LASIK Eye Surgery: Things To Consider

Despite the LASIK eye surgery’s high success & satisfaction, there are things you should consider before deciding on a vision correction procedure.

Laser in-situ keratomileusis or, in short, LASIK is a popular surgery that can correct vision for both near and far-sighted people and also people who have astigmatism. It reshapes the cornea, which is the front part of your eye and makes the light focus on the retina at the back of your eye, and repairs damaged nerves.

Who can get it done?

Your vision becomes blurry when you try to see things far away or close at hand. This happens when the light does not focus on your retina as it should. Doctors term this as being a refractive error. However, due to the advent of prescription glasses and contact lenses, it has become easier for people to see. However, both can be rather uncomfortable to wear. 

Glasses can be quite difficult to maintain and are very fragile. One fall may break the glasses, which would make you go to and from the store to get new ones every once in a while. Contact lenses, on the other hand, are much easier to wear but require high maintenance. They need to be cleaned every time, so not a speck of dirt penetrates them as it can blur your vision. They can easily be damaged as they are fragile, and you need to remember to take them out every time you fall asleep at night. 

Thankfully, due to advanced science and technology, LASIK eye surgery has paved the way for a permanent solution. 

The ones who can have this surgery are: 

• Near-Sighted (Myopia): you can easily see and recognize things that are closer to you, but things far away seem blurry. 

• Far-Sighted (Hyperopia): you are able to see clearly the things that are far away, but things close to you become blurry.

• Astigmatism: it is a type of refractive error where the light does not reach the retina evenly, which results in blurred vision at any distance. 

Before making a decision, talk to your physician about whether or not you should go for LASIK eye surgery. The Lasik Eye Center in Orange County has performed a whopping 89k successful surgeries with their advanced technologies that have eight different lasers. It is known to be the future of eye care since it can provide a permanent solution to those who suffer from severe eye problems.

However, you cannot have the surgery if you:

• Are a minor (that is, less than 18 years old)
• Are pregnant or nursing
• Are on medications
• Have glaucoma or dry eyes
• Have other health issues, such as diabetes or arthritis. 

Before going for surgery

With a high rate of success and customer satisfaction, LASIK surgery is considered to be the highest of any elective procedure. However, when it comes to the decision to have surgery done on our eyes, it’s something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The following are the things you should consider before deciding to go ahead with the procedure:

• Be Sure

Be 100% sure that you need the surgery by consulting an eye specialist. There are a number of other treatments for near and far-sightedness, so do your homework thoroughly and find what’s suitable for you. Although LASIK has a high success rate, the surgery may not be for everyone. 

• Choose Your Surgeon Wisely

LASIK eye surgery carries a low risk. However, the experience of a surgeon still matters when it comes to having a procedure done on the most sensitive part of your body: the eyes! Therefore, choose an experienced and board-certified ophthalmologist to get your vision corrected. 

• Be Aware of Side Effects

Every good thing has its limitations, so make sure you are ready to take risks. While LASIK eye surgery is considered safe and provides a long-lasting solution for people with astigmatism and near-sightedness, the results usually depend on the severity of the problem. 

Most patients come out with a 20/20 or 20/40 vision. However, some may need reading glasses as they age. So it is wise not to assume LASIK eye surgery to be a permanent solution.

• Aftercare Treatments 

After the surgery, there are a lot of dos and don’ts, such as no eye makeup, that you need to strictly follow for a smooth healing process. Your eye specialist will provide you with the details and a list, and all you need to do is follow them accordingly. 

Do you have to go out often? Then be sure to ask your specialist what you need to avoid during the period of healing.

• Understand the Risks involved 

Even though the surgery promises high success rates, it is still, in fact, a “surgery”. So before deciding to get the procedure done, make sure you understand the risks and complications that may occur during the surgery. Talk to your ophthalmologist in detail, and be sure that you really do need surgery or you can survive without it.

People have been living with prescription glasses and contact lenses for a long time as there were only these two options to choose from. But with the advent of the latest technology in eye care, it is now possible to live without those and live naturally. LASIK eye surgery is completely a non-invasive procedure that works with needle-sized lasers. No more spending time and money on maintenance, and since the surgery is a permanent solution, you do not need an upgrade every year. You do not have to worry about maintaining, replacing, or other things that had you worked up with glasses and contacts. 

All you need to do is make sure you really do require a vision correction procedure and consult an experienced and board-certified specialist to do it for you. Since it concerns the most sensitive part of you, you need to be cautious and do your homework regarding the surgery thoroughly and then decide whether to go for it.