The goal of Laser Vision Correction is to rid patients of their dependency on contacts and glasses. The excimer laser then sculpts the internal corneal tissue according to the individual's refractive requirements, and the corneal flap is laid back in its original position. Due to the cornea's natural bonding qualities, stitches are usually not required. The entire procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye.
Patients go home with a patch over their eye and come in the following day to see the doctor.
For others, it takes more time, possibly weeks, to see at their best corrected vision. The Michigan Eyecare Institute has performed more than 19,000 refractive procedures since the late 1970s. Hard or gas-permable lens wearers must stop wearing their contacts at least 3 weeks prior to the doctor's exam. The cornea must return to its natural state in order to obtain accurate information. This is not a complete list of contraindications.