• How much does it cost?
• What is Intra-LASIK, I-LASIK and Z-LASIK?
• Is it painful?
• What is WaveFront Technology?
• Why is corneal thickness and mapping important
• What is PRK?
• How long does it take?
• How do I keep my eye open and what if it moves?

• Will anything cover my eyes afterwards?
• What is the visual recovery?
• What is the success rate?
• What about reading vision?
• What is Restor®, ReZoom™ and Crystalens®?
• What are the possible complications and side effects of laser vision correction?
• What would exclude me?

At Providence Eye & Laser Specialists, we believe in an honest and straightforward pricing policy and offer many options to make the procedure affordable for most candidates. Bargain pricing ads for LASIK are optical illusions. "Bait and switch" is an unethical way of providing health care and you will not find any "small print" or "starting at" prices in our ads. We firmly believe that our pricing is competitive when comparing similar technology and that we provide a level of service and results that are unmatched in the region.   

Be careful when comparing prices.  With the technological advancements in laser vision correction, not all practices provide the best available lasers.  We also continually reinvest in the latest technology rather than discounting our services and then having to cut corners.

Under some circumstances, your medical insurance may offer a nominal LASIK “discount” off “normal” prices at some practices.  Currently Providence Eye & Laser Specialists does not participate with any of these plans as our pricing is usually the same or less than most places where you might be eligible for this presumptive benefit, even after any discount. Our pricing options are based on the level of aftercare and technology that is best for you which will be explained at the time of your evaluation.

We do not charge more for high prescriptions or astigmatism.

IntraLASIK, Z-LASIK, and I-LASIK are essentially all the same. All of these techniques utilize the same technology to create a flap of tissue with a laser, thereby avoiding the risks of blade LASIK.   Intra-LASIK or I-LASIK are the same and has a proven track record having been available since 2001 and with over 2 million procedures completed worldwide.  It is backed by, AMO Inc., one of the largest and most successful eye care companies in the world.  Z-LASIK is a competing brand which was more recently introduced but with no proven history or strong corporate backing.  

Intra-LASIK is the most significant advancement in vision correction since 2001, allowing Dr. Mozayeni to eliminate the use of a blade utilized in traditional LASIK.  This allows for a safer and more accurate procedure by utilizing a computer-guided laser to create the corneal flap.  Dr. Mozayeni performs your entire IntraLASIK procedure and is the first and most experienced cornea specialist in the region to perform Intra-LASIK.

To complete the Intra-LASIK procedure, Dr. Mozayeni uses the latest and most advanced excimer laser technology including the AMO VISX S4 and the Alcon Allegretto Wave.  This component was chosen to not only provide the best immediate results for our patients, but to also ensure a long-lasting result with uncompromising safety.  In addition, we utilize the most advanced Pentacam corneal mapping system and Wavefront analysis.

Upon arrival in our office on the day of your procedure, you will be offered oral Valium for relaxation and to allow you to take a short nap afterwards.  All patients receive topical numbing drops so the process is comfortable.  There is usually a pressure feeling during the procedure that only lasts less than 30 seconds per eye. Afterwards there is usually a short period of burning, tearing and irritation that usually does not last more than 3 hours.

Wavefront is a term used in our industry to indicate a more customized treatment utilizing mapping information in addition to standard prescription information.  There are different categories of Wavefront technology including Wavefront guided and Wavefront optimized.  The difference is very technical and is best explained in person depending on your personal evaluation.  A thorough corneal mapping evaluation will help us determine if you need Wavefront technology and what kind. 

Dr. Mozayeni is the first cornea specialist in the region to combine both IntraLASIK and WaveFront technology, and the only cornea specialist in the area to offer Allegretto IntraLASIK.

The thickness of a person’s cornea contributes to its strength and ability to maintain its shape.  Over decades of worldwide experience LASIK surgeons have determined that a minimum cornea thickness is necessary in order to avoid long-term complications after laser vision correction.  At Providence Eye & Laser Specialists we believe this is crucial and our technology allows us to provide the safest form of laser vision correction today - Intra-LASIK in conjunction with best laser systems available. This combination allows for the maximum conservation of your corneal thickness, thus optimizing long-term safety.

In addition we were the first practice in the area to offer the Pentacam corneal mapping device. This mapping device is considered the best available in the world and replaced the Orbscan system at Providence Eye & Laser Specialists in 2005.  Most other practices still utilize this older Orbscan system. 

PRK is an acronym (abbreviation) for Photo-Refractive-Keratectomy.  The same laser technology used for Intra-LASIK is used to correct vision using this method, except that no corneal flap is created. It is considered the preferred method of vision correction in about 25% of our patients.  Results are equal to Intra-LASIK for most people even though recovery is a little slower.

The actual time you will be in our laser suite is approximately 5 minutes per eye.  Due to the time needed to complete documents, review instructions, and re-check some of information necessary to program the lasers, plan on spending about 1 to 1 1/2 hours at our facility on the day of your procedure.

During the procedure you do not have to worry about keeping your eye open.  A special device is used to gently keep it open when necessary.  Each eye is kept open for only 2 to 3 minutes.  Our lasers also have sophisticated eye tracking systems and will move the laser treatment with even the slightest eye movement.  The Allegretto laser has the fastest eye tracker of all lasers and will move the laser treatment with your eye movement to assure a more predictable result and give you further peace of mind.

Clear plastic shields are placed over the eye(s) and protective sunglasses are provided to you.  Both should be worn until the day after your procedure.  The plastic shields should additionally be worn for 3 to 5 more nights or whenever you are sleeping.

Recovery of vision with Intra-LASIK is quite rapid but varies from person to person. Most people will be able to function well within 24 to 48 hours. There is some fluctuation in vision for the first few weeks depending on the severity of your prescription, your age, other health issues, and how much dryness you experience afterwards. This will be discussed with you on an individual basis at the time of your evaluation.

The success of your procedure is dependant on many factors. A thorough examination and evaluation is necessary before specific success rates can be determined. Generally, between 95% and 98% of mild to moderately nearsighted patients obtain 20/20 or better uncorrected vision under the care of Dr. Mozayeni and Providence Eye & Laser Specialists. We feel strongly that the personal attention provided to every patient combined with the best technology is one of the many reasons why our results are so outstanding. 

Intra-LASIK can be utilized to correct both distance and near vision in many circumstances.  Many patients under the age of 40 choose to have both eyes for distance and will still be able to see at near.  For those of us lucky enough to age, there are some good options for eliminating reading glasses, including monovision Intra-LASIK.  Other options include Restor®, Rezoom™, and Crystalens® technology.

There are other alternatives to monovision Intra-LASIK and are considered lens replacement procedures.  All lens replacement surgery is the exact same procedure as having cataract surgery.

Although complications are rare, most are related to the corneal flap in traditional blade LASIK.  At Providence Eye & Laser Specialists, we have been performing blade free Intra-LASIK since the beginning of 2003 which has proven to eliminate 95% of these rare complications.  Nevertheless, no surgical procedure is risk free and a thorough discussion will take place during your evaluation. Common side effects include glare and halos in dim light or nighttime, as well as a sensation of dryness.  In almost all circumstances these side effects are temporary and it is our thorough evaluation that will determine your specific risk.

Evaluating the shape and structural integrity of your corneas utilizing our advanced Pentacam system is critical to a thorough and accurate evaluation.  You must also be over the age of 18, but more importantly your prescription must be stable. Your eyes should be generally healthy and your corrective prescription needs to be within a certain range although we can treat people with high levels of astigmatism and very high corrections which may have been denied years ago. Some eye problems, health problems and medications may also exclude you from having this procedure. Other important factors that will be evaluated during your examination include tear production, corneal thickness, and pupil size.