Tired of the hassle and expense of glasses.

Lasik Chicago Complimentary Consultations by Dr. Sondheimer
Simply call (847)-677-2794 and take the first step to reduced
dependence on glasses or contacts.

Dr. Stuart Sondheimer is one of the most experienced LASIK Laser Vision Correction surgeons in the Chicago area.

Is eyewear a handicap in sports activities such as jogging, golf, basketball or tennis?

Whatever the reason, thousands upon thousands of people choose to experience life without glasses or contact lenses.

Refractive errors (conditions for which glasses/contacts are prescribed), typically fall into four main categories: 1.) nearsightedness; 2.) farsightedness; 3.) astigmatism; and 4.) presbyopia. Simply stated, during LASIK, the excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea of the eye to a more normal shape and thus diminish refractive area.

Do you believe you would simply look better without glasses?

When the eye is nearsighted (myopic), the curvature of the cornea (clear front portion of the eye) is too steep, and this causes light rays entering the eye to be focused in front of the retina. In the farsighted (hyperopic) eye, the point of convergence would be behind the retina. The astigmatic eye is shaped more like a football instead of round like a baseball. This uneven shape causes ghosting and/or double vision. Presbyopia is best described as the loss of elasticity in the fine muscles of the eye making it difficult to focus properly. This generally occurs in the early 40s, and many people will notice subtle changes in the vision, difficulty seeing to read or do close work. It is at this time people may begin to depend on reading glasses or bifocals. LASIK laser vision correction CANNOT correct presbyopia; however "monovision" may be performed where one eye is corrected for near vision, and the other corrected for distance.

Good candidates for LASIK are at least 18 years of age, have a stable glasses prescription and are free of eye disease. Status for candidacy for LASIK is typically determined during an initial evaluation by Dr. Sondheimer. For Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on LASIK, click here.

How LASIK corrects vision

Numbing drops are placed in the eye so the patient should be quite comfortable during the procedure. Using a special instrument called an automated microkeratome, Dr. Sondheimer gently glides the microkeratome across the cornea to create a "flap" that is left attached on one side and folded back. He then uses the "cool" beam of the excimer laser to remove a predetermined microscopic amount of tissue from the central portion of the cornea. This reshaping, or removal of microscopic layers of corneal tissues, will cause the cornea to flatten in the case of the nearsighted eye, thus becoming less steep. When Dr. Sondheimer has completed the reshaping, he carefully folds the "flap" back into place to heal naturally, without the need of sutures.

Dr. Sondheimer is an experienced LASIK surgeon in Chicago who has years of experience providing vision care to the area's patients. In addition to this refractive surgery, Dr. Sondheimer also treats Chicago glaucoma and cataract patients.