For the majority of people who have myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or even astigmatism, LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is frequently the best option for vision correction. This FDA-approved laser vision correction procedure effectively corrects refractive errors and enables a patient to stop wearing glasses or contact lenses altogether or reduces their reliance on them. After LASIK, the majority of patients achieve 20/20 vision without the use of corrective lenses.
The decision to have LASIK vision correction surgery is a big one, and the surgeon you choose in Minneapolis will have a big impact on how well your procedure goes. Because of this, it’s important to do your research and ask the right questions when evaluating LASIK surgeons in Minneapolis, MN. Because not all LASIK surgeons are the same, it is important to understand what makes one LASIK doctor unique from another. At Chu Vision Institute, we want to make sure that you get individualized care, are knowledgeable about your options for vision correction in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, and are comfortable with your choice to have LASIK surgery with our highly qualified LASIK specialist. It’s important to evaluate all of the following factors when choosing a LASIK surgeon.
"I don't ever have to worry about losing my glasses again."
-Ryan, Skydiver
Chu Vision LASIK patientWhat if you could just wake up and see?
No more glasses or contacts, in less than 15 minutes.
I am ready to see better!
How do you determine if a patient is a good candidate for LASIK?
If you have reached ocular maturity (often about age 18), have healthy corneas, and have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, LASIK may be an excellent vision correction procedure for you. Also, your contact lens or eyeglass prescription must be stable. Your initial consultation will consist of a thorough diagnostic examination using advanced technology and a number of tests to evaluate your eye health. After having your eyes examined, you will meet with your Chu Vision Institute doctor to go through the best vision correction option that is specifically tailored for you as well as other important details pertaining to the health of your eyes.
How do you handle follow-up care and monitoring of the patient’s progress?
Patients should schedule post-operative follow-up appointments with their LASIK surgeon after having the procedure. The post-operative consultations allow him or her to monitor the patient’s recovery and ensure that there are no issues. At the follow-up eye examinations, the doctor will be able to address any concerns that are found.
Patients are encouraged to communicate any questions or concerns they may have during these follow-up appointments. This is a great way to assist people in their recovery and address any concerns. It is essential to make an appointment with the surgeon who handled your treatment for the best continuity of care.
Before, during, and after your LASIK eye surgery at Chu Vision Institute, you will meet with Dr. Chu. Your Chu Vision team of doctors is available and on call to answer questions and ensure your recovery is progressing as expected.
Your eyes are unique. In a few seconds: so we can guide you to the right procedure.I want to see if this could be right for me.
What type of LASIK technology do you use at your Minneapolis location?
Vision correction technology is always advancing. With the use of contemporary methods like All-Laser LASIK, bladeless LASIK, and custom wavefront LASIK, surgeons are able to customize the course of LASIK treatment. To provide a safe patient experience and excellent visual acuity outcomes, a qualified LASIK surgeon invests in the most modern technology and developments for laser surgery. Femtosecond laser flaps contribute to a safe end result. Wavefront lasers with the most recent software upgrades should be used. You should discuss these points with any prospective surgeon to find out what kind of technology they utilize and how crucial they view technology as being to the success of their LASIK treatments.
Chu Vision Institute uses the most advanced excimer laser technology, which is so precise that it could draw letters on a human hair strand. But all of this cutting-edge LASIK technology is useless without a skilled, experienced LASIK surgeon like Dr. Chu to configure and guide it.
Do you only LASIK, or do you offer the full portfolio of refractive vision correction procedures?
It is important to know whether the vision correction specialist you are looking into only does LASIK or offers a variety of vision correction procedures. Because there is no one vision correction technique that is best for all individuals, it is essential to work with a doctor that offers both LASIK surgery and its cutting-edge alternatives. We at Chu Vision Institute are experts in a range of surgeries for vision correction, and we work hard to provide each patient the best outcomes possible. We will never recommend a procedure for which you are not a good candidate; instead, we will collaborate with you to select the vision correction procedure that best meets your requirements and visual goals.
Chu Vision Institute, under the direction of world-renown ophthalmologist Dr. Ralph Chu, provides more FDA-approved vision correction procedures than any other facility in Minnesota. People frequently travel from all over the nation to Chu Vision Institute to meet our doctors for the most recent developments in vision correction, including LASIK, PRK, SMILE vision correction, implantable contact lenses (ICL), custom lens replacement (CLR) advanced lifestyle cataract surgery, and more!
Why is it important to choose a Minneapolis LASIK surgeon that offers more than just LASIK?
Finding a surgeon who does LASIK, and its alternatives, is essential since your vision correction procedure should be tailored to your specific needs. If you don’t qualify for LASIK surgery, don’t worry, there is still hope for better vision. It can be discouraging to be informed that you are not a candidate for LASIK, but it is better to work with a surgeon who puts your needs ahead of their own financial interests, even if that means telling you that LASIK is not a good option.
Complications and the need for additional refractive surgery after the initial procedure can happen. It’s crucial to be open and honest with your eye doctor about your medical history when discussing LASIK. Your strong candidacy for the treatment and your likelihood of a positive outcome are two things that a qualified refractive surgeon will want to confirm.
Another reason why it’s important to look for a refractive surgeon that offers LASIK alternatives is that you want to find one who is skilled in multiple methods of refractive surgery. After being informed that they are not candidates for LASIK eye surgery, many patients believe that LASIK was their sole alternative for vision correction. They had no alternative options given to them for vision correction likely because that surgeon does not offer them.
By providing cutting-edge refractive surgeries you won’t find elsewhere in the Twin Cities, we earn our patients’ trust by staying one step ahead of the vision care curve at Chu Vision Institute. Technology developments like SMILE, reading vision correction techniques, and the EVO ICL lens are all available here at Chu Vision Institute.
You will find more FDA-approved vision correction procedures than anyplace else in the area at your complimentary consultation, and our surgeons will suggest a personalized treatment plan for your particular eyes.
How many LASIK surgeries have you performed?
Nationally renowned for his work in refractive and cataract surgery, Dr. Ralph Chu is a board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologist. He helps patients in Minnesota transform their vision and lives through education, cutting-edge procedures, and high-quality, individualized care as the founder and medical director of Chu Vision Institute and Chu Surgical Center. The focus at Chu Vision Institute is on providing the best possible patient care not on how many surgeries they do.
What is your success rate for the procedure?
Many vision problems, including astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness can be treated by laser eye surgery. It is reasonable to ask if your surgeon has previous experience using LASIK surgery to treat patients whose visual impairments are comparable in nature and degree to yours. Your mind will be at ease knowing that the surgeon has successfully performed hundreds, even thousands, of LASIK surgeries on patients with similar vision issues.
Who will be performing the surgery, and what is their training?
Is your surgeon based at the LASIK facility you are considering? Or does he travel to various LASIK centers across the nation to perform eye surgeries? It’s critical to understand who will be performing the LASIK surgery on your eyes. Steer clear of LASIK eye clinics with LASIK surgeons based in various towns and states. These ophthalmologists arrive by plane, handle your procedure, and then go. If your surgeon is based elsewhere, you will probably need to see another LASIK surgeon or technician for follow-up appointments or any concerns that arise.
Another drawback of “traveling surgeons” is the variability of LASIK technology. Even if your surgeon uses the same kind of equipment across multiple offices, each item has a somewhat varying calibration. Dr. Chu is in our Minneapolis clinic and will be there for your LASIK surgery before, during, and after the procedure. He is also extremely knowledgeable about the laser technology that is employed in our Chu Vision Institute facility.
Meet with one of our expert doctors and find out: so you can decide if vision correction is right for you.I’m ready to find out if I’m a candidate.
It’s crucial to learn as much as you can about the surgeon who will be performing the procedure. Each surgeon is required to follow basic guidelines, but the extent of their experience differs. Qualifications are normal considerations when choosing any physician. Qualifications are critical when choosing a LASIK surgeon to operate on your eyes.
Look for an ophthalmologist who has been board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. A board-certified LASIK specialist has undergone extensive surgical training, earned a medical degree from a respectable university, and routinely attends continuing education seminars to stay current on the most recent developments in laser vision correction. The surgeon should ideally be an expert in corneal surgery and have fellowship training.
Membership in a medical organization like the American Academy of Ophthalmology is a great sign that a surgeon has the experience necessary to do complex LASIK procedures.
Dr. Chu is a board-certified and fellowship-trained ophthalmologist and is a member of numerous professional organizations. In addition, he holds professorships at the University of Minnesota Medical School and the University of Utah, Moran Eye Clinic.
How in-depth is the eye exam at the initial LASIK consultation?
Many LASIK clinics will do only two tests on a patient to determine whether or not they are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. However, it is essential to receive a thorough eye examination that involves multiple tests to make sure that LASIK is the best procedure for your eyes.
Our process is very different from a standard LASIK consultation. Our patients remark that this is the most advanced and thorough eye exam they have ever had. We offer the full spectrum of modern vision correction treatments at Chu Vision. As a result, we do numerous scans and tests on your eyes to fully evaluate them from front to back. After all of your scans, measurements, and tests, you will meet with Dr. Chu, your vision correction surgeon, to discuss which vision correction options are best for you.
What does the LASIK cost include?
When comparing LASIK prices, be sure the cost of LASIK is all-inclusive, meaning that it includes the procedure and preoperative and postoperative services. By doing this, you can be sure that there won’t be any unpleasant surprises and that you’ll get the best possible service. Pricing with limitations or exclusions puts your finances at risk and can result in unanticipated additional expenses.
You can rest knowing that all of your needs will be addressed thanks to all-inclusive pricing. All visits to the laser facility before, during, and after the procedure should normally be included in the LASIK price. Because our LASIK price at Chu Vision is all-inclusive, there won’t be any additional fees before, during, or after your LASIK procedure. You can also get the peace of mind you deserve by working with a group of experts that are committed to giving you top-notch service throughout the entire procedure.
Come see what you’ve been missing. At Chu Vision Institute, we want your LASIK experience to be life changing. We look forward to seeing if LASIK is the right option for you to give you the freedom from contacts and glasses you’ve been dreaming of! Call our office now to schedule your consultation and start your journey to clear vision today.