Experienced LASIK Surgeons In St. Louis

LASIK Patients group of friends at a picnic smiling

Get LASIK Eye Surgery at Clarkson Eyecare

Glasses and contacts work wonders to correct vision, but they’re also extremely cumbersome. If you ever find yourself tiring of having to put contacts in every morning or hunt around for your glasses before starting your day, LASIK eye surgery may be the solution you’re looking for. 

Clarkson Eyecare’s team of LASIK surgeons have undergone rigorous training and provide you the best laser vision correction results using the latest refractive surgery technology.

What Can LASIK Eye Surgery Treat?

LASIK can correct three of the most common types of refractive errors: 

  • Astigmatism

  • Nearsightedness (Myopia)

  • Farsightedness (Hyperopia)

In many patients, laser vision correction reduces or eliminates dependency on glasses or contact lenses. Some patients even report not even needing to use reading glasses anymore. While LASIK eye surgery cannot prevent the natural aging of the lens associated with Presbyopia (age-related refractive errors), a procedure using LASIK called Monovision may help alleviate symptoms. The procedure involves correcting one eye for nearsightedness and the other for farsightedness. Ask your eye surgeon whether Monovision may be right for you.

Do I Qualify for LASIK Eye Surgery?

While many people can enjoy the benefits of LASIK, there are some conditions it doesn’t treat. Some eye diseases can lead to side effects and complications from surgery. The ideal LASIK candidate is:

  • 18 or older

  • Has stable vision (no changes to your prescription in a year or more)

  • Has good overall eye health and normal shaped irises

  • Has refractive errors that fall within the treatable range

The most common reason why someone may not qualify for LASIK is because their prescription is too high to be effectively treated with LASIK. Other reasons may include having an autoimmune disease, thin corneas, dry eye, or other eye disease. If you have dry eye disease or thin corneas, you can still get laser vision correction through PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy). During your consultation, your Clarkson Eyecare eye surgeon will assess your eye health using several tests. They will determine whether you qualify for laser vision correction, and which procedure is best for you.

Book a Free LASIK Surgery Consultation

Clarkson Eyecare LASIK in St. Louis at Chesterfield Valley

Get LASIK Eye Surgery in St. Louis, Missouri

Clarkson Eyecare currently only offers LASIK services in the St. Louis market. Our LASIK Surgery Center is located on Chesterfield Airport Rd. in Boone’s Crossing Plaza next to Kaldi’s Coffee and Charles Schwab.

Contact our Chesterfield Valley Office to schedule a LASIK eye surgery consultation appointment.

Get LASIK Eye Surgery

Schedule a Consultation at our St. Louis Location

If you’re interested in seeing if you’re eligible for LASIK, you can book an appointment with one of the 45 Clarkson Eyecare Locations in St. Louis. We’ll help you find the treatment that’s right for you.

Getting LASIK at Clarkson Eyecare

If you live outside of Missouri, any Clarkson Eyecare eye doctor at our locations in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia can provide a LASIK referral to a qualified surgeon in their area. Visit our locations page or call (844) 393-2326 to book a consultation with one of our eye surgery specialists near you.

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Affordable LASIK Eye Surgery Options

Clarkson Eyecare provides LASIK at an affordable price. By owning our laser equipment and employing our own surgical and ophthalmology staff, we can keep our costs down. This allows us to pass the savings to you.

Additionally, you may be able to use your health benefits to pay for LASIK eye surgery. To learn more about how you can use your HSA and FSA to pay for LASIK, check out our guide.

HSA/FSA and Vision Costs

Frequently Asked Questions About LASIK Eye Surgery

Do I Need to Change My Diet Before Surgery?

No. There are no dietary restrictions prior to your LASIK procedure.

Do I Need to Stop Wearing Contact Lenses Before Surgery?

Yes. As you did before your evaluation, stop wearing your contacts before surgery and switch to wearing your glasses full-time. Contact lenses change the shape of your cornea for up to several weeks after you’ve stopped using them depending on the type of contact lenses you wear. 

Not leaving your contact lenses out long enough for your cornea to assume its natural shape before surgery can have negative consequences. These consequences include inaccurate measurements and a poor surgical plan. This results in poor vision after surgery. If you wear: soft contact lenses or toric lenses, stop wearing them for 2 weeks before surgery; hard lenses or rigid gas permeable lenses (RGP’s), stop wearing for at least 6 weeks before surgery, for a maximum of 12 weeks.

Do I Need to Stop Wearing Makeup Before Surgery?

Yes, you should stop wearing makeup two days before your surgery. This includes eye creams, lotions and eye makeup. These products as well as debris along the eyelashes may increase the risk of infection during and after surgery. Your doctor may ask you to scrub your eyelashes for a period of time before surgery to get rid of residues and debris along the lashes. You must also leave makeup off for 7 days following the procedure.

When Should I Start Using the Eye Drops Given to Me?

We prefer patients to begin their prescription drop, Restasis, immediately, using in the morning and at night before and after surgery.  One day before your procedure begins using the Besivance eye drops. Put one drop in your eye(s) at breakfast and another at bedtime (two drops total).

Can I Drive After LASIK?

Arrange for transportation to and from your surgery and your first follow-up visit. You will be asked to keep your eyes closed for the ride home after your procedure. We recommend having a driver for the one-day follow-up visit in case you still feel you have watery or hazy vision the next day.

How Do I Pay for LASIK?

Payment in full is due prior to the day of your surgery. We accept Visa, Master Card, Discover, AMEX, cashier’s checks and money orders made out to Clarkson Eyecare, and cash.  We offer 24-month, no interest financing through Care Credit to those approved via the online application. This must be done prior to the procedure.

How Do I Prepare for My LASIK Eye Surgery Appointment?

Please come dressed warmly and comfortably, and refrain from wearing anything fuzzy. Also, do not wear any fragrances; including perfume, hair spray, hair gel, cologne, aftershave, liquid fabric softener, lotions, moisturizers, and oils. You may use shampoo, conditioner, and deodorant.

Please arrive 30 minutes to one hour prior to your scheduled surgery time to allow time for completing your updated medical history and consent forms. At this time, we’ll give you a post-operative kit containing instructions, eye shields, a sample of artificial tears, and sunglasses. We will also discuss with you these post-operative instructions and answer any questions you may have.

Does the Surgery Have Side Effects?

Immediately after the procedure, your eye(s) may burn, itch, or feel like there is something in it. You may experience some discomfort. Both your eyes may tear or water. Your vision will probably be hazy or blurry. You will instinctively want to rub your eye, but don’t! Rubbing your eye could dislodge the flap, requiring further treatment. 

In addition, you may experience sensitivity to light, glare, starbursts or haloes around lights, or the whites of your eye may look red or bloodshot. 

These symptoms should improve considerably within the first few days after surgery. Plan on taking a few days off from work if you experience these symptoms. You should contact your doctor immediately and not wait for your scheduled visit if you experience severe pain, increased redness of the eye, or if your vision or other symptoms get worse instead of better.

During the first few months after surgery, your vision may fluctuate. It may take up to three to six months for your vision to stabilize after surgery. Glare, haloes, difficulty driving at night, and other visual symptoms may also persist during this stabilization period. 

If further correction or enhancement is necessary, you should wait until your eye measurements are consistent for two consecutive visits at least 1 month apart before enhancement. It is important to realize that although distance vision may improve after an enhancement, it is unlikely that other visual symptoms such as glare or haloes will improve.

Is There a Recovery Period?

Yes. Go directly home after your procedure and take a 6-hour nap. Sleeping allows your body to go into healing mode, which in turn allows your corneal flap(s) to heal in the proper position. Do not wear goggles or shields during this nap. If you have difficulty sleeping, take “Tylenol PM”, “Advil PM”, or “Benadryl”, and if you have any discomfort, take “Extra Strength” tablets. You should begin putting drops in your eye(s) after your nap. Remember, do not drive, or operate machinery immediately after surgery.

The medicated eye drops you are given may sting when you put them in. For the Besivance and Durezol drops, use one drop, two times a day for one week. Also, for the first week, use preservative-free artificial tears every hour between your medicated drops. After one week, use Restatis two times a day for three months following your procedure.

On the day of your surgery, you will be given a time (usually between 7 and 10am) to return the next day for your post-operative visit. We will schedule this appointment on the day of your surgery.

Is There Anything I should Do After LASIK?

Wear the plastic shield(s) or goggles every night for the next 5 nights. This prevents you from rubbing your eye(s) while sleeping.

For the first two weeks following surgery, wear sunglasses when you are outdoors, even when it is cloudy.

If your eyes are matted in the morning, hold a warm washcloth over your CLOSED eyes for about 60 seconds to loosen matter. If this does not loosen enough to gently remove matter, apply washcloth for another 60 seconds. Use the corner of the cloth to gently clean the corners of the eyes. Then you can begin your medicine drops and lubricant drops for the day.

Avoid atmospheres that may irritate the eye(s) such as smoke, dust, and other potential irritants. Dusty work environments may require safety glasses for protection.

Are There Any Activities I Should Avoid During Recovery?

The day of your LASIK surgery:

  • Rest!

  • Always be very careful about activities where the eye may be poked, rubbed, or touched.

  • Avoid rubbing eyes. Use lubricant drops instead.

  • Avoid staring, which will cause dryness and irritation to the eyes.

  • Wait 12 hours after surgery before bathing.

 

24 hours after your LASIK surgery

  • Limit yourself to light activities. Work should be avoided.

  • Limit driving until after your follow-up exam when vision is confirmed.

  • Reading and watching television is acceptable if the eye is lubricated.

  • Flying in airplanes is acceptable (lubricate generously, every 15-30 minutes).

  • Golf is acceptable (wear sunglasses outdoors)

 

48 hours after your LASIK surgery

  • Resume office and computer work (lubrication is very important).

 

72 hours after your LASIK surgery

  • Depending on how you feel and your doctor’s instructions, you may exercise with no risk to eyes (treadmill, stationary bike, etc) and participate in non-contact sports.

 

1 week after your LASIK surgery

  • Racquet sports

  • Tanning (use lubricant drops and goggles)

  • Motorcycling, dirt and mountain bikes (with eye protection)

  • Baseball, basketball, football and soccer (with eye protection)

  • Swimming pools (no lakes, ponds or ocean for a month); goggles strongly recommended

  • Hot tubs or whirlpools

  • Weight-lifting; weight training

  • Martial arts

 

1 Month after your LASIK surgery

  • Sailing, skiing and Parachuting

  • Other water sports and outdoor sports such as surfing and kayaking, hang-gliding, etc.

  • Swimming in lakes, ponds and oceans is acceptable (goggles strongly recommended)

Schedule a LASIK consultation at Clarkson Eyecare

Schedule a LASIK consultation at Clarkson Eyecare

LASIK is one of the safest and most performed vision correction surgeries. The experienced surgeons at Clarkson Eyecare can help restore your vision to levels you never thought were possible. Schedule a consultation with our LASIK surgeons in St. Louis today to see if you qualify.