LASIK, short for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is the most popular refractive surgery available today. Each year, more than one million LASIK procedures are performed in the United States. LASIK has become the premier surgery for vision correction because it’s quick and painless, there is little or no discomfort after the procedure and vision recovery is rapid — some patients already see 20/20 the following day. It can also reduce the need for reading glasses among patients over age 40 who wear bifocals. The actual surgery usually takes less than 15 minutes for both eyes, but expect to be at the surgery center for an hour or more.

Without knowing how near- or farsighted you are, and without knowing what laser you will be treated with, it is impossible to know how much tissue will be removed. The issue is how much residual tissue is left after the treatment. If LASIK is not possible, PRK or even ICL (implantable contact lens) may be an alternate solution.

There is no definitive scientific evidence that any particular type of sunglasses can protect against the development or progression of macular degeneration (a breakdown of tissues in the back of the eye). However, we do encourage the wearing of sunglasses with 100 percent UV absorption as well as wearing a broad-brimmed hat when outdoors.

The use of a dye in the management of AMD is typically done when the doctor suspects abnormal blood vessels are present. Abnormal blood vessels can sometimes be found without the patient having noticeable symptoms, based on clinical exam or other testing. Speak with your ophthalmologist regarding what test is best recommended for you.

This may be due to the progressive loss of the ability to focus near, which on average begins at age 40. The process is called presbyopia and the solution is reading glasses. If you are significantly younger than 40, it may be that you are farsighted or possibly a childhood strabismus (misaligned eyes), that was not symptomatic but is starting to become evident. Dry eyes can also cause symptoms like this. Also, other conditions like myasthenia gravis or Parkinson’s can cause similar symptoms. A visit to an ophthalmologist is necessary to determine if any of these things are the case or perhaps some other issue.

As long as your eyes are found to be healthy enough for LASIK, past strabismus surgery will not prevent you from having LASIK.

Yes. As the eye heals the eye’s surface can get dry or irritated and the vision can fluctuate. However, any significant and persistent decrease of vision after surgery should be immediately reported to your surgeon.

Laser assisted cataract surgery and conventional cataract surgery are highly successful methods for treating, generally, all types of cataracts. Studies suggest that clinical outcomes are no different when comparing different surgical approaches. Speak with your ophthalmologist about what approach would be best for you.

Yes, as long as you have no diabetic retinopathy. Be sure to confirm with your ophthalmologist after you have had a complete dilated eye exam that the diabetes has not affected your vision.

With good diabetic control, there is a very high likelihood that you will never develop retinopathy to the point that it will affect your eyesight. As you note, it is critical that you maintain good diabetic control and that you see an ophthalmologist regularly for dilated retinal examinations.

Yes, you definitely can develop a retinal tear without any symptoms. While most retinal tears are associated with the sudden onset of flashing lights and floaters, symptoms can vary widely between patients, including having no symptoms whatsoever.