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Key Links
Location
6036 Sherry Ln Preston Center Dallas, TX 75225 (214) 361-1300
Office Hours
| Monday: |
10am-7pm |
| Tuesday: |
8am-5pm |
| Wednesday: |
11am-7pm |
| Thursday: |
8am-5pm |
| Friday: |
8am-5pm |
| *Saturday: |
9am-3pm |
| Sunday: |
Closed |
| (*2 days per month, please call for which days) |
Payment Options
Our office accepts cash and all major credit cards including Master Card, Visa, Discover, and American Express. We also accept Debit cards and The Citi Health Card with affordable monthly payment plans. Remember you can use your:
- Flexible Spending Plans
- Health Savings Accounts(HSA) and
- Medical Savings Accounts (MSA)
- Cafeteria Plans for most of your eye care needs including Laser correction
All of the above plans can be used for all your eye care and eyewear needs, including eyeglasses, contact lenses routine office visits, medical office visits and surgery. We accept many Insurance and vision plans.
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Dallas Lasik, Intralasik, PRK and Refractive Surgery FAQs
How does refractive surgery work? What is the difference between PRK, lasik, and Intralasik? What will I see and hear? What if I blink? What if I don't keep looking at the green light? Will I have perfect vision after the procedure, will I still need glasses? What is an enhancement and how often is it necessary? Has anyone ever gone blind from Laser eye surgery? Will I be able to see right away? Will I have to take off from work a long time? What is the range of corrections that the Laser can treat? When can I exercise after a surgery? How soon can I fly in an airplane? How long after laser correction can I wear makeup? How soon can I swim after surgery? How long do I have to wait to shower? Can I scuba dive or snorkel after surgery? Does Insurance cover Laser surgery? Can you wear contact lenses if needed after surgery? What are the long-term effects of the procedure? Will I have to wear reading glasses some day after laser vision correction? What is monovision or bifocal Laser correction? Do you perform Laser surgery on both eyes the same day? Am I a good candidate? Do you offer a free consultation? What does the cost of the procedure cover? Are there any risks? What Financing options do you offer?
1. How does refractive surgery Work?
All corneal refractive surgery is based on the same principles. The cornea (window of the eye) is reshaped using a cool beam of ultraviolet laser light to gently reshape the front surface of your eye. The laser has the ability to precisely remove 0.25 Microns (0.00004 of an inch) with each pulse. A human hair is approximately 125 microns and often only 50 microns of corneal tissue is painlessly removed to achieve the desired result. In nearsightedness, tissue is removed from the center of the cornea to flatten it. In farsightedness, tissue is removed from the edges of the cornea to make the center of the cornea relatively steeper. In astigmatism, an elliptical ( oval ) area of the cornea is removed to make it rounder. When correcting for nearsightedness or farsightedness astigmatism can be corrected at the same time.
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2. What is the difference between PRK, Lasik, and Intralasik?
PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy) uses a computer controlled excimer laser without the need to make a hinged corneal flap. The surface epithelium layer of the cornea is painlessly removed with a sponge or brush to expose the layer below, Bowman's layer. The laser light is then directed at the cornea, altering this layer. PRK patients wear a contact lens from three to five days or until the corneal epithelium heals. Additionally, PRK patients are placed on a regimen of drops (anti-inflammatory and antibiotics) for three to six months and require careful monitoring on a weekly to monthly basis.
LASIK ( Laser Assisted in-Situ Keratomileusis ) uses a two step painless technique. A microkeratome is used to make a thin hinged protective corneal flap, this flap is folded back to expose the middle of the cornea, the stroma. Neither the epithelium nor Bowman’s layers are altered as in PRK. The laser light then removes tissue in the middle of the cornea. The protective flap is then folded back in place where it bonds securely after being allowed to dry over a two to five minute time frame without the need for stitches. Patients do not have to wear a bandage contact lens since the epithelium is not removed, eye drops are only used for a few days, vision returns quicker, there is less post-procedure discomfort and healing, and fewer post-operative office visits.
My Opinion: Lasik in most cases is the procedure of choice. Intralasik “All Computer” laser surgery is now becoming the new procedure of choice in that the computer makes the flap and there is no need for a micokeratome blade.
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3. What will I see and hear?
In the case of all procedures, your eyes are prepared with antibiotics and anesthetic drops and you are comfortably reclining on a cushioned table. You will be instructed to fixate on a blinking green light, if you are color blind it will look like a blinking light. A trial run will be delivered to get you used to the sounds and sights of the laser and its functions. During the time of actual lasering you might smell an odor, that's the cells vaporizing with each laser pulse.
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4. What if I blink?
You will not be able to since a lid retractor will painlessly keep your eyelids open. It's impossible to blink and hurt yourself or your visual outcome.
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5. What if I don't keep looking at the green light?
We will be monitoring your fixation constantly during the procedure. If at any time there is any doubt that you are not centered or looking in the right place we will stop the procedure and get you to refixate and recenter. The laser monitors eye movement 4000 times per second. The laser is designed to pick up from where it left off without any loss in visual outcome.
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6. Will I have perfect vision after the procedure, will I still need glasses?
Experience over the past fourteen years has shown us that laser vision correction has been overwhelmingly successful in eliminating or reducing nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. The degree of improvement varies from one individual to another. Overall, 98% of typical patients achieve 20/40 vision or better after one procedure (before any enhancements). These people can therefore legally drive, join fire or police departments and play most sports without correction. Upwards of 75% of patients achieve 20/20 uncorrected vision after one procedure. In the majority of cases the need for glasses or contact lenses is eliminated and for a smaller percentage the dependency on correction is drastically reduced, for example to driving at night or sharpening their view of the scoreboard at a ballgame. If eyeglasses are needed, the profile of the lens will be very thin.
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7. What is an enhancement and how often is it necessary?
An enhancement is a second procedure to further improve the results if your vision is not subjectively acceptable. The general incidence of enhancement overall is 10%. With mild corrections approximately 2% and greater in patients with extreme corrections. Enhancements are typically performed between the third and fourth month post operatively. Success in achieving subjectively acceptable results with enhancement is very high. In Lasik if an enhancement is performed before one year a new flap is not necessary, we lift up the old flap and re-laser the cornea.
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8. Has anyone ever gone blind from Laser eye surgery?
No cases of blindness have ever been recorded from either PRK or Lasik. Over two million cases have been performed in 52 countries.
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9. Will I be able to see right away?
You will notice an improvement in you distance vision immediately following the procedure, especially with larger prescriptions and you can expect to notice your vision to rapidly improve over the first week. In the majority of cases our patients see 20/20 the next morning following surgery.
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10. Will I have to take off from work a long time?
In most cases our patients are back to work within 3 days after the procedure. As each individuals healing response is different it may take several days for your vision to become clear enough to drive. Lasik post-operative recovery is often fast enough allowing the patient to drive within 24 hours. While PRK recovery might take a few more days since it requires a longer healing time. This is why Lasik is rapidly becoming the procedure of choice amongst eye care practitioners.
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11. What is the range of corrections that the Laser can treat?
Nearsightedness (Myopia) up to -13.00 diopters, Astigmatism up to 6.00 diopters and Farsightedness (Hyperopia) up to +4.00 diopters are currently within the treatment range of approved FDA lasers in the United States.
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12. When can I exercise after surgery?
Strenuous exercise or heavy weight lifting should be avoided from 2-4 weeks after surgery. Other non-contact sports can be resumed as soon as you feel comfortable and confident to participate.
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13. How soon Can I fly in an airplane?
You may fly immediately following Laser vision correction.
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14. How long after Laser correction can I wear makeup?
As soon as you are comfortable applying it you can use makeup sparingly always being careful to avoid getting it into your eyes. I highly recommend that you use all new eye make up to avoid potential eye infections.
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15. How soon can I swim after Laser surgery?
Avoid swimming pools for two weeks and hot tubs, lakes, oceans and ponds for one month. Try your best to avoid getting water into your eyes the first month after the procedure.
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16. How long do I have to wait to shower?
It's OK to shower the same day of your surgery but avoid getting soap and water in your eyes. Do not rub your eyes for a few months, rather blot or pat them gently.
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17. Can I scuba dive or snorkel following surgery?
You need to wait one month before you begin these activities, always check with the doctor first.
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18. Does Insurance cover Laser surgery?
Very few Insurance companies do. You can use flexible spending accounts (Flex Plans or cafeteria plans) or medical savings accounts (MSA's) but check with your accountant in regards to your individual situation. Our office works with a few financing companies and in special situations payment plans may be arranged.
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19. Can you wear contact lenses if needed after Laser surgery?
Yes you can, this is not like RK (Radial Keratotomy) in which the cornea was left scared and in many cases distorted. After Laser Vision correction the surface of the cornea is smooth and the cornea is not weakened or structurally compromised.
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20. What are the long-term effects of the procedure?
The laser has been used in refractive eye surgery since the late 1980's, there have been with no exceptions any findings of long term negative effects on the integrity of the eye after numerous reported clinical studies, inclusive of FDA reports. The correction achieved with both PRK and Lasik appears to be long lasting and very little change is seen after years of follow up studies. The vision you achieve post procedure is generally the vision you will keep for life, barring any changes that would have taken place if you did not have Laser Vision Correction. This being 2009 we are seeing patients who we performed laser vision correction to from the mid 1990’s looking and seeing great.
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21. Will I have to wear reading glasses some day after laser vision correction?
As it stands today YES. Once you reach the age of 40 and beyond the lens inside of your eye hardens (Presbyopia) and your ability to read is compromised. This is going to happen regardless of whether you have Laser correction or not. Currently studies are being conducted and are in the early FDA investigational stages. Some day I believe we will be able to correct the blurred reading vision of all the baby-boomers needing to hold their menus out at arms length.
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22. What is monovision or bifocal Laser correction?
This is a technique using the laser to eliminate the need for reading glasses for Presbyopic patients (patients over 40 who need reading glasses) at the same time they are having their distant vision improved with the Laser. Although not new and widely used in contact lens fitting, one eye is corrected for distance while the other is corrected for near vision. In our office, before we actually proceed with the Laser treatment, you are fitted with monovision contact lenses to experience the vision and see if you can adapt to it. If over time you decide you no longer want to see that way, we can then repeat the laser treatment on the under corrected eye making both eyes see in the distance, requiring reading glasses.
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23. Do you perform Laser surgery on both eyes the same day?
Yes. After many years being involved in the management of Laser vision correction Our surgical team has gained the experience, confidence and results to do both eyes the same day. Of course, if you would rather have one eye done at a time we will be pleased to accommodate you.
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24. How long does is the actual laser time?
The laser itself takes in most cases from 10-20 seconds after all preparations. The total procedure time per eye is from 7-20 minutes depending on the degree of correction and the technique ( Lasik or PRK ).
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25. Am I a good candidate?
Generally, LASIK candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age or older.
- Have a stable prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
- Have healthy eyes.
- Have realistic expectations of the procedure.
You may schedule For a Comprehensive Laser Vision Consultation with Dr.Consor. We will confirm if you are a good candidate, explain the procedure, and answer your questions, allowing you to make an informed decision. We will explain what results you can reasonably expect at the completion of the examination. This examination takes about one hour. If you are not a candidate a complete eye health evaluation is included so you will have a prescription for eyewear or contacts and hopefully a report of healthy eyes.
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26. Do you offer a free consultation?
Yes, if you would rather have a brief discussion with the doctor we would be delighted to discuss your options at no charge. We welcome your call to our office. In our office we have a video room where you can watch a tape on Laser Correction and other eye topics.
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27. What does the cost of the procedure cover?
Our Global Fee for LASIK covers the following services:
- The Laser procedure including the facility fee for use of the laser equipment.
- Post-procedure care, including related office visits for 9 months.
- If an enhancement procedure is necessary to improve the results of LASIK, there is no additional charge, during the first three (3) years.
- The fee for the procedures will depend on your prescription and we will be able to more accurately quote a fee after a thorough eye examination. Our fee ranges from $2900 - $3600 which includes both eyes.
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28. Are there any risks?
It is essential that you understand the risk associated with the LASIK procedure. The chance of having any vision-reducing complication has been documented in a number of studies to be less than one percent. However, there has never been a reported case of blindness resulting from LASIK surgery. Some of the risks of LASIK include minor irritation, infection, glare at night and light sensitivity, most of these problems resolve themselves quickly as the eye heals. There is a less than 1% chance of loss of 1-2 lines of best corrected visual acuity post operatively.
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29. Financing Options
The financing options at our office were designed to fit any budget. We accept cash, check, or money order. We also accept Visa or MasterCard. We offer financing and special arrangements with an outside financing company. Flexible Spending Accounts and Medical Savings Accounts (MSA's) have been very popular as employees take advantage of paying for their procedure with pre-tax dollars. Ask your employer if they offer flexible spending account plans.
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