LASIK in Overland Park, KS

Your first step is to schedule a refractive consultation appointment with Dr. Cavanaugh or Dr. Jaynes and one of our highly-trained surgical counselors. Our experienced eye doctors will discuss all of your options in an appointment that will last about two hours. This consultation will completely prepare you for surgery and will include an exam where your eyes will be dilated, diagnostic testing, and surgical counseling. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you have about LASIK; however, you can read our frequently asked questions about LASIK ahead of time here.

We'll set your surgery date once we conclude your consultation and determine you're a good candidate for LASIK in Overland Park, KS.

LASIK is an outpatient procedure that requires no injections, stitches, or needles. We typically perform surgery on both eyes the same day. Although most patients will be able to see well enough to drive following the procedure, we request that you arrange for someone to drive you to and from your procedure.

On the day of your procedure, you will be asked to arrive about 30 to 45 minutes in advance of your scheduled surgery time to check-in and be prepared for surgery. Our technicians may repeat some of the painless tests that were conducted during your initial visit. If additional testing is indicated, do not worry. This is completed to ensure that your eyes have remained stable and to eliminate the possibility of errors. Expect to be with us for 1 ½ to 2 hours on your procedure day.

1. When you are ready for your procedure, numbing eye drops will be administered so that you can remain comfortable during your LASIK eye surgery. You will also be offered a medication that will help calm your nerves.
2. Dr. Cavanaugh will personally speak with you, answer questions and examine your eyes.
3. Once the medications have taken effect, you will be escorted to our laser surgery suite, where you will lie back on our laser bed to relax.
4. A small device will be placed around your eyelids to keep you from blinking during the procedure.
5. During your LASIK procedure, Dr. Cavanaugh will guide a special laser, called a femtosecond laser, to create a flap in the outer skin-like covering of the cornea called the epithelial layer.
6. The flap is gently lifted, and an extremely precise excimer laser is then used to shape the cornea to the proper curvature.
7. Once this is completed, the flap is carefully set back into place.

The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes, and the majority of patients report very little, if any, discomfort. People frequently voice concern that they will move involuntarily while the laser is working. This is not a problem. Our lasers are equipped with technology that senses movement more quickly than the human body can react. If you shift, the laser shuts off in a matter of microseconds, then resumes when you are repositioned. There is virtually no danger of incorrect laser treatment due to movement.

Following the procedure, you will be given easy-to-follow instructions and eye drops, and you will be able to go home with your designated driver. Once the numbing drops wear off, your eyes may be mildly irritated (scratchy, stinging, tearing) for the first 3-4 hours following surgery, so you will be asked to go home and take a nap. Most patients wake up feeling very little discomfort and notice an improvement in vision almost immediately after their nap and certainly by the next day; however, your vision may require several months to fully stabilize. This can vary based on several factors including the amount of prescription treated.

It is best to arrange for someone to drive you to and from your required first follow-up appointment with your eye doctor the day following your surgery. During the follow-up visit, your eyes will be examined to assess the results of your LASIK procedure and ensure proper healing. For best results, you must keep all recommended post-operative visits.

Bladeless LASIK, also known as blade-free or femto LASIK eye surgery, utilizes a femtosecond laser to create a small flap in the clear tissue in the front of the eye, the cornea. This painless process allows Dr. Cavanaugh to then use a second laser, an excimer laser, to reshape the front of the eye and provide you with clear vision. During the procedure, Dr. Cavanaugh uses the latest technology in blade-free flap formation. In conventional LASIK, a microkeratome (small instrument) is used to create the LASIK flap. In most cases, blade-free flap formation is the preferred method, but occasionally the microkeratome method is indicated. Dr. Cavanaugh is a cornea fellowship-trained surgeon and is an expert in both modalities.

The second laser used during your LASIK procedure is called an excimer laser. This laser reshapes the tissue to correct your prescription and flaws in your visual system. At Cavanaugh Eye Center, our excimer laser uses small spot-scanning laser technology. This “dancing light” technology allows for more precise placement of the laser pattern to customize your treatment. Also known as “flying-spot” lasers, these machines use small-diameter laser beams to produce the treatment zone after being scanned across the cornea. Small spot-scanning lasers have the potential to produce the smoothest and most customized LASIK treatments yielding superior quality of vision. Additionally, all treatments at Cavanaugh Eye Center are “wavefront optimized” and help maintain the natural shape of the cornea post-operatively. Wavefront optimization significantly reduces unwanted side effects from previous excimer laser models, including older small spot-scanning lasers which are still in use in many practices today. Even older generation broad beam lasers use a singular large round beam for the treatment. Potential disadvantages of broad beam lasers are an increased chance of over-correction, decentration of the treatment zone, and lack of customization.

Proper diagnostic measurements pre-operatively are key to ensuring excellent outcomes. Wavefront technology is the most significant, recent advancement in LASIK surgery. Wavefront aberrometry precisely identifies unique distortions within the entire optical system, allowing for more customized treatment.

Advanced eye-tracking allows our laser to follow any eye movement during your procedure, virtually eliminating the possibility of laser pulses being applied in the wrong place. This advanced tracker senses and tracks the rotation of your eye during treatment to enhance the accuracy of astigmatism correction to unprecedented levels.

At Cavanaugh Eye Center, we believe clear, natural vision should be accessible to as many people as possible. We work with insurance companies when we can, and we partner with CareCredit to provide low monthly payment options that fit nearly any budget. You can also opt to use FSA or HSA flex-spending accounts, both of which use pre-tax dollars.

The cost of LASIK is a global fee, meaning the cost includes your preoperative examination, surgeon fee, operating room charges, surgical supplies, and all of your post-operative visits related to the procedure for two years. Office visits un-related to the procedure will be charged as usual. If you are in the 10-15% of patients who require a LASIK enhancement procedure, this is included for two years and then provided for a significantly discounted fee thereafter.

Refractive surgery is elective and is rarely ever covered by insurance. The patient is responsible for the fees and payment in full is required prior to the procedure or at check-in at the front desk on the day of surgery.

Payment in full is required at or before the time of service. We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. We do not provide financing in-house for elective/refractive procedures however financing arrangements can be made through CareCredit. The CareCredit process is quick and efficient.

CareCredit offers a full range of payment plans so you can find one that works best for you. With the popular ‘Deferred Interest’ plans, there are no interest charges if you pay your balance in full within the specified time period. CareCredit offers 12, 18, or 24-month plan options with low monthly payments available. You apply via www.carecredit.com and your specific rates will depend on your credit rating. The process is simple and you will have a credit determination quickly. Our surgical counselors can provide you information about CareCredit and help guide you through the process.

It’s either uncomfortable or impossible to wear contacts or glasses for many sports and other adventurous activities. Contacts can irritate your eyes if they become dried out and there is always the risk of losing them while you’re in the middle of activities. Glasses often bounce around on your face and can end up broken. Wearing glasses can even be a hassle for everyday outdoor activities because of factors like fog, rain, and your glasses sliding down your nose while sweating. It’s a lot easier to be active and enjoy the outdoors when you don’t have to worry about glasses or contacts getting in the way.

From law enforcement and construction to working in dusty environments or with chemicals, wearing glasses or contacts could be a hazard and LASIK may be a necessity to keep your eyes safe. If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer for your job, you struggle as well. You can’t wear blue-light-filtering glasses over your prescription glasses, and even with contacts in, your eyes can become dry and feel strained.

Glasses can easily break while completing your normal daily activities, not only is it inconvenient, it’s also expensive to replace. Wearing contact lenses lets you keep your glasses safe in their case but contacts are also a financial drain. It’s much too easy to drop them, lose them, rip them, or blink them out of your eyes, and every time you have to replace a lens, it is just money wasted.

If your vision problems are caused by presbyopia, many patients elect LASIK with a “blended vision” set up to optimize their freedom from reading glasses. If blended vision is not a great option for you, Dr. Cavanaugh specializes in many different types of presbyopia-correcting lens implants that may suit your needs.

LASIK does not address eye diseases such as keratoconus or glaucoma. Often, there are more appropriate treatments for those issues.

Factors such as thin corneas, large pupils, or scarring from contact lens use may mean that you are not an ideal candidate for LASIK. However, you may be a candidate for another life-changing procedure like ASA/PRK or lens implantation.

Some drugs, such as Accutane and certain migraine medications, can affect the eyes, as can the hormones related to pregnancy. Be sure to tell Dr. Cavanaugh if you are taking any prescription drugs, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

LASIK is a remarkable medical procedure, but it is not right for everyone. Dr. Cavanaugh will ensure that your expectations are in line with what the surgery can provide before determining if you are a good candidate.