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Questions Regarding LASIK?
Do you have questions about the procedures, treatments or services that we provide? Below is a list of some frequently asked questions, but please feel free to call our office if you need additional information,
808-677-2SEE (2733). We are always pleased to assist you.
You can also learn more about iLASIK and our partnership
with (AMO) Advanced Medical Optics by clicking on the button
below:
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What is "No-Blade" LASIK (IntraLase)?
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Dr. McMann
is proud to offer the only type of LASIK currently
approved by
NASA for their astronauts*
and the US Navy for their
F/A-18 pilots.*
This type of "no-blade" LASIK known as
iLASIK uses the
IntraLase
laser and VISX Star S4 IR excimer laser with
CustomVue WaveScan Technology.
LASIK vision correction is a two step process.
In the first step, we create a micro-thin flap of
tissue on the outer layer of your eye called a "corneal
flap." This
flap is very important.
If it is too thick, too thin or misshapen it can
affect the outcome of your procedure.
In the last few
years, “no-blade” LASIK known as
iLASIK has proven to be one of the
safest and most effective refractive procedures
available. Complications
are extremely rare. However,
when they do occur it usually involves the formation of
the corneal flap. In
older forms of LASIK, this required the use of a metal microkeratome blade.
Fortunately, there is no longer a need
for a metal blade in
iLASIK
eye surgery. With
the new
IntraLase laser offered by the McMann Eye
Institute, you can have your vision corrected with two
lasers instead of
one. First, the
IntraLase laser is used to create a precise corneal flap
which is personalized just for you.
Then, Dr.
McMann uses the world renowned VISX Star S4
IR excimer laser with
CustomVue WaveScan Technology
to reshape your eye for improved vision.
The computer guided
IntraLase laser is 100% more
accurate than the metal blade and is currently the best
possible way to prepare for step two of the LASIK eye
surgery - the corneal reshaping.
The
many advantages of
IntraLase include improved safety,
better vision, reduced dry eye symptoms, higher
predictability and precision, personalized flap, reduced
night glare and halos, and allowing more patients to
qualify for LASIK.
NASA’s announcement*
adds further confirmation to the superior safety and
quality of vision using the
IntraLase laser.
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What is WaveScan Technology?
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This is also one of the newest developments in laser
vision correction. At
the laser center, we use a computer driven device that
generates a WaveScan of each of your eyes before
surgery. This
provides us with precise information about how your eyes
focus light by measuring something called "higher order
aberrations". This
important factor is in addition to the near-sightedness,
far-sightedness and astigmatism we have controlled for
in the past. By
taking the information directly from the WaveScan
computer, we do a more complex laser ablation to
compensate for these higher order aberrations.
This type of
treatment is called a
CustomVue Treatment.
The result is even better vision than we have
been able to offer in the past.
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What are your fees?
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All of the LASIK done by
Dr. McMann is “no-blade”
all laser LASIK featuring both the
IntraLase and the
VISX Star S4 IR excimer laser.
The only pricing difference is whether you choose
a traditional laser ablation
known as
iLASIK
or the
WaveScan CustomVue ablation.
The rates are:
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Regular VISX Blade-Free All Laser LASIK: $1,995/eye
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WaveScan CustomVue
VISX Blade-Free All Laser
iLASIK: $2,245/eye
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Dr. McMann
is proud to have served in the military, as a
special thank you to our active duty military
members,
Dr. McMann will do your LASIK for
$1,495/eye
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Substantial discounts are offered for military
dependents
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Our fee includes all pre-operative testing, the
LASIK procedure, and 1 year of follow-up
examinations done by
Dr. McMann; we do not pass you off to
another eye care professional.
Our fee is not based on your prescription and
is only based on the level of technology you prefer.
Once you factor in all of the extra fees of
other refractive surgeons, you will find that
Dr. McMann’s rates are very competitive.
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We also offer competitive financing options which
can reduce your monthly cost for the surgery making
it about equal to the average digital cable
television or cell phone bill.
Dr. McMann
may not be the “cheapest” LASIK surgeon in town, but he
is a Fellowship Trained Surgeon specifically in
Refractive Surgery from one of the top Refractive
Surgery Fellowship Programs in the US.
Dr.
McMann’s experience and knowledge in
Refractive Surgery is substantial.
Your sight is a precious gift which you may not
want to go bargain shopping on.
If you are going to have LASIK, don't you want
the best technologies available done by a highly trained
and experienced surgeon?
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What type of laser do you use?
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For the first step, creating the corneal flap, we use
the
IntraLase laser as noted above.
For reshaping the cornea, we exclusively use the VISX
Star S4 IR laser which is equipped with both the
WaveScan CustomVue System
and advanced eye tracking capabilities.
This VISX laser is updated frequently with new
software as technological advances become available.
The VISX Star S4 IR laser with
CustomVue WaveScan Technology
is favored by most physicians because it is simply the best.
The first advantage is the VISX WaveScan system which
allows for
customized ablations.
The
CustomVue Software
developed by VISX for this purpose is the industry
standard and produces the best possible vision after
LASIK by compensating for subtle higher order
aberrations unique only to your eyes.
The second advantage is the eye tracker which not
only monitors your eye position in 3-D but also locks
onto irregularities in your iris.
This makes the LASIK procedure safer by assuring
that the laser stays centered over your pupil even if
you pull away or turn slightly during the procedure.
The third
advantage is the variable spot laser, which produces a
cleaner ablation than the cheaper competitors.
The pairing of
the
IntraLase and VISX Star S4 IR lasers with
CustomVue WaveScan Technology
known as
iLASIK
assures you of having the best possible refractive
procedure available.
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Do you offer financing? |
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We are proud to offer our patients several
financing options. By creating a strategic
partnership with industry leaders Capital One and CareCredit Healthcare Financing, we provide you with
convenient payment options so you can get the
procedure you want, when you want it. Call us
today at (808) 677-2SEE (2733) for more information.
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If I wear contact lenses, should I take them out for a period before surgery?
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Yes. Soft contact lens wearers should leave them out for 1-2 weeks and hard or gas-permeable wearers should leave them out for 3 weeks prior to the pre-operative evaluation or actual procedure. This is not necessary for the screening exam.
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How much time off work is necessary? |
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You will be sedated and your vision will be blurry for a
time after surgery. For
that reason, we encourage our patients to make
arrangements to be off work for the day of your
procedure and at least one day after your procedure.
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Can I throw away my glasses after LASIK?
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Although this is common, we do not
recommend this. 95% of patients can drive, even at
night, without glasses after LASIK.
Some who can
legally drive may choose to wear glasses to drive in
unfamiliar areas or in bad weather.
For those patients who are 40 years or older who have
their distance vision corrected, they will very likely
need reading glasses in order to see up close.
This is due to a natural aging process of the
lens inside the eye which leads to the loss of focusing
ability of our eye when we reach our 40’s.
This condition is called
Presbyopia.
LASIK is only done on the cornea of the eye and
has no effect on the lens inside the eye and thus has no
effect on this natural aging process of the lens.
There are some options if you’re in this age
range and absolutely do not want to have to use reading
glasses. One
of these options is monovision LASIK which we can
discuss at the time of your evaluation.
However, any of these options do require some
visual compromises on the part of the patient.
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How long does the procedure take?
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LASIK takes about 20 minutes for both eyes. Usually you are at the laser center for 1-2 hours.
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Am I a good candidate for LASIK?
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The best way to tell is to come in for a free screening.
Your distance
prescription should not have changed significantly over
the last 1-2 years. Your
eyes must be free from active eye disease.
You should be at
least 18 years old or older.
Just because you
are a good candidate for LASIK, does not mean you are a
candidate for the
WaveScan CustomVue.
If you have naturally small pupils, the WaveScan
cannot get accurate readings and you may only be able to
get a standard ablation.
This, however, is not necessarily a negative
because most of the advantages of
WaveScan CustomVue Technology
are seen in patients with larger pupils because these
are the patients who are most likely to have nighttime
glare and halo complaints for which the
WaveScan CustomVue Technology
is best suited for.
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What are my restrictions after LASIK?
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The only restrictions are no contact sports (tennis, racquet ball, baseball etc), swimming, hot tubs or eye make-up for 2 weeks after LASIK. Golf, walking, running or bike riding (with protective glasses) is acceptable the day after the procedure. You should not rub your eyes for 6 weeks after LASIK.
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Can I have LASIK if I have diabetes or glaucoma?
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Yes, however these health
conditions should be under control.
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“A Lifetime Commitment to Your Vision Health with the Spirit of
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