Has your nearsightedness (myopia) kept you absolutely dependent on glasses or contact lenses?
Have you started to need glasses full time for farsightedness (hyperopia)?
Does your astigmatism cause eye strain or distorted vision?

Are you bothered by the feel or the imprint of your glasses on the bridge of your nose?
Must you always wear glasses to get your work done?
Perhaps you've tried contacts, but still you were bothered by their inconvenience and irritation.

You are not alone. Many people are unhappy with the problems of vision correction by either eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Refractive surgery is an excellent alternative to these ordinary methods of vision correction.  While there are many different methods, LASIK is the mainstay of our surgical correction of refractive errors.  Other procedures such as Intacs corneal ring, PRK, and astigmatic keratotomy (AK) may be selected by your surgeon based on your eye needs.

Once you have decided to consider having refractive surgery, this is what you must do:

First, contact Dr Liegner’s office at (973) 729-5757 for your FREE initial evaluation at his office in Sparta. This will permit Dr Liegner and you to determine if you're a candidate for refractive eye surgery.
 

What will happen at this FREE evaluation?

In the pleasant environment of our office, you will receive a screening
eye evaluation in which we determine your vision with your glasses or
contacts. We will measure the surface of your cornea (the clear tissue in the center of your eye) and its thickness using the state-of-the-art ATLAS topographer and Sonogage pachymetry to obtain custom data.
 
 

We will also check your eyeglass prescription using special devices.  You should bring your glasses and your contact lens information with you to this FREE evaluation to best prepare for the LASIK decision.

At the conclusion of this preliminary FREE evaluation, you will learn if you're a candidate for refractive surgery.

The decision to undergo laser vision correction requires your careful consideration.  You are best able to make this decision after reviewing all the options. Dr. Liegner and his staff will answer any questions you may have. Information on the type of procedure planned, the benefits of this surgery for your eyes, the risks of this elective surgery, and the fee schedule will be shared with you.  The surgery will be conveniently performed in the same building in a State certified facility,
the Northwest Jersey Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Once you've made the decision to proceed with refractive surgery, Dr Liegner will want you to stop wearing your contact lenses for a period of time before surgery, may treat other eye problems that could interfer with rapid healing after surgery, and will reexamine your eyes in a more detailed manner a week before the surgery is scheduled.  Everyone's eyes have different requirements, and Dr Liegner will be very detailed in assessing your unique needs prior to surgery.

Although not noticeable, there is always some effect on the cornea when using contact lenses. By refraining from using contact lenses before surgery, the cornea has time to recover, thus providing optimal conditions for the surgery. If you wear soft contact lenses you need to stop using them one to two weeks prior to surgery.  If you use hard lenses (also known as RGP lenses), four to six weeks may be needed for the cornea to fully recover and stabilize.  Although seemingly inconvenient at first, this short amount of time out of contact lenses for a better surgical outcome is a small distraction.  Wear your glasses for this period before surgery.

Please note that eye drops will be needed before surgery to dilate the pupils for the detailed preoperative examination by Dr Liegner.

On the day of surgery, your vision will be examined again. Prior to surgery, the eye will be anesthetized with eye drops. There is no need for a painful injection for the surgery! You will also be offered a mild oral tranquilizer and some Tylenol. Usually both eyes are done on the same day, but sometimes the decision to perform the two eye surgeries on separate days is made by Dr Liegner after reviewing your personal needs.

For the first 2 to 3 hours after surgery, you may have a scratchy eye sensation as well as some increased tearing.  You must wear the eye shields to protect you eyes.  You'll have important medicine drops to place on your eyes four times a day beginning same day as the surgery.

Please note that because of your eye shields, you will not be able to drive yourself home. You must bring somebody to accompany you to drive you home after the surgery. After surgery, you may resume a normal diet, plus reading and watching as long as you feel comfortable.

Dr Liegner and you will meet at his office the next morning to examine your eyes and check the results of the surgery.  The eyes are still early in the healing process, but your vision without glasses should be much improved.

One week after the surgery, Dr. Liegner will again perform a postoperative examination on your eyes. As with each visit, he will detail all the ways your eyes are progressing after surgery.

You will no longer  need to wear the eye shield after the first week, but you must not, under any circumstances, rub your eyes for several weeks after surgery.

Dr. Liegner will also discuss any limitations of your physical activities, all designed to protect the eyes and promote excellent healing. Generally, you should refrain from contact sports and from using a swimming pool or sauna for several weeks after surgery.