Laser vision correction is now in its second decade of helping patients reduce or eliminate their need for glasses or contact lenses.  As testimony to its life-changing benefits, over one million procedures are performed by ophthalmologists worldwide yearly, as well as thousands here in Jacksonville, Florida.

LASIK, or Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis, combines the accuracy of the Excimer laser platform, but with the benefit of quick healing and recovery.  The procedure begins with a detailed exam and measurements customized for the individual characteristics of your eyes.  The day of surgery you will receive anesthetic eye drops which make the procedure comfortable.  Our LASIK surgeons then use a special device to create a hinged flap in the cornea.  Controlled pulses of cool Excimer laser light are then applied to the inner layers of the corneal tissue.  This removes a "contact-lens" of corneal tissue to refine your individual refractive error.  The corneal flap is then gently returned to its original position where it bonds securely without the need for stitches.  LASIK patients recover very quickly with only mild irritation, most of the time feeling well after a short nap.  Functional vision returns rapidly with the majority of patients seeing well enough to drive within a day or two.

Why Choose Atlantic Eye Institute for my LASIK surgery?

    The most advanced laser on the market

The Allegretto 400 Wave Eye-Q is the newest and most advanced laser on the market today.  In the summer of 2007, Atlantic Eye Institute became the first and only practice in Florida to offer this incredible advance in laser technology.  Now with hundreds of cases of experience on this new laser platform, AEI remains the only practice in Jacksonville, Florida using this technology.  The Allegretto 400 represents an entirely new laser platform from previous lasers.  The infra-red eye tracker ensures perfectly centered treatments even through small eye movements, and completely prevents treatment errors for large eye movements.  The speed of the laser is truly unparalleled, with twice the speed of older lasers, treatments often take only a few seconds.  Our results have been outstanding, with most patients achieving 20/20 or better vision, and a drastic reduction in common side effects of previous lasers such as glare and halos. 

    Custom-Cornea treatments

Your corneas are as unique and intricate as you are. Even glasses or contacts cannot always treat the microscopic ridges and aberrations in the cornea. The Wavefront™ technology used for custom LASIK in both our Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach locations allows our surgeons to create an intricate three-dimensional map of the topography of your eye. Using this map, our LASIK surgeons are able to target these minute flaws and correct them.  The technology allows for extremely precise, individualized laser vision correction that, for some patients, would not be possible with traditional LASIK procedures.

    The entire Atlantic Eye Team works for you

At Atlantic Eye, you will have not one, but four highly skilled eye care specialists involved in your treatment and post treatment care.  Neil Shmunes, M.D. and Richard Simmons, M.D. have been performing LASIK and refractive surgery in Jacksonville for the past three decades and have an outstanding track record for success in the field.  Charles Duss, M.D. brings his unique perspective to refractive surgery after training under a pioneer in refractive surgery in the northeast.  Steven Lancaster, O.D. has been caring for refractive surgery patients since its modern inception, and he also brings his unique skill set as an expert in dry eye syndrome.  At Atlantic Eye Institute, our eye specialists are on call for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will always be available to talk with you personally and assist you with any questions or concerns. 

Am I a good candidate for LASIK?

To be a good candidate for LASIK, the cornea must be of sufficient thickness to allow for the flap to be made and still have enough tissue to achieve the target correction.  Patients with some corneal abnormalities such as keratoconus are not good LASIK candidates.  Patients with severe dry eye syndrome, very thin corneas, or early cataracts may be better candidates for other refractive procedures.

What other refractive surgeries are available?

Not all patients will be candidates for LASIK sugery.  This does not mean that there are no other options.  Some patients will benefit from PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy) instead of LASIK.  In PRK, optical correction is accomplished with a laser that reshapes the surface of the cornea rather than beneath a flap. Corneal epithelial cells are loosened and then swept aside for the laser treatment.  After treatment a contact lens "band-aid" is placed over the cornea while healing occurs, usually in a little less than a week.  Other patients may benefit from cataract or clear lens extraction.  Even in patients without dense cataracts, by custom selecting the proper lens implant we may reduce or eliminate eyeglass prescriptions.  Speak to your doctor at Atlantic Eye Institute for more details about the many refractive surgery options available. 

Contact at both Jacksonville, Florida Locations

Please call either of our convenient Jacksonville area locations to set up a personal LASIK consultation.

South Side Office	Beaches Office
6207 Bennett Road Jacksonville, Florida 32216 Phone: 904.731.4515	Beaches Medical Pavilion 3316 Third Street S. Suite 103 Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250 Phone: 904.241.2990