All-Laser LASIK
LASIK Eye Surgery
Experience freedom from glasses and contact lenses with LASIK surgery at Rudd Vision. Led by Dr. Jay Rudd and his dedicated team, we’re setting a new standard in vision surgery and patient experience from Olympia through Tacoma, and up to Seattle, WA. At Rudd Vision, we are proud to provide unparalleled care, advanced technology, and a team that makes you feel at home, every step of the way.
Custom Vision Correction
What is LASIK Eye Surgery?
LASIK, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is an FDA-approved laser eye surgery procedure that offers a path to improved vision by reshaping the eye’s cornea.1 This surgical method addresses common vision problems—refractive errors—caused by discrepancies in the cornea’s curvature:
- Myopia (nearsightedness) occurs when the cornea is overly curved for your eye.
- Hyperopia (farsightedness) happens when the cornea is not curved enough for your eye.
- Astigmatism arises from an uneven cornea, shaped more like a football than the spherical shape of a basketball.
These irregularities in the cornea’s shape interfere with the way light rays are focused onto the retina, leading to blurred or distorted images. By finely adjusting the shape of the cornea, LASIK surgery enables a correction of these imperfections. Impressively, post-surgery data shows that nearly 90% of LASIK patients enjoy 20/20 vision or better.2 More than 95% of patients treated by Dr. Rudd achieve 20/20 vision or better after LASIK.
How we can help
Benefits of LASIK
There are so many reasons our patients choose LASIK laser vision correction surgery:
- Reduce or even eliminate the need for eyeglasses and contacts
- Correct vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
- A fast, comfortable procedure
- Proven to be safe and effective3
- Brief recovery time
- Enjoy results quickly
Leaders in Vision Correction Surgery
Why Choose Rudd Vision for LASIK Surgery?
At Rudd Vision, we’re not just about enhancing your sight; we’re about transforming your life with clarity and care that goes beyond the ordinary. Led by the highly experienced ophthalmologist Dr. Jay Rudd, our premium LASIK services set a new standard in vision correction, combining unparalleled expertise with a warm, personable approach.
- Unmatched Quality and Care: Rest assured that your surgical vision correction at Rudd Vision offers you the most advanced technology including VisuMax® 800 and Wavelight EX00. This state of the art technology, combined with Dr. Rudd’s skill and precision as an eye surgeon, means optimal outcomes for your vision correction needs.
- A Team Approach: Dr. Rudd and his team work hand-in-hand with your primary eye care provider to deliver a seamless, supportive experience, ensuring you feel confident and comfortable at every step.
- An Exceptional Experience: Every visit is enhanced by our inviting ambiance and the genuine care of our team.
At Rudd Vision, it’s not just about the high-quality LASIK procedure but the whole journey—marked by kindness, understanding, and genuine care for your wellbeing.
Is LASIK for You?
Who is a Candidate for LASIK?
If you are interested in greatly reducing your dependence on glasses or contact lenses (or getting rid of them altogether), LASIK may be the right laser vision correction procedure for you. During your consultation, Dr. Rudd will perform a thorough evaluation to determine whether you are a good candidate for LASIK.
In general, a good candidate for LASIK:
- Is over the age of 18
- Has a stable vision prescription, with minimal changes in the last year
- Has corneas of adequate thickness
- Does not have eye conditions like glaucoma or keratoconus
- Does not have a history of eye infections
- Is in good overall health4
Some of our patients are concerned that they can’t have LASIK because they have astigmatism, or that they are too young or too old for LASIK. This is not always the case: the best way to determine whether you are a good candidate for LASIK is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rudd.
Your Surgery
Preparing for LASIK Eye Surgery
The most important part of preparing for LASIK is your consultation with Dr. Rudd. During this appointment, he will perform a thorough eye exam. He will also review your medical history, eye health, and other factors that will help determine whether you are a good candidate for LASIK.
Once your LASIK surgery is scheduled, a member of our team will give you detailed instructions to follow in the days leading up to your procedure. These will include:
- Stopping use of certain medications
- Stopping contact lens wear
- Arriving at our center with a clean face, free of lotions, creams, or makeup
You won’t be able to drive yourself home on the day of your LASIK surgery, so please arrange for transportation with a friend or family member.
How it works
What Happens During LASIK Surgery?
It might surprise you to learn that the LASIK procedure that will transform your vision takes only a few minutes.
Before LASIK, anesthetic eye drops will be used to numb your eyes. You may also be offered an oral sedative to help you relax. In the first step of LASIK surgery, Dr. Rudd creates a very small flap in the top layer of the cornea. Next, he reshapes the corneal tissue, using an advanced excimer laser that allows for extreme precision. Once the cornea has been reshaped to correct refractive errors, the corneal flap is put back into place. The corneal flap is so small that it will seal itself—no sutures are required.
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- Numbing Drops
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- Corneal Flap is Created
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- Eximer Laser Reshapes Cornea
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- Flap Heals on its Own
Get back to your Every Day Life
Recovery After LASIK Surgery
When you return home after your LASIK procedure, you will likely rest for the remainder of the day. You might experience light sensitivity and/or minor itching or burning: this is normal and will resolve itself within a day. Dr. Rudd will send you home with eye shields to wear when you sleep, as well as prescription eye drops. You may also experience dry eyes, and this can linger for some patients. Dr. Rudd will recommend lubricating eye drops.
Very little downtime is needed after LASIK—most of our patients feel comfortable going back to work and normal activities the very first day after their LASIK procedure!
You will see Dr. Rudd for a follow-up the day after your LASIK procedure, and he will advise you to wait one week before exercising or engaging in any strenuous activity. You will need to refrain from swimming for a week after LASIK surgery.
Clear Vision!
LASIK Results
You’ll notice an immediate improvement in your vision after your LASIK surgery, but it will take a few months for you to realize the full results of your laser eye surgery procedure.
Roughly 90% of LASIK patients say they are extremely satisfied with the results of their eye surgery!5
Vision Surgery with Heart
Where Patients Become Family
One of these success stories could be you!
What if You Aren’t A Candidate?
LASIK Alternatives
LASIK may be the most well-known vision correction surgery, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. The most common reasons patients are not selected as LASIK candidates are thin corneas and nearsightedness that is beyond the level of effectiveness for LASIK.
If you aren’t a good candidate for LASIK, don’t worry! Rudd Vision offers a full range of vision correction procedures that may be a better fit for your eyes, lifestyle, and vision problems. During your consultation, Dr. Rudd will discuss other options with you, including:
EVO ICL™ Surgery
EVO ICL is an ultra-thin implantable lens that works in harmony with the natural eye to treat refractive errors including high nearsightedness. EVO may be a good option for our patients with thin corneas or who do not otherwise qualify for LASIK eye surgery.
SMILE LASIK Eye Surgery
SMILE, or Small Incision Lenticule Extraction, is a cutting-edge technique in vision improvement that is similar to LASIK eye surgery but offers a faster recovery period. This minimally-invasive procedure is a great option for our patients with active lifestyles.
PRK Eye Surgery
PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) is similar to LASIK in that the cornea is reshaped to correct refractive errors. PRK has comparable outcomes to LASIK approaches the cornea in a different way that makes it more suitable for patients with thin corneas.
Questions?
FAQs About LASIK
No. Your eyes will be numbed with anesthetic eye drops before your procedure, so you should not feel any pain. You may feel slight pressure during the creation of the corneal flap and you may feel a minor discomfort, irritation, or burning during the recovery period, but pain should not be a part of your experience.
Yes. LASIK is FDA-approved and has been certified to be both safe and effective. According to the American Refractive Surgery Council, fewer than 1% of LASIK procedures have complications.6
While LASIK has an exceptionally low complication rate, there are risks and side effects associated with every surgical procedure. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the most common side effects of LASIK are:
- Dry eyes
- Halos glare, and starbursts at night
- Double vision
- Over- or under-correction of refractive errors
- Dislocation of the corneal flap
- Light sensitivity7
To increase your chance of a favorable outcome from your LASIK surgery, it is crucial that you choose a highly experienced eye doctor like Dr. Jay Rudd.
LASIK permanently reshapes the cornea to correct refractive errors like nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. In this sense, LASIK lasts forever, though fewer than 1% of our patients do experience slight regression. However, LASIK can’t stop the aging process that causes vision problems like presbyopia (age-related near vision loss) and cataracts.
The team at Rudd Vision is committed to helping patients achieve great vision at every stage of life. If you find that your vision needs have changed over the years, contact us to learn more about ways to correct near vision without reading glasses and cataract surgery.
LASIK is an elective vision correction procedure, so it is not typically covered by insurance. This means that patients will need to pay out-of-pocket for their LASIK. At Rudd Vision, we believe everybody deserves to enjoy clear vision, regardless of their financial situation. We will be happy to help you learn more about using HSA and FSA funds to pay for LASIK, LASIK financing, and other options.
We also know that the cost of LASIK can seem like a lot when compared to what you currently pay for eyeglasses and contact lenses. We’ve done the math, and that’s not true. We’d love to give you a clearer picture about the many ways LASIK is actually more affordable than glasses and contacts in the long run.
Dr. Rudd and our team believe that part of our commitment to our patient family is providing fair and transparent pricing information. You will receive a detailed cost breakdown during your LASIK consultation.
Contact Us
Ready to see the world with fresh eyes? Discover the difference at Rudd Vision, where your clearer future begins with care that feels like family. Contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Rudd, the preferred LASIK surgeon in Olympia through Tacoma, and up to Seattle, WA.
Book a Consultation1U.S. Food and Drug Administration. LASIK. Available: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/surgery-devices/lasik. Accessed April 1, 2024.
2 American Refractive Surgery Council. What is the LASIK Success Rate? Available: https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/laser-eye-surgery-LASIK-success-rate/. Accessed April 1, 2024.
3 Refractive Surgery Council. Is LASIK Safe? What You Need to Know. Available: https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/is-lasik-safe/. Accessed April 1, 2024.
4 Refractive Surgery Council. Are you a LASIK Candidate? 5 guidelines you should know. Available: https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/general-lasik-candidate-guidelines/. Accessed April 1, 2024.
5 Solomon KD, Fernández de Castro LE, Sandoval HP, Biber JM, Groat B, Neff KD, Ying MS, French JW, Donnenfeld ED, Lindstrom RL; Joint LASIK Study Task Force. LASIK world literature review: quality of life and patient satisfaction. Ophthalmology. 2009 Apr;116(4):691-701. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.12.037. PMID: 19344821. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19344821/. Accessed April 1, 2024.
6 American Refractive Surgery Council. LASIK Complications and LASIK Eye Surgery Risks. Available: https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/lasik-complication-rate-side-effects/. Accessed April 1, 2024.
7 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Facts About LASIK Complications. Available: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/facts-about-lasik-complications. Accessed April 1, 2024.
Dr. Jay Rudd has authored or reviewed and approved this content.
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