If you're on the fence about getting LASIK, this review is for you. I am writing this review 4 days post-LASIK with Dr. Berg and I will write an updated review in a few months from now when my vision stabilizes more.
Consultation
The consultation was free and lasted around 90 minutes. They checked my vision and measured my cornea's thickness to ensure I was a suitable candidate. They also dilated my eyes, so don't forget to bring sunglasses. Then, Dr. Berg came in. He was really nice and we talked for about 10 minutes. He answered all my questions and confirmed that I was a good fit for the procedure. Next, another doctor, Dr. Kim, did more tests on my eyes and answered a few more questions. She was super friendly! After that, I was taken to another room where pricing, pre-op procedures, and timelines were discussed. You don't have to make up your mind on the spot. They'll give you a folder with all the details. When you're ready, just give them a call to book your appointment.
Tip: Get familiar with the procedure and all the potential side effects before your visit. That way, you can ask the right questions during the consultation.
LASIK Day
They re-performed all the tests from the consultation, plus did additional ones including cornea mapping. Dr. Berg does wavefront-guided LASIK, while some other places do wavefront-optimized. I was told the outcomes are very similar, but WFG is a tiny bit better because it's customized to your eyes (no treatment is the same), whereas with WFO everybody with the same prescription gets the same treatment. Either option works well.
Before the procedure, I was extremely anxious but Dr. Kim provided reassurance that everything would be fine. Then, I received ibuprofen for pain and valium to help relax, accompanied by a thorough explanation of post-op care. Once the valium kicked in, they took me to the procedure room. I laid down on a more comfortable version of a dentist's chair. Dr. Berg numbed my eyes and narrated each step. There was no pain but some discomfort when the flap was created. Then he said "Lights out," my vision went black for about 15 seconds, but Dr. Berg counted down. Each eye's treatment took maybe 90 seconds. Upon standing up, I could see immediately. Dr. Berg taped goggles to my eyes, and that was it.
Post-Op
I was told to keep my eyes closed for at least 5 hours because it would sting, burn, itch, and water (this actually never happened to me). They also provided Ambien to help me sleep once I got back home. When I woke up and took off the goggles to apply eye drops, I could see right away. The following morning, I visited Dr. Berg for a quick check, which only took about 5 minutes. They scheduled me to return in 2 weeks for a follow-up.
Current Vision and Side Effects
I can see like I could never before but my vision isn't stable yet. Sometimes my vision goes in and out of focus and my vision up close is still blurry but I've been told and read this is normal while the eyes heal. It just takes time. That said, I see improvements every single day and I am able to live a normal life.
I have a lot of red spots on my eyes from the flap creation. It doesn't look like an infection - it looks like you were hit in the eyes but this too is fading every day.
Sometimes I have some light sensitivity It comes and goes but it doesn't really bother me. I just wear sunglasses inside the house when it happens.
I do see halos and starbursts at night. Again, I've been told it will resolve over time. It isn't blinding but takes some time to get used to.
None of these side effects were a surprise to me because I familiarized myself with the procedure like crazy.
Overall
I had a really good experience, and I believe Dr. Berg is an exceptional doctor. He's super calm and gets straight to the point. He's not the chatty type but he is very nice; he treats the whole thing like a medical procedure, not like a cosmetic one.
The treatment includes 12 months of aftercare with regular checkups to make sure you're healing up well. One thing I'd suggest is letting patients choose to get the post-op eye drops from a regular pharmacy. That way, insurance could cover them. Right now, you can only get them directly from their office, adding an extra cost of $150 to the procedure. read more