LASIK
LASIK Eye Surgery
Improve your vision with LASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis) surgery that corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism with a minor all-laser outpatient procedure. Call us today to schedule your complimentary, no obligation consultation at one of our convenient location in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Largo and Clearwater.
Enjoy activities without having to worry about your vision!
At The Eye Institute of West Florida we use the latest femtosecond laser or “bladeless” technology. Your vision is corrected almost immediately following surgery and in most cases, you can be back to work the next day.
Our specialist that perform LASIK surgery are board-certified and fellowship-trained surgeons who are nationally recognized in ophthalmology for their surgical skills.
Not a candidate for LASIK? Click to learn more about the EVO lens and our other alternative refractive surgery options.
Schedule a LASIK Evaluation
Stephen M. Weinstock, M.D.
Schedule your LASIK consulation with Dr. Stephen Weinstock below by selecting a time at the location you want to be seen.
Robert J. Weinstock, M.D.
Schedule your LASIK consulation with Dr. Robert Weinstock below by selecting a time at the location you want to be seen.
Neel R. Desai, M.D.
Schedule your LASIK consulation with Dr. Neel Desai below by selecting a time at the location you want to be seen.
Not a candidate for LASIK? Click to learn more about the EVO lens and our other alternative refractive surgery options.
Bladeless LASIK
Our physicians customize a laser treatment plan for each eye. Using precision guided lasers, the irregularities that cause vision problems can be corrected.
At Weinstock Laser Eye Center our surgeons are highly skilled to provide the best visual results. They have performed thousands of LASIK procedures using “bladeless” all-laser technology.
Sometimes a patient is not a good candidate for all-laser LASIK surgery due to a flat, steep or thin cornea or whose epithelium has the potential for an epithelial slide. PRK or Epi-LASIK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis) is an option for a wide range of patients.
Your age, eye condition, and vision correction needs will determine which laser surgery procedure is right for you. You can schedule a complimentary consult to learn what treatment plan is best for your eyes.
Learn more about what you can expect with LASIK surgery at Weinstock Laser Eye Center, a division of The Eye Institute of West Florida.
Why Choose LASIK
Enjoy the freedom of life without glasses!
Patients that choose LASIK surgery are thrilled with the outcome. We commonly hear “I wish I had done this sooner!”
Benefits of LASIK surgery:
- Enjoy reading, driving and daily activities without having to wear glasses or contact lenses.
- Participate in sports and activities that may have been difficult without special prescription glasses, expensive prescription goggles or contact lenses.
- Save money by no longer having to buy new glasses, replace lost contact lenses, repair broken glasses and buy contact lens cleaning solutions.
- Stop searching and fumbling for glasses when you wake up in the middle of the night.
Whether you have been wearing glasses your whole life or had to begin wearing them in the past few years due to vision changes, imagine what life would be like with 20/20 vision.
Schedule your Free consult at 727-518-2020.
Questions to Ask When Considering LASIK Surgery
Usually, both eyes are done on the same day. Since the patient can resume most of their normal activities within 24 hours, most elect to have both eyes done the same day for convenience.
Correcting vision with the laser takes only seconds. The procedure itself takes about 7 minutes for both eyes. You will be at our office for about 1-1 1/2 hours on the day of the procedure to ensure that you are relaxed, that all of your questions have been answered and to allow you the opportunity to observe the procedure. We find that knowing exactly what to expect creates the most relaxed patient.
Patients are checked the day following their procedure and may return to work and resume most normal activities.
LASIK is a very safe procedure in the right hands. To our knowledge, there have not been any reported cases of blindness. The most significant risk is an infection which is reported in 1 in 5,000 cases, whereas 1 in 500 contact lens wearers suffer from infections and corneal scarring.
LASIK is often referred to as a “painless” procedure. There is virtually no discomfort because the patient receives numbing drops prior to the procedure. Once the drops’ effect wears off, a patient’s eyes may feel a bit irritated for a few hours. Some patients feel no irritation whatsoever.
A lid speculum keeps your eyelids from blinking and our doctors control your eye movements with an instrument they designed specifically for this purpose. This keeps your eye centered on the target but if you sneeze or cough, the doctor removes his foot from the laser pedal and continues the treatment after he re-centers your eye.
To ensure your comfort and confidence, your head and neck are kept snug in an inflatable pillow, your lids are kept open with a speculum and your eyes are treated with numbing drops that prevent your eye from reacting to stimuli. Our doctors will indicate before each step what you may see, hear or feel so you are not surprised.
LASIK correction is permanent. The eye may continue to change as a result of aging but these are only minor changes.
Most patients see better immediately upon sitting up. However, the vision is somewhat hazy due to all the drops and medication placed on the eye. This mild haziness usually clears after a short nap or the next morning.
Patients usually notice an immediate improvement in their vision after LASIK. However, it can take several weeks for the eyes to adjust to the final level of correction. Vision may fluctuate for a week or so. There may be some watering of the eyes and a slight feeling of a foreign body sensation. After having LASIK the great majority of patients do not wear corrective lenses of any kind. However, because people’s eyes can continue to change with age, there may be a need for additional vision correction (surgery or glasses) in the future.
Photo Refractive Keratectomy, or PRK, treats the surface of the cornea with the excimer laser while LASIK treats the inner tissue of the cornea. For this reason with LASIK, there is less area to heal, less risk of scarring, less risk of corneal haze, less postoperative pain, less postoperative need for medications and vision returns more rapidly.
Still interested in learning more?
When you are choosing where you will have your LASIK surgery or its alternatives, and which surgeon, we are available to talk with you. Give us a call at 727-581-8706 to schedule your consultation.
The Weinstock Laser Eye Center was the first to introduce the excimer laser to Pinellas and Hillsborough County and is proud to be amongst the few elite LASIK centers to offer all-laser LASIK. With our knowledgeable and experienced LASIK experts, you have a choice. To learn more about LASIK and what to expect, please refer to the following pages:
Choose The Eye Institute of West Florida for your LASIK surgery to get the best vision results possible for you.
Last modified on November 4th, 2022 at 10:34 am
"Dr. Weinstock has been exceptional. He lets you know how severe your problem may be
without giving you concerns you just know he’ll be able to take care of whatever you need to be done. He’s friendly and caring and
explains everything thoroughly. I’ve recommended your facility to many of our friends."
Wayne – Patient of Dr. Robert Weinstock
Meet Your LASIK Specialists
Stephen M Weinstock, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a cataract and LASIK specialist. He founded The Eye Institute of West Florida in 1974, pioneering sub-specialty eye care in Pinellas County. Today, as President and Medical Director, Dr. Weinstock is recognized as a world renowned cataract and LASIK surgeon. He teaches the latest techniques such as"no-stitch, no-patch" cataract extraction and implantation of premium intraocular lenses (IOLs), here and abroad. Dr. Weinstock is also very proud of being the first ophthalmologist to introduce the excimer and YAG lasers to Pinellas County.
In 1999 for his outstanding performance as a refractive surgeon, Dr. Weinstock was honored with the"VISX Star Surgeon" award and placed in the top 5% of refractive surgeons nationwide. He is one of the only surgeons in the country who has been certified by the American Board of Eye Surgery in both Cataract and LASIK surgery.
Dr. Weinstock is also an associate clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of South Florida.
Robert J. Weinstock, M.D. is a board-certified ophthalmologist and is fellowship-trained in cataract and refractive surgery. He became interested in ophthalmology at an early age - as he watched and assisted his father. Dr. Weinstock has joined the practice in 2001 after completing his residency at the St. Louis University School of Medicine.
He is the Director of Cataract and Refractive Services at the Eye Institute of West Florida and The Weinstock Laser Eye Center. He also is an associate clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of South Florida, and serves as the Surgical Director of the Largo Ambulatory Surgery Center. He was named one of 250 in Permier Surgeon's List of Leading Innovators of 2010 for his contributions to cataract surgery and premium IOLs. In addition to performing thousands of vision correcting cataract and LASIK procedures each year, Dr. Weinstock speaks and teaches nationally and internationally on customized cataract surgery and surgical innovations. He is continuously engaged in clinical research and studies to evaluate new technology, many of which are sanctioned by the FDA. He is recognized internationally as an expert on new implant technology and microincisional surgical techniques. He has authored many book chapters on cataract surgery and continues to write journal articles on cataract and refractive surgery.
Neel R. Desai, M.D. is a fellowship-trained ophthalmologist strictly specializing in LASIK, cataract and corneal diseases of the eye. Dr. Desai is a top graduate of the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine and completed his fellowship in cornea, cataract and refractive surgery at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. He is recognized throughout the country and internationally as one of only 100 surgeons able to perform advanced corneal transplants and other complex cataract, corneal and refractive procedures. He holds pending patents to new surgical products and advanced cornea surgical procedures of his own design. Additionally, Dr. Desai has authored many book chapters in his field of study and continues to write articles in peer review journals.
