backup generator allows us to finish the surgery after the earthquake.

How often does lasik cause permanent loss of vision?

Great question! It is virtually impossible to go blind from LASIK since the procedure takes place on the surface of the outer cornea which does not affect the optics of the inside of the eye. It is very rare for loss of vision since LASIK has been around for 25 years so surgeons are better equipped and have more experience to prevent this.

At which age do you think people really should look for LASIK? It's possible to do a second surgery if the vision gets worse after the first?

As long as your prescription is stable and not changing you can get LASIK at 18 years old. The key is to schedule a consultation to see if you are a good candidate first.

How long does a prescription have to be stable to be considered?

In general, if your rx doesn't not change +/-0.50 D within 12 months, it's considered stable.

How does the procedure work for people who have astigmatisms? Or if their vision is mostly poor due to an astigmatism?

We are able to treat nearsightedness, farsightness and astigmatism during the same laser treatment. Our lasers are able to treat up to a -6.00 Diopter of astigmatism which most people don't have.

The key is to go for a consultation to see if you're a good candidate.

Here's some information about astigmatism:

http://www.iqlaservision.com/resources/clear-answers/

Why is LASIK still not covered by insurance but they will pay for glasses or contacts every year?

Some companies do cover for LASIK but not all of them. It is because it is an elective procedure. Many companies do offer it, so check for yours. For example, I work with many companies helping them offer their employees discounts. Ask your LASIK center or company if this something they might offer.

I went for a LASIK consultation and they told me my eyes are "too blue" for the procedure and I would end up not being able to drive at night due to halos. Didn't seem right to me.. Have you heard of this before?

That's a great question. Fortunately, there's an advanced LASIK procedure called topography-guided LASIK that helps reduced higher order aberration such as glare and halo.

Not all centers have this available so look around for a practice that has this and schedule a consultation with them to see if you're a good candidate.

We are one a few centers in California that offers this. Here's a link on our website for more information:

http://www.iqlaservision.com/our-technology/

Here's a more detailed article for your reference:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2258119/

Is there a best age range to get the surgery done? I am 22 and have worn glasses since 2nd grade.

Also, how likely is it that my eye sight will go back to "normal" after a few years?

Is it painful?

We like to perform LASIK on patients that have stable prescription. I'm comfortable doing surgery on an 18 year old as long as the prescription is stable based off the patient's history of exams. My enhancement rate is less than 1% meaning most of my patients do not need a re-treatment.

There is no pain during the surgery. There might be some discomfort afterwards for about 4 hours but most people don't experience it. The sensation you may feel is like when you tear up near an onion.

I had mine done in 2007 and everything has been great since apart from blurred vision when I have been using a PC for example all day.

As I never had "normal" sight before is this something that all people get?

Great question. Even without having LASIK people can suffer from computer vision syndrome. Below is a link for more information:

http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/computer-vision-syndrome#1

We recommend dry eye treatment for our patients as well as the 20/20/20/2 rule. This rule is to take a break from the computer every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds and then blink your eyes twice.

Here's a blog regarding dry eyes for your information:

http://www.iqlaservision.com/blog/3-stages-dry-eye-treatment/

I had lasik 6 year ago and now I have a noticeable double/triple image looking at LED lights when my eyes are dry. If I was your patient, should I go see you?

Yes, dry eye is prevalent even without having LASIK so it's best to treat that first to improve your vision.

Here's some information we provide for our patients in regards to dry eye syndrome.

http://www.iqlaservision.com/dry-eye-treatment/products/

Hope this helps!

I got laser surgery in November 2013 and I still a man unable to shoot lasers out of my eyes, when can I expect this to happen?

Give it 17 more years. I'm almost there, approaching 20 years since I had mine and I heard you get it at the 20 year mark.

Hi, thanks for the AMA. I am -7.5 in one eye and -7 in the other. Is there a lower limit where you wouldn't offer LASIK? Are any risks increased when the degree of correction is bigger?

Hi! It depends on other factors such as your corneal thickness and the shape of your cornea. I'm comfortable doing LASIK on prescriptions up to -10.00 if everything else is normal.

Another procedure I offer is the Visian ICL procedure for high rx cases. There's benefits of this such as no dry eyes and no glare and halo.

Here's more information about the ICL procedure:

http://www.iqlaservision.com/services-view/visian-icl/

Aqesome, thanks.

Your thoughts on Lasik vs PRK inn the long run?

Both are great procedures. It just depends on your case. I prefer LASIK since the healing time is faster and there's minimal discomfort after the procedure. Most of my patients drive to their post-op appointment the next day!

PRK is good for patients that have thinner corneas or have a suspicious looking topography. The only disadvantage of PRK is the longer recovery time and immediate improvement of vision.

Hope this helps!

So big question I've always wanted answered. I am big into astronomy and one of the things we deal with is something called "floaters." Basically the eye fluid breaking down and creating pockets of higher or lower refraction that can obscure diffuse and dim objects in low light. Can you tell me if LASIK increases, decreases, it has no effect on these? Also, how does LASIK affect someone who uses telescopes and binoculars regularly? Thanks!

Lasik usually does not affect floaters. However, it is possible for the floaters to be temporarily more or less noticeable if they may move into or out of the line of sight. There are treatments for severe floaters and we can refer you to some doctors that specialize in this treatment.

What is your favorite part of an average work day?

Thanks for this non-medical related question!

My favorite part of the day is doing surgeries since it's very rewarding to guide patients through this nerve-wracking process and see them the next day extremely happy and excited with their new vision.

I had my LASIK procedure almost 20 years ago and was extremely happy with my vision. (I still see 20/20 til this day!) I decided then to focus my medical training on LASIK so I can help people see and enjoy their lives without dealing with glasses and contacts!

1. Is it true that one should avoid certain sports after having LASIK done? I've heard conflicting answers to that.

2. How cool is the equipment?

During the recovery period, yes. I recommend patients to not do contacts sports for at least 2 weeks due to complications that might arise while the eye is still healing.

I've personally have treated many athletes and they have gone to participate in their sports with no problem. A great example of athletes getting LASIK and still performing their best if Chris Paul from the LA Clippers.

http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/chris-paul-seeing-benefits-after-offseason-lasik-procedure/

Hi Dr. Lin. Thanks for the AMA. I've been told my my doctor that my eyesight is borderline too bad for LASIK and I should consider the option of implantable contact lenses. What is your take on this procedure and it's risks?

I perform this procedure as well and think it's a wonderul alternative to LASIK if your doctor feels like it's the best option for you. There are risks involved that are not found with LASIK but they are very minimal. A good surgeon will be able to give you the results you want.

Is it true that you're temporarily blind after LASIK? I'm interested in getting it someday but that scares the ever loving crap out of me.

After the LASIK procedure your eyes are still healing and your vision may be blurry for a few hours but you are not blind. It's virtually impossible to go blind from LASIK since the procedure is only on the surface of the eye.

I understand that a sedative is given prior to the surgery and that the surgery is brief, but have you ever had to manage a patient that had a complete panic attack during the procedure, and how was that managed?

Yes, I've had over 50,000 patients during my surgeon career and I have met cases where patients panic but it is usually before we start the procedure. I like to talk to the patient before hand what specifically she will expect during the surgery and post. We also do offer medicine which will calm the nervers. I've never had any serious episodes in my career.