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Thomas De Fer, MD, FACP

Thomas De Fer, MD, FACP, gets great enjoyment in helping medical students figure out what’s important to them as they choose their specialties.

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Driving Assessment

My father has had a stroke. He’s also had several unexplained minor car accidents over the last six months. Is it time to ask for the keys?

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Scratching and Itching and Rashes - Oh, My!

If you have an irritating skin problem, Washington University Dermatology in West County may be able to scratch your itch.

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The Basics of LASIK

Refractive eye surgery (LASIK) has become one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world. If you are ready to say goodbye to your eyeglasses and hello to improved vision, it might be time to find out if LASIK is right for you.

Anjali Pathak, MD, medical director of the Washington University Refractive Surgery Center, explains, “LASIK alters the refractive surface of the eye. We create a flap in the cornea, we then lift that flap and laser the dome of the cornea to either flatten it or steepen it. It’s really to correct for distance vision.

Dr. Pathak adds, “LASIK is really great for 20 and 30-year- olds because we’re correcting their eyeglass prescription, but their lens is still flexible enough to transition from distance to reading.

However, when they reach their mid-40’s, their lens will start to become rigid and they’re going to need reading glasses. This is known as presbyopia. It happens to everybody. When people are using ‘readers or bifocals’, that is not due to cornea – but due to the rigidity of the lens.”

Most people with healthy eyes, normal corneas and mild-to-moderate vision correction can be helped by LASIK surgery. People who fall within the following guidelines make the best candidates for LASIK surgery:

• Mild to moderate nearsightedness (-1.00 to -12.00 diopters)
• Farsightedness (+1.50 to +4.00 diopters)
• Astigmatism

Dr. Pathak says there is an alternative for people who aren’t LASIK candidates (such as those whose cornea is too thin) – called phakic IOL’s. “We implant a lens in front of a person’s natural lens to get rid of their prescription. The nice thing about this procedure is that we are not altering the structure of the eye.”

To find out if LASIK is right for you, call 314-996-3300 to make an appointment.

Patients are seen at:

Refractive Surgery Center in West County
Medical Office Building Two
10 Barnes West Drive
Suite 201
Creve Coeur, MO 63141

If you are not a LASIK candidate, there are many other options available.
Go to lasik.wustl.edu for more information.

Anjali Pathak, MD

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The Basics of LASIK

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