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How the Eye Works

Your eye focuses light and works like a camera. Light enters through the cornea, the "window of the eye." The rays of light travel through the pupil to the lens; the lens fine tunes the focus of light onto the retina. The retina turns light into electrical impulses that travel to the brain, which interprets the image it receives.

When the light rays coming into the eye aren't focused properly, the eyes need correction, traditionally through glasses or contact lenses. Now laser vision correction offers a more permanent solution.

To see if you are a prime candidate for laser vision correction, complete the self-evaluation provided below and/or call our office for further consultation.

Refractive Surgery

As Hawai‘i’s most experienced laser eye surgeons, Dr. Tyrie Jenkins and Dr. Carlos Omphroy inspire confidence and assurance. Both physicians were in the forefront of laser eye procedures. Dr. Omphroy did the first PRK procedure in Hawai’i and Dr. Jenkins performed the first LASIK procedure.

The two surgeons are nationally recognized by VISX, the company that makes the equipment used for laser refractive surgery. VIXS ranks Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Omphroy among the top five percent of laser refractive surgeons in the nation. Because of their experience with thousands of laser eye procedures, they are the only surgeons in Hawai’i certified to train other surgeons to use the VISX excimer laser for the procedure.

This web site can help you make an informed decision about laser refractive surgery. If you have further questions, email Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Omphroy and they will respond within a few business days. When you choose Dr. Jenkins or Dr. Omphroy, you will meet directly with them, not a technician, both before and after your procedure. They are opthalmologists trained in complete eye care. To your left are a number of categories with information ranging from what to expect during and after the procedure and the risks involved.

LASIK & PRK

Laser in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) and Photo-Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) are two surgical techniques that use lasers to reshape or change the curvature of the cornea. Here’s what happens.

The cornea and lens combine to focus visual images on the back of the eye. When the overall shape of the eye or the curvature of the cornea is incorrect, visual images become blurry. The cornea accounts for approximately two-thirds of the focusing power of the eye. By surgically changing the corneal curvature, the rays of light are focused clearly on the retina, and most or all of the blur can be eliminated.

Laser vision correction is not a new procedure. Around the world, millions of procedures have been performed since the 1980s. In the United States, where Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval came in the mid-1990s, more than two million surgeries have been performed using the VISX laser–the procedure preferred by Drs. Jenkins and Omphroy.

First Step

The first step is to set up a consultation:

• To determine if you are a candidate
• To answer your questions
• To help you learn as much as you can about laser vision correction

As part of your consultation, we perform a thorough eye exam.

To help you make an informed decision, we review all aspects of laser vision correction and what you can reasonably expect from the procedure. We will carefully evaluate your eyes and answer any questions.

If you choose to have laser surgery, we'll tell you what you need to do to be ready. Mainly, you'll need to stop wearing contact lenses before the procedure—one week for soft lenses and four weeks for hard or gas-permeable lenses.

Day of the Procedure

Arrive at the Laser Eye Center of Hawaii as rested and relaxed as possible. Allow for two hours at the center. Wear comfortable clothing. Do not wear makeup, earrings, hair spray, perfume or cologne on the day of your laser procedure.

Arrange for someone to drive you home.

You will be asked to sign an informed form of consent and arrange for payment. (We can help you arrange financing; please ask our staff for the information in advance.)

Pre-ops

Meet with your surgeon to discuss any last-minute questions.

We'll use anesthetic drops to numb your eye. If you are having LASIK, your surgeon may prescribe a mild oral sedative.

In both procedures, sterile surgical conditions are well maintained.

• Your face is cleaned with a disinfectant
• You wear a surgical cap
• Your eyelashes are taped out of the way
• An eyelid holder is used to prevent blinking

After the Procedure

Following the surgery, go home and rest.

You may experience slight feelings of discomfort. With the LASIK procedure, this may last a few hours; with PRK, a few days. Asophthalmic (steroid) drops will help promote healing.

You can expect your vision to be fairly blurry. In the case of PRK, your vision may worsen over the first three days. With LASIK there is usually a dramatic improvement in vision in the first 24 hours.

Do not plan on driving until you feel vision has improved. This may be a week with PRK and a few days with LASIK. Sensitivity to light is normal and will improve.

• Wear good sunglasses
• Avoid rubbing your eyes
• Avoid swimming, surfing and hot tubs for a week
• Showers are fine, just avoid splashing your eyes with water
• Avoid dusty or smoky environments.

Before leaving The Laser Eye Center, we’ll give you complete instructions including a post-operative appointment schedule. This includes examinations the day after, a week after and one, three, six and twelve months after the procedure, with annual checkups after that.

The earlier stages of PRK recovery are also longer. Your vision may get worse for the first three days. This is normal. You will notice an improvement about Day 5 and it will continue for several weeks. We recommend using eye drops for at least three months. The frequency will be modified after the one-month visit.

With LASIK your vision improves more rapidly and you may feel comfortable enough to drive in two days. You will be using eye drops for about ten days.

It may take as long as three months for your vision to stabilize following PRK or LASIK surgery. Recovery is generally faster with LASIK and stability may be achieved as soon as two weeks.

With LASIK, although the flap is relatively secure in one week, we advise you not to rub your eyes hard for a month.

With PRK the post-operative steroid drops must be continued as your doctor recommends. Deviations from this regimen may lead to haze or regression.

Risks

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