LASIK Specialist

Stephen Khachikian, MD

Ophthalmologist located in Rapid City, SD

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a very popular eye surgery that can reduce or even completely eliminate your need for vision correction like glasses or contact lenses. About 99% of LASIK patients achieve 20/40 or better vision correction, and more than 90% get 20/20 vision after LASIK. At Stephen Khachikian, MD, in Rapid City, South Dakota, highly experienced LASIK surgeon Dr. Khachikian delivers reliable results and great vision. Book your appointment using the online scheduler or by calling the office now.

605-203-4256

Lasik

What is LASIK?

LASIK is a laser surgery that reshapes your eye to correct refractive errors, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. With state-of-the-art lasers and advanced techniques, Dr. Khachikian can safely and efficiently perform the LASIK procedure in as little as 15 minutes per eye.

Am I a good candidate for LASIK?

The best way to find out is a LASIK consultation with Dr. Khachikian. He evaluates several factors to determine whether LASIK is right for you, including:

Eye health - you need good overall eye health with no disease or infection
Vision stability - you typically need stable vision (no prescription changes) for at least a year pre-LASIK
Overall health - autoimmune disease may exclude you from LASIK, as it can impede healing
Corneal thickness - your corneas must have sufficient thickness

The exact degree of vision impairment may also play a role. In general, LASIK can help with mild-to-severe nearsightedness and mild-to-moderate farsightedness and astigmatism.

If you can’t have LASIK based on one or more of these factors, Dr. Khachikian may suggest an alternative. For example, if your corneas aren't thick enough for LASIK, PRK surgery may work for you.

How does LASIK work?

Dr. Khachikian numbs your eyes with anesthetic drops. Although you may feel some pressure, most patients say LASIK isn't painful. Dr. Khachikian uses a computer-controlled laser beam to create a small incision in your cornea, called the corneal flap.

Next, Dr. Khachikian folds the corneal flap back and the cool laser beam precisely reshapes your cornea using a detailed map of your eye. Finally, Dr. Khachikian gently repositions the corneal flap. Your natural healing processes take over to secure the cornea into place again.

What is LASIK recovery like?

LASIK recovery is smooth and easy for most patients. You may have gritty-feeling eyes for around 4-6 hours after surgery, but Dr. Khachikian will recommend medicated eye drops to help. Most patients get back to their normal routine in as little as a couple of hours, but Dr. Khachikian usually recommends waiting 24-48 hours to drive.

Will I need glasses or contacts after LASIK?

Most patients in the 18-40 age range won't need vision correction at all after LASIK. After 40, presbyopia (age-related near focus problems) may mean you still need reading glasses.

But, special options like monovision LASIK may eliminate the need for reading glasses if you have presbyopia. In monovision LASIK, Dr. Khachikian corrects one eye for distance vision and the other for close-up vision.

Want to learn more about LASIK? Call the office of Stephen Khachikian, MD, or book your LASIK consultation online now.

What we offer