Lasik Laser Eye Surgery

For patients to become less dependent on corrective lenses, Lasik laser vision surgery might be the right choice for many seeking freedom from glasses or contacts. Most people who have the surgery done go from fully relying on corrective lenses in order to see clearly to having near perfect vision within a matter of minutes. In addition, though Lasik surgery is considered relatively minor, like all procedures there is the possibility of infection still exists.

The use of a specialized cold beam laser to reshape the cornea of the eye providing clear vision is involved in the Lasik laser vision correction procedure. Patients should be aware of the side effects that may accompany this procedure.  

Sometimes corrective lenses are still required after surgery, which is quite typical. Sometimes lenses are needed for night driving, reading or in some cases, all the time. Even though corrective lenses might be required, a lot of the times the prescription won’t be as strong as what it was before the procedure. While additional treatments can be done, they may not be able to totally eliminate this effect.  

People with severe nearsightedness or farsightedness are at a higher risk of needing additional support from corrective lenses after surgery than those with typical or minor vision problems. Before the surgery, prior to committing to Lasik laser vision correction, patients will need to have an understanding of realistic expectations.  

Some other visual side effects can be an associated risk with Lasik laser vision correction. After having the surgery done some patients may experience halos, glares, or even double vision. It mainly occurs at night specifically while driving.

Dry eye, aka keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), is a risk of Lasik laser vision correction.   Throughout the process, the laser cuts a few of the eyes’ nerves while it fixes the cornea’s shape. Nerves generally fix themselves throughout time, nevertheless, for a few, permanent injury can happen, ending with dry eye since the nerves can’t transmit info which results in the tear ducts making tears when an eye is dry. Vision may be impaired due to the irritation and dryness of the eye but this condition can be controlled with the long term use of medicated drops.

There is always the slight but very real risk of infection as a result of Lasik eye correction surgery. This rarely occurs and is easily treated with oral and topical medications. For example, a Northern California office makes available pre-op appointments with a Lasik surgeon in Stockton for Lasik vision correction in Stockton so the customer is aware several week’s before making an appoitnent.

After surgery, the most common side effect is smoky vision. This effect is temporary and, in most cases, disappears within 24 hours. Some people report a feeling similar to that of something irritating in their eye such as a speck of dirt. This too is temporary and remedies itself in a matter of days.

Candidates will make an educated decision on Lasik eye correction by understanding the risks first. Additional dangers and side effects will be discussed with the eye care professional and laser surgeon during counseling prior to having Lasik performed. Considering these risks might help in figuring out if a person is actually a candidate for Lasik laser vision correction.

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So many people are interested in the Lasik vision correction procedure, and want to know the cost of Lasik eye surgery, the benefits, the risks, and how the Lasik procedure works.  One of the first things to consider is what requirements a person should meet in order to have a successful Lasik procedure.  Though each individual case should be discussed with a qualified Lasik physician, here are some guidelines to see if you are a good candidate for Lasik vision correction.

Age Requirement

First, the eye should be properly matured.  This means that anyone under the age of 18 really needs to wait before a Lasik procedure is done, for it is likely that the shape of their eye will continue to change for several years.  If the eye shape changes after the Lasik operation is done, the clarity of vision will be affected.The age of 25 is the minimum age limit recommended by some Lasik physicians.

In addition to an age cutoff, the vision prescription for the Lasik eye surgery candidate should be stable for at least one year, and preferably for longer than that.For the same reason stated previously, the shape of the eye must stay the same after the surgery in order for the procedure to maintain its effectiveness.

Another point that is worth mentioning about Lasik eye surgery.  There is no maximum age, as many patients in their fifties to their eighties have had a very successful Lasik procedure.The primary concern in these situations is a lack of tear production for proper healing and lubrication when the surgery is over.

Health

The eyes of the Lasik candidate should be healthy.As a result, no one with an injury, eye infection, or cornea scarring should undergoe a Lasik operation at the minimum for a year.  In addition, they must not have any recurring eye problem, such as a history of herpes infection in the eyes.

The medical history of a prospective Lasik client also plays an important part.Individuals may not qualify for the Lasik procedure if they have recurring conditions, such as autoimmune disorders like Lupus.Be aware of any current medical conditions, as well as the ones from the past that are no longer an issue.  Also, women who are pregnant or nursing should wait to have a Lasik procedure scheduled.

A good Lasik physician will also not schedule people with dry eye syndrome for Lasik vision correction.  Having sufficient tear production is important, though for minor problems this may be aided by medication during the healing process.  In addition, those people with eyes that dilate very widely are not good candidates for Lasik. 

These are most of the most common reasons that a person should look at some other eye improvement choice other than Lasik.  Most generally healthy people with standard vision problems benefit greatly from a Lasik procedure done by a trained, professional Lasik physician.  Look for a good Lasik center in your area and discuss your individual case in detail.

More: Lasik Eye Surgery Complications

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If you spend any time on forums or chat rooms while online that deal with the topic of LASIK surgery, you probably wonder why anyone would work up the courage to set up a LASIK procedure, and why in the world they would even want one. The many different clinics for LASIK surgery are made to sound completely impersonal and quite similar to a lab built by Dr. Frankenstein, and the procedure itself sounds a little unreal.  It seems like the only people that would get Lasik are those with such bad vision that they cannot get out of bed without their glasses on.

If you are willing to listen I’m now going to give you my story of how I came about choosing LASIK.  First of all, my vision is not good, but not terrible either.  I can go down to the mall and catch a movie and see the film just fine without my glasses, but whenever I’m driving around in order to see the street signs correctly I do have to wear my glasses. LASIK for me was not a necessity, but I just figured that it would make my life a lot easier. I spend a lot of time outdoors and frequently take backpacking hikes that lead me to a long hill climbs, and I even enjoy mountain biking. Glasses do not last long with me, and I am frequently grinding into the dirt which is not the best situation for contact lenses.  For these reasons, Lasik looked very appealing.

The paragraph above might make you think I am a “manly guy” (hope so, think so!), so why on earth would I be afraid of a little Lasik scalpel? LASIK really doesn’t use a scalpel, but instead it uses something called a microkeratome blade, but it is still an  incredibly sharp object that is cutting my eye during the LASIK procedure.  These days however, LASIK surgeons don’t have to use that blade either, as they can do the cutting with a laser which is much better than a sharp blade.  But anyway, I had too many spills in my life to think any sharp object nearing my eye was a good idea, even under the skilled hands of a Lasik physician.

After talking with three (yes, three!) independent Lasik physicians, they each assured me that a 28 year old guy in nearly perfect health (OK, I exaggerate a bit) with moderate nearsightedness was one of the very best candidates for a successful Lasik procedure.  I decided to schedule my Lasik procedure with the one that had the best track record, and coincidentally took the most time to explain everything about Lasik to me.

I was really happy with the fact that the surgery wasn’t painful at all, even though I took everything that they offered to provide comfort, even the sedative and a teddy bear.  The only really bizarre thing that I a can recall about the procedure itself was the smell of something quite similar to burning hair. I’m pretty sure that it was my eye.  It’s a good thing they didn’t tell me to expect that smell as if they would have you might not have been so quick to sign up.

It’s been a few years now, and I suppose I was a perfect client for LASIK, as they still have 20/20 vision and it has remained stable for a long time now. I say that if you are a good candidate for a Lasik vision correction procedure, grab that teddy bear and go on in.

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Thinking about eye surgery using a Lasik procedure is a big step, and many people are a little hesitant to ask the questions that they have.  The Lasik procedure, though widely talked about, is not discussed in detail, and people tend to fear the unknown.  This report is going to talk about some of the most common fears that people have, and will also talk about the experiences that the vast majority of people experience when they go through a LASIK eye surgery procedure.

One of the biggest and most common fears that people have when considering LASIK is the fear of pain and whether it will hurt are not. This doesn’t only go for LASIK but it also goes for any other type of operation. Since the patient is conscious when the procedure is being performed on them this is a highly understandable fear. In every LASIK procedure, before the surgeon touches your eyes the patient has numbing drops applied and also is giving a mild sedative to help them relax and be comfortable.   Though a small pressure to the eye may be felt during the Lasik procedure, the process itself is relatively pain free.

There is a laser used on your eyeball during the procedure which is used to help reshape the cornea. Many folks are worried about the laser being shone directly into the eye, or that they might look away and, due to this, develop a serious complication with their eyes and the Lasik laser beam effects. In actuality, the laser is only active for ten to fifteen seconds for each eye, and the Lasik machine has a tracking system that allows the beam to be on only when the eye is in the correct position.

Another fear that almost everybody has when they are contemplating going in for a procedure is the fear of the scalpel. Any Lasik procedure uses only a very small microkeratome blade to approach the eye, or some more recent Lasik innovations have the laser itself create the flap and avoid using any hard surface at all.  There is no reason to be concerned about a scalpel, for the Lasik physician does not use one.

A lot of people have the fear of going blind or having other serious consequences because of horror stories they might have heard about this or any other type of procedure.  In order to alleviate these fears the FDA states that there are no reported cases of blindness that are caused by a LASIK surgery procedure. The truth is that there is very little risk of any type of permanent complication arising from a LASIK surgery procedure. You have less than 1% chance of getting any type of permanent damage caused from a LASIK eye surgery procedure that is serious, and you have less than a 3% chance for any type of nonserious complications such as light halos.  It is extremely rare for a patient to not have improved vision after a Lasik procedure.

If it is really a big concern of yours that somebody is going to be working on your eyeball while you can see them, please take into consideration that your eyeball is going to be completely numb and you will be on a mild sedative.  If you’re frightened by the thought of seeing a surgeon’s hand approach your eyeball, take comfort in the fact that he is going to apply some drops to your eye that is going to black out your vision for a period of 10 or 15 seconds which is plenty of time to complete the procedure.

This introduction has hopefully addressed the most common fears about the Lasik procedure.  For all of you out there who could benefit from this procedure, and experience the freedom of not having to wear glasses anymore, then visit your local clinic today and speak with them about any of the thoughts you might have concerning LASIK surgery.

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What is involved in effective Post-Op Lasik Care

One of the most marvelous advancements using modern technology is the Lasik vision correction procedure, where in the space of fifteen minutes many people can reduce or eliminate their reliance on glasses or contact lenses.  There is very little preparation for the surgery on the Lasik patient’s side, and the Lasik procedure itself takes less than twenty minutes.

With current technology and an excellent Lasik physician, there is a very high success rate for nearly all Lasik surgeries.  Though not all patients get or keep exactly 20/20 vision, there is a vast improvement in the Lasik client’s vision and dependence on corrective eyewear.  The two most important factors under the patient’s control is the choice of the physician and good post-operative care.

After visiting a few physicians or clinics that perform Lasik procedures, the client should have a very good idea of how they will be treated as a patient of that doctor.  It is important to find a Lasik physician whose staff is responsive to questions and worries, and who are willing to see a post-operative Lasik client who is having a problem with their care.

This is one of the more common complaints of those folks that undergo a Lasik procedure: insufficient information about post-operative Lasik side effects, or a staff that simply says “Lots of people experience that, no problem,” when the patient actually should be seen by a member of the staff.  A visit where the prospective Lasik patient talks with both the physician and one or two members of the staff will get an idea of how well a patient is welcomed once the Lasik procedure is completed.

During this initial investigative visit, the client should ask the Lasik staff for a list of common, temporary side effects that can be experienced after a Lasik procedure.  The staff member should describe any cases where the patient should make a point of contacting the Lasik center, rather than just enduring the side effect.  Cases of pain, intense itching, or seriously blurred vision may indicate an infection or other serious problem, and should be seen promptly.  It is truly very rare that any of these complications exist after a Lasik procedure, but make sure that the center is willing to see the patient if they think something is more than mildly wrong.

One of the more common side effects after a Lasik operation is some form of dry eye, which often occurs during the nighttime while asleep.  Not only is this uncomfortable, but if the eyelid sticks even slightly to the eye itself, it may dislodge the surgical flap done in the Lasik procedure, and delay healing of the eye.  If this occurs, the Lasik center has several different viscosities, or thicknesses, of eye drops to alleviate this problem.  The staff should be promptly notified so this problem can be addressed immediately.

A good, responsive staff surrounding an excellent Lasik physician is the most important component in how to select a doctor.  Interviewing the physician and staff about all aspects of the Lasik procedure, both the procedure itself and post-operative care, is the best way to make an excellent choice.

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