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After nine years of hassling with contacts, Karen Sui is ready for something more permanent.
Karen Sui/ LASIK patient: "I've had a lot of friends talk about it and I figured it's a really good investment they call it, where you can wake up and see things without going to get ready to put contact lenses on."
Karen's taking advantage of the latest in Lasik surgery. It's called wavefront technology.
Opthalmologist Dr. Steven Turner says it's a big step forward, because it doesn't treat each patient the same. Instead it customizes the surgery to meet the individual needs of each patient.
Dr. Steven Turner/ Opthalmologist: "Corneal curvature, their surface topography is different, the length of the eye is different, the thickness of the cornea is different"
A machine creates a blueprint of Karen's vision, mapping out every bump, scar, scratch and crevice of her eyes.
Armed with that extra detail, doctors tailor the surgery to correct even the smallest flaws that affect vision.
"A slightly higer percentage of patients are in the 20/20, 20/15 category. So the acuity is percentage wise a bit better."
Turner says the wavefront technology can also help treat what are called higher order aberations, things like ghosting, glare, halos. and starburst.
"Where this technology has really been very helpful, patients who have had previous laser surgery, either LASIK or PRK, who are left with a less than desirous outcome can have their problem addressed and in most cases fixed."
As for Karen, things are already looking better.
"I can see your face, which I couldn't see before."
Surgery takes about ten minutes per eye. As for cost, it ranges from $1,750 to $2,500 per eye.
The FDA has just approved the new procedure.
