NuSite ® is our proprietary method of advanced surface ablation combined with enhanced pre- and post-operative care methods to give our patients the best and safest of all laser vision correction procedures.

LASIK is popular because of quick visual rehabilitation and good visual results. There are however many short and long term safety risks associated with LASIK that are virtually eliminated by a surface laser procedure.

These include:

• Flap complications during surgery - thin flaps, irregular flaps, free caps, buttonhole flaps, partial flaps; all with potential for long term visual loss.


• Flap complications after surgery - displaced flap, traumatized flap (the risk of trauma injuring the flap probably never goes away), corneal striae (folds), epithelial ingrowth (cells growing underneath the flap), diffuse lamellar keratitis (inflammation); all with the potential of vision loss.


• Dry eye syndrome which can be permanent and respond poorly to treatment


• Progressive corneal thinning due to LASIK requiring that a deeper thickness of the cornea is altered by making a flap before doing any treatment (iatrogenic keratoconus) which often requires corneal transplant. The LASIK flap never fully reattaches to the rest of the cornea leaving the biomechanical integrity of the tissue destabilized.


• Almost all studies have shown a tendency towards better vision and visual quality with surface laser vs. LASIK. This is because the creation of the flap itself alters the refractive power of the eye, and this refractive change cannot be measured or accurately estimated prior to making the flap. With customized surface laser, the correction is placed directly on the front surface of the cornea where no alteration has taken place.


• With newer techniques of non-traumatically removing the epithelium (outside layer of cells) to perform advanced surface ablation, very smooth laser ablations with Visx Customvue TM, advanced bandage contact lens placement and careful pre- and post-op enhanced pharmaceutical treatment, the NuSite ® procedure is approaching the early post-op comfort level of LASIK with rapid visual rehabilitation.


• Almost all corneas that have undergone surface laser have no visually detectable change in their appearance. They look pristine and perfect. Whereas most LASIK corneas have visible scars permanently.


• There is no doubt that patients choosing NuSite ® Advanced Surface Ablation will heal slightly slower than LASIK patients, but the peace of mind from choosing the procedure that is safest for the long term health of your eye and will give you the best possible vision is definitely worth it!

Why are more and more patients and eye surgeons switching over to surface laser treatment instead of LASIK?

Two words: safety and quality.

At Virginia Beach Eye Center we are now offering NuSite ®, the most advanced surface laser treatment available, with the fastest recovery time of all surface procedures.

NuSite ® laser vision correction avoids the problems and safety issues associated with making a LASIK flap and most studies show surface procedures have the edge when it comes to long-term visual quality.

For safety and quality in laser vision correction: Think NuSite ®.

Confused? Our simple Proceedure Chart will help. You can always give us a call as well! (757) 481–5555.