Our SHARPEVISION Chicago team of eye experts is bringing custom all-laser LASIK paired with the most modern technology and techniques to everyone.
Is LASIK right for you? In most cases, yes! While not everyone can safely have laser vision correction, about 90% of the patients we see are great candidates for LASIK. And because we utilize the latest techniques and technology, we are able to treat many patients who weren’t candidates in the past. So if you’ve been told that you aren’t a candidate for LASIK, you very likely could be at now at SHARPEVISION.
We’re not your typical LASIK eye surgery in Chicago. Total transparency is our mission, from our glass-walled laser suite to our straightforward pricing. We only do custom, all-laser vision correction surgery with the latest & greatest tech. This means that your doctor can tailor the procedure specifically to your unique eyes, giving you the best possible results. And our surgeons have performed over 100,000 LASIK surgeries. They have it down to science.
We believe that everyone should have access to the best surgeons & technology at a fair price and in a comfortable environment. Whether you are interested in LASIK, PRK, EVO ICL™, RLE, or Cataract removal, you can know you are getting the best possible value because our pricing is transparent with no hidden fees. Check out our Cost Calculator to see how much LASIK can save you vs contacts and glasses. We also offer guaranteed financing!
We believe that we give our patients the best experience at the best price, but if you happen to find LASIK for less somewhere else, you can still have the SHARPEVISION experience! Just bring in your exam paperwork with the quoted price from another local LASIK provider within three months of your consultation and we’ll match the price for service. It’s that simple. So when you’re ready, we’ve made it easy to book your free consultation online, but we’d also love an old fashioned phone call. We’ll SEE you soon!
The majority of people-90%-who meet the age and general health requirements are good candidates for the LASIK surgery procedure. There are some conditions that exclude certain patients. Take the quiz to see if LASIK is right for you.
A comprehensive, dilated examination is the only way to know which vision-correction procedure is best for you. We do this at no charge because we believe so strongly in giving patients all the information necessary to make the right treatment choice. While your exam involves comprehensive diagnostic testing, it is also our opportunity to learn more about you, your expectations, and your lifestyle. All of these factors play an important role in recommending the best procedure for you:
The complete exam can take up to 90 minutes. After all the data is collected, our doctor will examine you, discuss the treatment recommendation, and answer any questions you have. Your visit will include dilation of your pupils, which will affect your eyesight for about 4-6 hours, as you may have experienced with a routine eye exam. *Dilation is part of a comprehensive examination which is recommended every 1-2 years. If you wish, we can defer that component, and it will not affect our ability to complete your vision correction consultation or your surgical outcome in any way.
We’d like you to leave your contacts out prior to your procedure; it’s usually just a few days. After carefully reading through the entirety of the literature you will receive from your doctor, you will sign a copy of the informed consent in our office prior to your procedure. We will give you a Recovery Kit that includes your prescription drops and everything you need for after your procedure. We’ll also explain & give you written instructions for your post-op care, which includes using these eye drops four times a day for seven days. All of your post-operative appointments will be scheduled before your procedure, so you can simply go home when the procedure is complete.
We understand that this procedure may create nervousness and fear & have worked very hard to make it easy for you. We offer an oral sedative (Valium) to help you relax & encourage you to take it if medically appropriate. We want your experience to be as comfortable as possible. Your doctor will gently talk you through each step of the process, so you know what you will feel, see, and hear. He monitors your eye through the microscope at all times. The entire procedure takes about three minutes per eye; the first laser takes 20 seconds & the second laser takes 10-50 seconds, depending on the amount of your prescription.
Immediately following the procedure, you will notice a change in your vision. It’s always foggy at first, but most people can see well enough to read a clock from across the room. Your eyes will be numb for 15-25 minutes; then they will start to water and burn. After LASIK, this discomfort usually lasts 4-5 hours. To help with the burning, we supply you with “comfort drops” that have numbing medicine and artificial tears in them. After being driven home, place a cool compress on your eyelids to relieve any discomfort. Try to sleep or rest with your eyes closed. You may resume normal activities the same or following day. You can lift and exercise, but do not rub your eyes. Your vision may still be foggy; this is a normal part of your healing process and will clear in the days and weeks following the procedure. Most people see well enough to work the next day.
Over the years, we’ve heard many myths about vision correction and want to clarify them and answer other common questions.
No, the laser can’t burn a hole in your eye. But it’s a good question. Find the answers to our most frequently asked questions at SHARPEVISION. Some of them may surprise you!
The average cost per eye for LASIK and PRK in the USA went up in 2023 like most things, due to inflation, and is around $2500, with a range from $1500 to $3500. An advertised price lower than $1000 is typically only for the lowest prescriptions without astigmatism. At SHARPEVISION, our pricing is clear and consistent and based on your level of prescription and other factors related to your anatomy. We will know where you fall in our pricing after we have given your eyes a thorough evaluation at your free consultation. The price is the same whether you have LASIK or PRK. We also have a price-match guarantee: if you happen to get a lower price quote for LASIK or PRK somewhere else, we will match the price for service, just bring in your paperwork. It’s that simple!
Our ICL and RLE pricing is consistent for everyone because we are inserting a lens into the eye and not changing the shape of the cornea. These prices are listed on our pricing page– which no one else does BTW!
There are very few things that can go wrong during the surgery, and the chances of any of those things occurring are slight. More important to the outcome of your surgery, we advise everyone to check out the surgeon’s credentials, experience, online presence and reviews, and to then visit the center and get an overall feel for the practice. Did you have a good feeling about the team, the physical appearance and processes internally? I believe that a higher volume of patients is good for practice consistency and to hone results. However, if you feel like they’re rushing you through, you may not receive the same attention and responsiveness of a smaller practice. This can be an issue at a multi-surgeon clinic. I feel like we have found the perfect combination at SharpeVision: we do a lot of procedures, which keeps us polished, and our surgeon-run boutique centers keep our patients at the front of everything we do.
Most insurance/vision plans do not pay towards LASIK or PRK, but we do honor the discount from EyeMed, VSP, and Davis, so that if you’re a member, your out of pocket expense will be the same. Always check with your insurance carrier or health benefits administrator before coming in for your exam. A few forward-thinking companies are currently paying for some or all of their employees’ LASIK, PRK, and ICL including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Adaptive Biotech, and Zillow in Seattle.
There are two types of laser vision correction surgery: LASIK (Laser Assisted In Situ Keritomileusis, also called Custom Lasik, Wavelight, Topography-Guided, or Z-LASIK) and PRK (Photo-refractive Keratectomy, also called LASEK, Advanced Surface Ablation, or epi-LASIK) LASIK is the predominant type of laser vision correction, whereby a flap is made on the cornea, which is the clear dome of tissue overlying the iris (colored part of the eye). In this surgery, most people see well enough to drive and return to work the very next day. Your vision will continue to improve over several weeks to months, but your sight will be surprisingly good and you will be comfortable only 4-6 hours post-surgery. PRK surgery is quick and painless, just like LASIK. The recovery, however, takes longer and is more uncomfortable for the first two days. Your surgeon will place contact lenses over your eyes to protect the surface while they heal. Your vision will gradually improve over the coming weeks, but will take slightly longer than LASIK to be fully clear. The same laser is used and the end result is the same as LASIK, but PRK is better suited to some eyes for a variety of reasons. The most common reason why you would need PRK is if your cornea is too thin for LASIK. It would also be performed on someone who has had a corneal procedure in the past or for vocational reasons such as entering certain branches of the military.
If you happen to fall in that small percentage of patients for whom LASIK is not the best option, there is still hope! You can get rid of your glasses and contacts with alternative laser vision correction techniques.
Just like LASIK, but with a twist. Best for those with thinner corneas.
Involves one eye corrected for distance vision and the other corrected for near vision.
Micro-thin lenses placed inside the eye to correct a variety of vision problems.
Exchange your high prescription lens with a new 20/20 lens.
Laser-assisted removal of a cloudy lens that’s replaced with a new lens. See like you did when you were young!
