LASIK

New Patient Appointment or 214-645-2027

At UT Southwestern’s Laser Center for Vision Care, our nationally recognized ophthalmologists have one goal: to improve patients’ quality of life by helping them see without glasses or contacts. LASIK eye surgery is just one area of our expertise and part of a comprehensive vision care program designed to preserve healthy eyesight and prevent blindness.

To find out whether LASIK is a good option, patients should sign up for one of our complimentary consultations and ask about available discounts.

What Is LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It’s a type of outpatient eye surgery that reshapes the cornea (the clear layer of tissue covering the front of the eye) to correct vision problems and reduce the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses for clear vision.

Why Choose UT Southwestern for LASIK Eye Surgery?

UT Southwestern's Laser Center for Vision Care is one of the most accomplished and comprehensive vision care facilities in the world. Our doctors have published more LASIK eye surgery outcomes research than any other eye specialists in North Texas. Our eye surgeons participate in trials to evaluate procedures and technology and teach other doctors about LASIK surgery.

Patients can sign up for a complimentary LASIK consultation to find out whether they’re candidates for the procedure.

What Conditions Does LASIK Surgery Treat?

With normal vision, light enters the eye through the cornea and lens, which work together to bend the rays and focus them on the retina (layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye). The retina converts light into electrical pulses, which travel through the optic nerve to the brain to produce images. Refractive errors occur when the shape of the eyeball prevents the cornea and lens from properly refracting (bending) light rays.

LASIK eye surgery can help people who wear glasses or contact lenses by using lasers to correct common vision problems, also known as refractive errors. These problems include:

Nearsightedness (myopia): Light focuses in front of the retina, causing close objects to appear clear and distant objects to appear blurry.
Farsightedness (hyperopia): Light focuses behind the retina, resulting in blurry close vision and clearer distant vision.
Astigmatism: An irregularly shaped cornea causes overall blurry vision because light focuses unevenly.

Who Is a Good Candidate for LASIK Eye Surgery?

Good candidates for LASIK are adults with a stable glasses or contact lens prescription and healthy eyes, including adequate corneal thickness.

People with certain conditions – such as significant dry eye, keratoconus or other corneal disease, uncontrolled autoimmune disease, or recent prescription changes due to hormones or medications – may not be good candidates. Pregnancy, nursing, or certain systemic conditions and medicines may also affect a person’s eligibility.

Many different laser eye procedures are available to correct vision. Today's technology helps us determine who is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery – and who is not.

All laser eye surgeries, including LASIK, reshape the cornea so that images properly focus on the retina. We’ll discuss with patients which procedure is best suited to the unique contour of their eyes.

When LASIK isn’t the best match, patients have other options at UT Southwestern, such as:

Intacs
Light Adjustable Lenses (LAL)
Multifocal, trifocal, and other presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (including Panoptix, Vivity, Symfony, and others)
PRK
Refractive lens exchange

What Are the Advantages of LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK gives many patients the ability to see clearly without constant dependence on glasses or contact lenses. Satisfaction rates are consistently high, with most patients reporting a better quality of life after surgery.

Key advantages of LASIK include:

High success rates: Most patients achieve 20/40 vision or better, and many reach 20/20.
Quick procedure: Surgery typically takes less than 30 minutes for both eyes.
Outpatient setting: Patients return home the same day as surgery.
Fast recovery: Clearer vision often returns within days, with full stabilization in a few months.
Long-term convenience: Many patients reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts.

The potential risks of LASIK include:

Dry eyes
Problems with the corneal flap, such as infection or shifting
Undercorrections or overcorrections
Vision changes such as glare, halos around bright lights, double vision, or reduced night vision

Although LASIK cannot prevent age-related vision changes such as presbyopia, it can provide long-lasting improvements in vision and significantly reduce reliance on corrective lenses.

What Can Patients Expect with LASIK Eye Surgery?

Before LASIK Eye Surgery

Our doctors begin by evaluating patients to ensure they’re good candidates for LASIK. Patients who wear contacts usually need to stop wearing them and wear only glasses for several days or weeks before the evaluation and procedure, depending on the type of lens.

In the evaluation, patients will have a complete eye exam to:

Check for infections, inflammation, dry eyes, or other issues that affect eye health
Measure the cornea’s shape, thickness, and any irregularities
Create a detailed chart of each eye to determine the areas of corneal tissue to be removed

On the day of the procedure, patients should:

Arrange for someone to drive them home afterward
Avoid wearing lotion, makeup, perfume, or similar substances on their face

During LASIK Eye Surgery

The procedure usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes, with the appointment lasting about one hour, including preparation and recovery. The LASIK procedure appointment involves these steps:

Patients can choose to take a medication such as Valium to help them relax.
The doctor places numbing drops into the eyes and uses an instrument to hold the eyelids open.
The doctor operates on one eye at a time, first placing a suction ring on the eye, then cutting and folding back a thin flap of the cornea using either a laser or a mechanical blade.
The patient looks at a specific point of light to keep the eye steady, and the doctor reshapes the cornea by removing tissue using a laser programmed with the patient’s eye measurements.
The doctor puts the corneal flap back into place and smooths the edges (no stitches needed). The flap adheres to the underlying tissue within minutes.

After LASIK Eye Surgery

Patients rest in the office for a short time, then a member of the care team does a brief check. Patients can expect:

Some itching, burning, or watering of the eyes for the first few hours
Discomfort such as scratchiness or a feeling of something in the eye
Blurry or hazy vision for up to 24 hours

We typically recommend that patients:

Take a nap or rest with eyes closed for several hours just after the procedure
Take pain medication as necessary
Wear eye shields while sleeping for several nights to prevent rubbing or pressure on the eyes that could disturb the flaps
Do not rub the eyes for several weeks
Avoid using lotion, makeup, perfume, or similar substances for two to four weeks
Avoid swimming, hot tubs, or contact sports for several weeks
Contact us if they experience severe pain or other worsening symptoms

Patients will have follow-up appointments the day after their procedure and regularly for several months.

Most patients recover quickly, returning to their daily activities within 24 hours. Many can return to work within a few days. The exact timing depends on individual recovery, job demands, and how quickly side effects like dryness or light sensitivity resolve. Driving and work that requires precise vision should be delayed until a specialist can confirm that the patient’s vision is stable enough to perform these activities safely.

Vision continues to improve as the eyes heal, with full stabilization often taking two to three months.