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LASIK

Considering LASIK?

Are you tired of wearing glasses and contact lens?

LASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis) is a minor all-laser vision correction procedure that corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism and is intended to reduce or eliminate dependence on glasses and contact lenses.

Benefits of LASIK:

  • Enjoy life without glasses or contact lenses

  • Freedom to participate in new activities

  • Stop spending money on new glasses, lost contact lenses and repairing broken glasses

  • Experience improved vision immediately after surgery or the day after

A quick and painless procedure that allows you to have clear vision!

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Why Choose Us?

You can count on us to be here for any of your vision needs.

Weinstock Laser Eye Center, a division of The Eye Institute of West Florida, has been serving patients and the Tampa Bay community since 1974.  Whether you need an eye specialist or routine vision care, our team is available at six convenient locations throughout Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Largo.

“I will never go any where else for my eyes.” - L. T.

Trust your eyes to experience

Our LASIK surgeons, Dr. Neel Desai and Dr. Robert Weinstock are board-certified and fellowship-trained ophthalmologists, nationally recognized as some of the most skilled and experienced surgeons in the country.

We will always provide the best care that is right for you.

State-of-the art technology

Our patients deserve the best so we invest in the best equipment. Your LASIK procedure will be performed using state-of-the-art technology.

We offer customized solutions to fit a patient’s needs. Faster healing, better outcomes and less surgical complications are some of the benefits of having your LASIK performed by Weinstock Laser Eye Center.

Custom LASIK

Like a fingerprint, every eye is unique.  A comprehensive evaluation is important to determine the unique treatment plan for your LASIK surgery.  We provide a complimentary consult to determine if LASIK is right for you and which vision correction procedure will produce the best results for you.

Choose an experienced physician to perform your LASIK procedure.

Visit any of our locations to see why patients love being cared for by our team.

About LASIK

What You Can Expect

Excellent patient care, the best vision correction possible for your eye condition, and a patient experience that makes you feel like family.

We make it easy for patients!

  • Call (727) 518-2020 for a phone consult with one of our LASIK experts. Get all your questions answered, compare pricing, and set up your free no obligation physician consult.

  • At your consult, receive a complete eye exam, review your health history, and discuss the custom solution best for your eye condition.

  • See more clearly as soon as the outpatient LASIK procedure using the latest “bladeless” technology is complete.

  • Next day follow-up appointment with our physician checking on your healing and vision results.

  • Additional follow-up LASIK consults throughout the year as part of our service to you.

Enjoy normal focus without glasses!

Contact our LASIK coordinator at (727) 518-2020 and we can put you in touch with patients who can describe their personal experiences to you firsthand.

Doctor Rob with a patient

LASIK Alternatives

Vision correction is not one size fits all.

Our surgeons are skilled at any type of vision correction procedure you may need.  If we determine all-laser LASIK is not the right fit, PRK/Epi-LASIK is a common alternative that produces similar results.

PRK/Epi-LASIK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis) is for patients who might otherwise not be good candidates for LASIK due to a flat, steep or thin cornea or whose epithelium has the potential for an epithelial slide.

Set up your free consult today and determine how you can say good-bye to your glasses.

One of our board-certified and fellowship-trained surgeons will evaluate your vision and eye structure, explain what procedure is recommended to provide you the best vision possible, and answer all your questions.

Pricing

At the Weinstock Laser Eye Center, we offer all-inclusive pricing for LASIK. There are no hidden fees, misleading pricing or disclaimers you can’t read. Our pricing includes everything you need as a LASIK patient except the cost of the eye drops you pick up at your pharmacy.

Don't Compromise Your Vision at Any Cost.

A surgeon’s skills matter.
Each has different LASIK results

The measure of affordability should be about risk, not cost. Cheap pricing can lead to cheap results. Although bargain pricing may appear less expensive in the beginning, in the end it may not be.

You will become comfortable with our doctors' level of expertise and leave our facility knowing your decision is a good one. Don’t bargain with your vision.

If you are considering LASIK, set up your complimentary, no-obligation consult.  You should only trust your eyes to an experienced surgeon.

Financing

LASIK vision correction is typically not covered by insurance. When you add up the amount you spend annually on eyeglasses and contact lenses compared to the cost of LASIK, you will start to see the savings.

We offer a variety of ways to help you afford LASIK.  Many patients use our option of a 50% payment upfront; the remaining amount is spread over three interest-free payments.  We also offer financial options through Care Credit.

Before you decide where to have your LASIK performed, contact us at (727) 518-2020 to learn about pricing and financing options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our team loves the opportunity to answer all your questions on the phone; but if you prefer to learn more before talking with us, here are the most frequently asked questions by patients considering LASIK.

Q.

Am I a Candidate for LASIK?

A.

You must be at least 18 years of age, in good general health, with a stable refraction for 2 years.  A screening with one of our physicians is the best way to determine if you are a LASIK candidate and what your probable outcome may be.

Candidates should be free of any eye diseases including keratoconus, eye viruses including herpes simplex, and herpes zoster, as well as certain health problems, including uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune, or collagen vascular disease.

Our physicians will want to be aware of other eye problems including: amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (muscle imbalance), severe dry eyes, previous eye surgery or injury, and any recurrent, residual or active eye conditions which may affect healing such as keloid scarring. Patients should make our physicians aware of back problems, claustrophobia or other psychological problems, which may affect the surgery or recovery.

Q.

Do our physicians operate on both eyes the same day?

A.

Usually, both eyes are done on the same day. Since a patient can resume most of their normal activities within 24 hours, most elect to have both eyes done on the same day for convenience.

Q.

How long does the procedure take?

A.

Correcting vision with the laser takes only seconds. The procedure itself takes about 7 minutes for both eyes. You will be at our office for about 1-1 1/2 hours on the day of the procedure to ensure that you are relaxed, that all of your questions have been answered, and to allow you the opportunity to observe the procedure. We find that knowing exactly what to expect creates the most relaxed patient.

Q.

When will I be able to return to work?

A.

Patients are checked the day following their procedure. Most patients may return to work and resume most normal activities within 24 hours.

Q.

Is LASIK safe?

A.

LASIK is a very safe procedure in the right hands. The most significant risk is infection, which is reported in 1 in 5,000 cases; whereas 1 in 500 contact lens wearers suffer from infections and corneal scarring.  One way for patients to further lessen the risk is to follow pre-operative and post-operative instructions carefully. Antibiotic eye drops are used after the procedure to minimize this risk.

Vision correction results vary based on the experience of the physician and the equipment being used.  You should only trust your eyes to an experienced surgeon.

Q.

Will it hurt?

A.

LASIK is often referred to as a "painless" procedure. There is virtually no discomfort because the patient receives numbing drops prior to the procedure. Once the drops' effect wears off, a patient's eyes may feel a bit irritated for a few hours. Some patients feel no irritation whatsoever.

Q.

What if I move or blink during the procedure?

A.

A lid spectrum keeps your eyelids from blinking, and our doctors control your eye movements with an instrument they designed specifically for this purpose.  This keeps your eye centered on the target, but if you sneeze or cough, the doctor removes his foot from the laser pedal and continues the treatment after he re-centers your eye.

To ensure your comfort and confidence, your head and neck are kept snug in an inflatable pillow, your lids are kept open with a speculum and your eyes are treated with numbing drops that prevent your eye from reacting to stimuli. Before each step, our doctors will indicate what you may see, hear or feel so you are not surprised.

Q.

Is this treatment permanent?

A.

LASIK correction is permanent. The eye may continue to change as a result of aging but these are only minor changes.

Q.

When will I be able to see after the procedure?

A.

Most patients see better immediately upon sitting up. However, the vision is somewhat hazy due to all the drops and medication placed on the eye. This mild haziness usually clears after a short nap or the next morning.

Q.

What is the best correction I can expect?

A.

Patients usually notice an immediate improvement in their vision after LASIK. However, it can take several weeks for the eyes to adjust to the final level of correction. Vision may fluctuate for a week or so. There may be some watering of the eyes, and a slight feeling of a foreign body sensation. After having LASIK the great majority of patients do not wear corrective lenses of any kind. However, because our eyes can continue to change with age, there may be a need for additional vision correction (surgery or glasses) in the future.

Q.

What are the primary benefits of LASIK over PRK?

A.

Photo Refractive Keratectomy, or PRK, reshapes the cornea beginning with the surface of the cornea. LASIK, first creates a thin corneal flap and then reshapes the underlying cornea after which the flap is replaced. For this reason, with LASIK there is less area to heal, less risk of scarring, less risk of corneal haze, less postoperative pain, less postoperative need for medications and vision returns more rapidly.