Our eyes are the products of millions of years of evolution and are among the essential sense organs. They help us see the world and enjoy the beauty around us, and we cannot be thankful enough for them. As complex and beautiful as the human eyes are, there’s no doubt they are quite sensitive as well. Vision-related issues are more common now than ever because of the high screen time we expose our eyes to.
Excessive straining of eyes often leads to various refractive errors in the eyes, and to correct them, we either wear corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses. An alternative to these visual aids is LASIK eye surgery. LASIK procedures help in achieving a clear vision without the need for glasses or contacts.
This article is all you need to know about LASIK.
LASIK, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is one of the most common eye surgeries that helps patients with vision-related issues to see better. During LASIK eye surgery, advanced LASER technology is used to reshape the cornea (the clear and transparent tissue in front of the eyes) to fix refractive errors in the eyes. A high precision laser beam is put to work in this process to improve vision.
Interesting facts about LASIK
LASIK Eye Treatment has been around for more than 25 years. And with constant technological advancements, LASIK procedures have a very high success rate. Approximately 92-98% of the patients that underwent LASIK Eye Surgery got satisfactory results & are now advocates of the procedure.
LASIK Eye Surgery can treat the following conditions
Myopia (Nearsightedness)
Myopia is a condition in which the patient can see nearby objects clearly, but the faraway things seem to be blurry. This happens when the light from distant objects focuses in front of the retina instead of focusing on the retina. A longer eyeball or sharply curved cornea could lead to nearsightedness.
Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
A patient suffering from hyperopia can see faraway objects clearly, but the nearby things are blurry. A shorter eyeball or a cornea that is too flat could lead the light from nearby objects entering the eyes to focus behind the retina instead of focusing on it.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a condition in which the patient cannot see nearby, distant or both near and far away objects clearly. A normal eyeball is shaped spherically; however, if it is shaped unevenly, like an egg, or asymmetrical, it causes astigmatism.
Am I a good candidate for LASIK Eye Treatment?
The ideal age to get laser surgery is from 18 years to 35 years. Other factors that make you eligible for LASIK are:
Stable vision
You could be eligible if your vision prescription is durable and hasn’t changed in the last 6-12 months.
Good overall health
Patients dealing with health conditions like Diabetes, auto-immune diseases, cataracts, or other diseases that may impact the healing process post-surgery are carefully considered for LASIK after an overall assessment.
The thickness of the cornea or past eye injury
A candidate with a thin cornea may not qualify for laser operation for the eyes. Also, a patient with a history of severe eye injury or corneal scarring is subject to assessment by the doctors.
Pregnancy
LASIK procedures are not encouraged during pregnancy or while nursing. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may lead to unstable eyeglass prescriptions.
What to expect?
Once you get the go-ahead from your eye specialist, you will need to begin preparing at least 2-4 weeks before the procedure. If you wear contacts, the doctor will advise you to stop using them during this time.
Your surgeon will also give other pre-surgery instructions, such as washing your hair beforehand, stopping the application of eye makeup, using antibiotic eye drops, and more.
The surgery is painless and takes about only 20 minutes to complete for both eyes.
Once the surgery is over, along with the prescribed medication, the doctor will also give some detailed post-surgery care tips. You will also need protective eyewear and must not stress your eyes with longer screen time.
(Get more information on what to expect Before, During, and After LASIK).
LASIK Eye Surgery Risks
The complications that may arise during or after LASIK procedures are almost nil. Usually, the side effects of laser eye surgery are temporary and do not qualify as disadvantages of laser treatment.
These side effects of LASIK treatment include dry eyes, glare, sensitivity to light, and discomfort in the eyes. You can expect the side effects to subside within a few weeks or months.
If you want LASIK treatment to fix any refractive error in your eyes, reach out to us!