Is lasik eye surgery right for you? I see lasik surgery advertised all over the television, the internet, and in magazines, but I really didn’t know that much about it. Turns out, it has not been around very long and was only first used and developed in the early part of the 1990’s. By now you probably know that lasik eye surgery is a way to correct vision so that there is little or no reliance on traditional forms of eyesight correction such as contacts or glasses. What the surgery actually does is correct the shape of your cornea in order to allow you to see well. Sounds great, but there are things you should know and be aware of before you decide whether or not lasik is the best way for you to go about correcting your vision.

The first thing you will need to know is how lasik eye surgery is performed. You will be fully awake for the whole procedure which takes just a few seconds. However, you will have only a mild sedative in you and drops will numb your cornea to the pain. Your eye will be held open and lasers will be shot into the eye to perform the procedure.

What exactly are those lasers doing during the lasik eye surgery, though? Well, they are actually creating a flap over your cornea. The lasers your doctor will use work at approximately 4000 adjustments per second. This allows them to be as accurate as possible. Your doctor guides and pre-programs the lasers so that your vision will improve as much as possible.

Before your lasik eye surgery begins, you will likely be given an antibiotic. This is to prepare for the case of an infection. While infection in lasik eye surgery is very uncommon, there is a chance. The antibiotic before hand will help out in case it happens. You may also notice your doctor taking measurements before hand. These measurements will allow him to make a sort of topographical map of your eye. With that map, he can program the lasers to make the changes to your cornea necessary to improve your vision as much as possible.

There is no guarantee that after surgery you will have full vision back, but in most cases people get most of their vision back. Your eye will need to heal first after lasik eye surgery, though. Because of this, you will be asked by your doctor to go home and immediately sleep for a few hours. This gives your body time to begin healing your eye and help the surgery to be successful. Make sure you always listen carefully to your doctor’s instructions to ensure a successful lasik eye surgery.

So is lasik eye surgery right for you? Only you and your eye doctor can really answer that question. What is for sure, though, is that lasik eye surgery is continually improving. It is a very powerful procedure that may be able to help you restore your eyesight to almost perfect or at least make it much better than it was before. So, educate yourself, consult your eye doctor and try to decide if you would benefit from lasik eye surgery.

If you are contemplating LASIK eye surgery, you are not alone. This is becoming one of the most popular elective surgeries. This surgery can help to eliminate your need for glasses or contact lenses. Although it is a relatively safe surgery and most people do not have problems after ward, it is important to understand that there are still risks involved.

LASIK eye surgery uses lasers to correct vision by reshaping the cornea; it is a relatively non-evasive surgery. Still there are things that can happen whenever you are messing with something as sensitive as your eyesight. You will need to decide if it is worth the risk to you to be free of eyewear.

Some of the risks that can occur include losing eyesight, in whole or in part, the development of severe dry eye syndrome as well as the return of eye problems as you age. Some of the risks can be alleviated by carefully choosing both your surgeon and the clinic where the surgery is to take place, but the best way to is to do your research and to understand the risks completely before they happen.

A small percentage of patients lose some or all of their eyesight as a result of having the LASIK eye surgery performed. The lose can include losing lines of vision when reading a vision chart that cannot be fixed by contact lenses or glasses. Of course, if all vision is lost, this cannot be corrected by eyewear either.

Other vision related issues that some patients report developing are problems with seeing halos, double vision and an increase in glare. All of these issues will affect certain situations where low contrast in colors and light are affected, such as night driving or foggy conditions.

If the surgery is done to solve an issue of farsightedness, the symptoms could reoccur over time as the eyes naturally age. Other patients could also see a change in their vision as they age; there is not a long-term data to track the successfulness of this new technology over time.

It is important to note that patients who have dry eye syndrome will notice the condition being worse for about a month after having LASIK eye surgery performed. After about a month of healing, the condition will get better, though normally not to the postoperative norm.

Patients who do not have dry eye syndrome before the surgery will also notice an issue, they will notice symptoms such as itching, dryness and loss of tears. The symptoms for these patients will lessen over the month of healing also, but may never go away completely.

It is important that you fully understand the complications that can arise from LASIK eye surgery. While the surgery is relatively uncomplicated, it can still have dire consequences. Be sure to talk with your surgeon before agreeing to proceed with the operation.

Lasik eye surgery has been big news on the vision front. With many people flocking to have the procedure done it has become one of the most popular eye surgeries. The idea that lasik is a solution for anyone with bad vision also proves that much is unknown about lasik. Before committing to the surgery patients should look into what lasik is and what it can do for vision.

Lasik stands for laser-assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. Lasik is where the surgeon cuts a small flap in the cornea and then uses a laser to reshape the inner area of the cornea. The cornea can be related to many vision issues. Myopia (nearsightedness), Hyperopia (farsightedness), and Astigmatism can all be solved through lasik eye surgery.

Before getting lasik a patient is examined by their eye doctor. During the examination pictures of the cornea will be taken to see what corrections need to be made. The overall health of the patient and patient’s eyes are also considered when deciding if a person is a good lasik candidate. Any conditions, such as dry eye syndrome, may affect a persons ability to get lasik.

After lasik the patient can go home and within a few days is usually recovered enough to resume daily routine activities. Most people experience success and will see clearly right after the surgery. Some people may experience side effects like night time vision problems and light sensitivity. Rare side effects like infection can also occur, but most often can be avoided by following doctors orders.

Lasik is a fairly new procedure and long term data has not been studied. Some people do require the use of reading glasses as they age even though they have received lasik and achieved good results. The patient should discuss all concerns and expectations with their surgeon before the lasik procedure to ensure they completely understand the process and outcome possibilities.

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, chances are you have thought or even looked into LASIK eye surgery. This surgery has taken the optical world by storm, it promises to let you leave your glasses or contacts in the past, or at least to lessen your dependence upon them. As the procedure becomes more popular, it is easier to find a doctor or an office that will perform the surgery for you.

Before you decide that LASIK surgery is right for you, make sure that you know all the facts, and how they might affect you. LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a surgery that changes the cornea shape, this is a permanent change that is made using a laser and a special knife. This is what allows you to become fewer dependants upon your glasses or contact lenses as most wearers suffer from a misshaped cornea.

Before the surgery, you will need to consult with an optometrist that specializes in LASIK surgery. The doctor will conduct a number of tests to determine if you are a good candidate for the surgery. If it is determined that you are a good candidate, the doctor should be able to tell you how much of a change in your eyesight can be expected after the surgery.

Several things are taken into consideration when a doctor evaluates you for the surgery. For example, if you have had a change in your eyewear prescription within the last year, LASIK is not for you. The eyes need to be stable for at least a year, preferably longer to ensure that they aren’t going to change shape on their own. If you have a history of certain diseases, LASIK may not be the right choice for you either. Having a history of Glaucoma, Herpes, eye injuries or thin corneas, are a few of the reasons that would disqualify you for the surgery.

Now you have been checked out by a doctor and are ready to proceed on your road to a future without glasses. It is important that you know what to expect during the surgery as well.

When you go in for the actual surgery, you will be placed in a reclined position. You will receive a numbing solution in the eye that is being operated on. The doctor will use a special speculum to hold the eyelid open and a large machine with a microscope will be aimed at the eye. A ring will be applied to your eye with hard pressure, this is to create a suction affect on the cornea, the doctor will the use a knife to cut the part of the cornea that needs to be reshaped. Your vision will be blurred during this part of the procedure.

After the cornea has been cut the ring is removed, at this point, you will be able to see, although this will come and go during the rest of the LASIK surgery. This is the part of the operation where the laser is introduced, two actually. The first laser is for your eye to focus on; the second is the working laser.

The machine with the microscope is also attached to a computer. This computer is what controls the amount of strength that is available in the laser. Before the procedure, the surgeon will have programmed how much tissue needs to be removed from the cornea, based on the tests in the first visit. The computer then, stops the laser when the exact amount of tissue has been removed.

Your surgery is essentially done! There are a few rules for after the procedure that your doctor will go over with you, but most people are back to daily life within a couple of days.

Lasik surgery is becoming increasingly popular among individuals struggling with vision problems. Providing people with a way to toss out glasses and contacts, lasik surgery offers complete vision to those who have lived their whole lives on those mechanisms. Still, there are things to consider, including how the surgery works and the dos and don’ts of lasik eye surgery aftercare.

How the Surgery Works

Lasik eye surgery is not a long process. In fact the FTC explains the procedure only takes 10 to 15 minutes per eye. During the procedure, a small flap is cut and lifted away from the eye. The tissue of the cornea is then reshaped by the laser and then protected by a plastic or metal shield.

What You Should Do After

Another important element is taking your medication as described by the prescription. If you need help with drops, ask for it. Wait the appropriate length of time as described by your doctor before you continue with your regular activities such as work. Lomas Eye Care adds that you should wear eye protection during the nighttime to keep anything from bumping or scraping the eye. Drink adequate water to keep hydrated.

What You Should Avoid After

There are many, many things you will want to avoid after your surgery. The first of these is rubbing your eyes. Do not, under any circumstances rub your eyes. In addition, avoid driving until your vision is completely clear and focused. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission also recommends that you keep away from hot tubs and swimming.

Keep away from strenuous physical activities, especially one that could cause eye injury. Also do not exercise for a week after the operation. In addition to these things, you should keep away from smoky, dusty areas and refrain from wearing eye makeup.

Conclusion

Lasik eye surgery can change a person’s life, and in most cases healing time is relatively quick. But this time can be made easier if individuals follow the dos and don’ts listed above. If you follow your doctor’s instructions, you are much more likely to heal without complications.