LASIK Surgery Provides Vision Correction

Golf pro Tom Gaines got his first pair of glasses when he was eight years old. So after the Columbia resident had LASIK surgery last year, it meant the first time in decades that he didn’t have to rely on glasses.

“A lot of people are tired after years of dealing with glasses and contacts,” said Dr. Sanjeev Grewal, an ophthalmologist and faculty member in the Department of Ophthalmology. Vision correction surgery provides an alternative, and LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) has become the most commonly performed refractive surgery. Ophthalmologists at the USC School of Medicine have been using LASIK for more than three years.

Athletes appreciate the freedom they can gain on the playing field through LASIK surgery. “They’re moving around a lot; things like glasses and contacts can be limiting to them. Glasses can get clouded up with sweat, and contacts can pop out of your eyes during play,” said Dr. Grewal.

While the surgery is surprisingly quick (taking about 15 minutes), it requires thorough preparation beforehand and follow-up on a regular basis for a year afterwards. Dr. Grewal describes the preoperative evaluation as “the most complete eye exam that they have ever had.”

While some people choose to have surgery on just one eye at a time, the overwhelming majority chooses to have both eyes corrected at the same time. After the patient’s eyes are anesthetized, the ophthalmologist cuts a thin flap in each cornea. Folding each flap out of the way, the ophthalmologist removes some corneal tissue with a laser to reshape the corneas. The flaps are then replaced. After the generally painless procedure, the patient’s reshaped corneas can function better to focus light on the retinas, providing improved vision.

Some patients, generally those with stronger prescriptions, can benefit from LASEK surgery (laser epithelial keratomileusis) that USC’s ophthalmologists also perform. Since a much thinner flap is cut with this procedure, it provides an additional option for physicians when a patient’s cornea is not thick enough for LASIK.

Recovery for both surgeries is quick. For physically active people, that means they can resume most sports within a few days. Dr. Grewal cautions swimmers to wait three weeks to avoid the possibility of infection. “We also ask that people participating in a sport involving a projectile, such as a tennis ball, use protective eyewear for a month afterwards,” he said, explaining “though it’s unlikely they’ll get hit in the eye with a tennis ball, we don’t want something to dislodge the flap.”

As his athletic patients get back into action, Dr. Grewal has received enthusiastic feedback. Tom Gaines appreciates how LASIK surgery has helped him on the job as the head golf professional at Fort Jackson Golf Club. “My job requires me to be outside a lot. If it was raining or the wind was blowing, it restricted my ability to perform outside. I don’t have to worry about that anymore,” he said.

Reprinted from Connections newsletter, March 2002

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