Screening Appointment

This preoperative evaluation is extremely important, and at the Kellogg Eye Center it will take approximately two hours. Because we feel strongly about continuity of care, the physician you meet during this examination will also perform the surgery and see you at all follow-up visits.

As you complete your screening appointment, your physician will review the test results, explain the surgery in detail, and finally, discuss results and risks associated with the procedure. Findings from these tests will determine whether you are a good candidate for refractive surgery and may indicate that one procedure is more appropriate than another.

We ask that you do not wear soft contact lenses for one week and hard or rigid gas permeable lenses for three weeks prior to evaluation. We encourage you to bring a list of questions to this appointment.

A thorough screening includes:

• A dilated eye examination

• Visual acuity: We measure your uncorrected and best-corrected distance and near visual acuity. This is the single most important way to determine if you are a candidate and which procedure will lead to the best vision.

• Corneal topography: A computer produces a topographic map of your cornea to tell us if it is irregular. This may not be detectable with other tests. We use a Pentacam, an advanced device that can help detect early stages of corneal irregularity. Patients with irregular corneas should not have corneal refractive surgery.

• Slit-lamp examination: We examine your eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea, iris, and lens to detect any eye disease that needs to be treated before surgery or that contraindicates surgery.

• Corneal Thickness: We measure the thickness of your cornea to determine which procedure is best and how much treatment is possible. Some people with thin corneas may not be able to have corneal refractive surgery.

• Pupil Size: Using an infrared device known as a pupillometer, we measure your pupils in dim and room light to determine the best treatment plan.

• Intraocular pressure: Elevated pressure in the eye may indicate glaucoma. Early treatment may prevent later vision loss from this disease.

• Schirmer test: This test identifies if your eyes are dry. Patients with dry eyes are more likely to have increased eye irritation after surgery.

• Fundus examination: We examine the back of the eye to assess the optic nerve, retina, and blood vessels to make sure there are no underlying eye or systemic disorders.

• Ocular motility: We determine whether your muscles can align the eyes to prevent double vision after surgery.

Patient Expectations