Everything You wanted to Know about LASIK Eye Treatment !
03-08-2017 | Posted By: Shagun Parasher | 2461 View(s)
Thinking of getting a LASIK Eye Treatment done? But do you know what LASIK is, the processes involved, risk factors and the right age of getting it done? Read on to know everything related to the modern LASIK Eye Treatment and decide for yourself if you should get it done or not.
What is LASIK Eye Treatment?
LASIK is a kind of refractive surgery of the eye known for effectively correcting nearsightedness or Myopia, farsightedness or Hypermetropia and Astigmatism. The word LASIK abbreviates for Laser-in-situ keratomileusis. It is a modern day surgery that is helpful in correcting the vision.
What does a LASIK Surgery Involve?
Like all laser vision surgeries it involves reshaping of the cornea, a dome shaped transparent layer that forms the front of your eye. This is done to let the light travelling through the eye reach the retina located at the back properly. It is a widely used surgical technique used for reshaping the cornea.
How is the Surgery Performed?
The steps involved in LASIK Eye Treatment are as follows:
1. At first Eye Drops are applied to make the Eye Numb.
2. The eye surgeon may give you an extra medication to make you relax.
3. The surgeon will then gently prop your eyelids open with an instrument called Lid speculum.
4. The next step involves accessing the cornea. The doctor will use a device to make your eye stabilised. You will experience mild pressure but that is okay, and you need not worry.
5. The LASIK surgeon will then create a thin flap in the cornea using a mechanical surgical tool called a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser to create a thin, circular “flap” in the cornea.
This flap is folded back to reveal the stroma region or midsection of the ornea. You will experience a blurry vision after this for some time.
6. Next step is the reshaping of the cornea. In this step, a computer controlled excimer laser sculpts the cornea through the pulses of light. You might feel some pressure at this point.
7. The corneal flap is repositioned. It regains its shape naturally without any sutures in some minutes.
The Recovery
Vision can be blurry and hazy for the first day, but most patients notice improved vision within a few days of surgery.
You may or may not feel some discomfort in your eye like sensations, itching, a little burning and excess tear production than normal. The Doctor may prescribe eye drops to prevent infection and inflammation to keep your eyes moist. You must know that this is a part of the recovery. Your eyes will be healthy in a short period of time. Talking about the normal vision, it gets normal within 8-10 hours of surgery, but for some, it might even take months depending on a number of factors.
You are strictly not allowed to drive after the surgery. Listen to the instructions your LASIK surgeon gives you for a quick and efficient healing of your eyes.
Also Read:Tips to Take Care of Your Precious Eyesight
Advantages of Getting a LASIK Treatment
LASIK has many Benefits
1. It is a no bandage, no stitch and no pain method of surgery for correcting the vision. It is easy and, the surgery doesn’t take a lot of time.
2. It really works. It is proven accurate in correcting most levels of Myopia, Hypermetropia and Astigmatism.
3. It is a computer guided treatment, so the results are precise and accurate.
4. The after-surgery recovery is Fast as it corrects the vision nearly immediately or within a day or two max after LASIK.
5. Around 96% of patients will have their desired vision after LASIK. However, with the advancement of age, there might be a need to go for second surgery.
6.• After having a LASIK Surgery, the dependence on eyeglass or contact lens sees a dramatic reduction in most of the patients or they may not require them at all.
Disadvantages of LASIK
Although LASIK is a proven effective way of correcting problems of the eye but it is a process that might involve some complications as well.
Disadvantages of LASIK Eye Treatment are as given below.
1. LASIK is a complicated process. Problems may occur while the surgeon is creating a flap. This can lead to permanent damage to the vision. Therefore, it is necessary to choose your doctor carefully before going for surgery.
2. It can rarely hamper your “Best vision”. With this, we mean that the vision you earlier achieved while wearing your contact lenses and glasses.
3. It can make your eyes dry. It usually happens after getting a LASIK Eye Treatment but, in some conditions the, situations might worsen.
Side Effects of the LASIK Eye Treatment
We talked about the effectivity of the treatment, but there might be some rare side effects after you get this surgery.
1. Discomfort in the eye lasts for about two days.
2. You might see some halos around the images for some time.
3. Your vision might fluctuate.
4. Difficulty in driving at night even after months of Surgery.
5. You may experience dryness in your Eyes.
Is there any right age of getting a LASIK?
Your age marks a lot of milestones. But there is no age for LASIK. Most surgeons will not perform LASIK on people under the age of 18. It is said that your eyes tend to keep growing till this age. The most common age of getting LASIK is 20-40. Your eyes are stable in growth till the age of 40, but they start changing again as you cross 40. Your age influences the effectiveness of LASIK, but it doesn’t draw a boundary for this treatment.
Preparing for Laser Surgery
Once you decide to go in for a LASIK- Get in touch with a Good Eye Surgeon with a proven track record.The Surgeon will examine and evaluate your eyes and may get some tests done to evaluate the condition of your eye and go through your medical History.Depending upon the evaluation-The doctor will then take a call about when to perform the operation and let you know in case of any issues or a problem.
We hope this article was helpful and would help you help you to know the Facts about LASIK Surgery and alleviate all your Doubts.
