Archive for September, 2008

It should first be mentioned that it is extremely rare that there are any serious Lasik problems or complications that will affect you after you have your surgery. With the right preparation and the proper series of pre-surgery meetings with your physician, you should be able to confidently avoid any and all complications related to Lasik surgery. There are cases, however, in which the pre-surgery proceedings are less than ideal. In these cases, it is possible that you may experience some Lasik problems. If you are unsure about your pre-surgery proceedings or how your case is being handled, you have every right to stop the procedure before it begins and request better care.

Many of the possible Lasik problems can be resolved quite simply and for little to no expense. A lot of the procedures can be repeated or augmented to fix any of the complications that may have come up. The best way to prevent any problems is to select the right surgeon, however, and knowing how to do this can seriously lower the risk of any Lasik problems and can raise the risk of your procedure having a tremendously successful outcome. There is also the possibility that you are experiencing complications because Lasik was not the procedure for you. You should always examine your entire set of options before you partake in any surgical procedure.

Finding A Good Doctor

Finding a good Lasik surgeon is the best way to prevent any Lasik problems, of course. With their competence and professionalism, the best Lasik surgeons will be able to ease you into the procedure and will be able to ably assist and help you with any possible questions or concerns you may have. From this point of confidence and competence, you should be able to relax during the procedure and relax after it knowing that your results will be optimum for the situation and turn out as good as possible. There is nothing that can replace the feeling of being in good hands with the best doctor you can find.

The overall sense of public confidence in the Lasik eye surgery procedure has considerably risen over time because of the rise in competent and professional doctors specializing in this field. As the technology began, there really was no speciality in it until the medical field began to further embrace it as a tangible surgical procedure. From there, the Lasik problems were able to be addressed properly and measures were taken to avoid them to the best of the abilities of the doctors.

Choosing a good laser eye surgeon

Improving your vision with a Lasik procedure could be one of the greatest gifts you could get for yourself.  However, as my mother used to say, “Your eyes are precious.”  It is important to entrust the Lasik operation to a doctor that you trust and have confidence in.

Let’s begin with three factors that should NOT be the sole reason you select a doctor for the Lasik procedure.  The location of the office is not particularly important, and a number of people travel long distances to have the Lasik procedure done, for a truly professional doctor will only need to be visited two or three times.  Also, cost or the type of Lasik technology used should not be the sole factor.  The range in surgical skill for a Lasik operation does vary, and there is the old saying “you get what you pay for.”  Further, though the newer types of Lasik procedures do have their benefits; many eye doctors in a large metropolitan area often offer two or three Lasik variants.

There are several ways to determine which is the best doctor for you in your area.  One of the qualities to look for in a good Lasik physician is someone who can accurately assess your situation, and advise you if Lasik is even a good choice for you and your lifestyle.  A physician that takes the time to discuss your own physical condition and situation with you is a good indicator that this is a Lasik physician that you can rely on.

Look for a Lasik eye surgeon which has a solid reputation in the area, and has a good track record.  A physician that advertises in a magazine is not a sufficient recommendation to put your trust in that doctor, and needs more investigation before agreeing to have him do your Lasik procedure.  Sometimes a Lasik center with a large advertising campaign and discounted prices may be indicating that the quality of the surgery is not excellent, and this could be a red flag to avoid that center.

A good Lasik doctor should be involved in the entire Lasik process.  As mentioned above, he should take time to assess your particular case and discuss it with you.  Not only should he do the exam, but he should also perform most or all of the preoperative exam, and also should meet with you personally to monitor the success of the procedure at the dates for checkup.  There are stories from some Lasik centers of the patients never seeing the physician again after the operation until they complained strenuously of some particular problem.

Make sure the physician is honest in their assessment of the general Lasik procedure, and his track record in particular.  Ask for individual examples of patients that the physician dissuaded from having the Lasik operation, and why.  Ask how many Lasik procedures the doctor has done in total, and how many in the last two years.  An experienced surgeon should have performed in the neighborhood of 1000 Lasik procedures, with at least 500 of those in the last two years.

Use these questions as a starting point to investigate the Lasik eye centers in your area, and even the highly recommended ones in nearby major metropolitan areas.  It will be time well invested, and the first step to a clearer future.

Is LASIK Surgery an option for you?

Many patients are very satisfied with the improved quality of life that they experience after LASIK Surgery. Read on to decide whether LASIK Surgery is right for you. 

The different types of LASIK Surgery

There are two basic types of surgery: Standard LASIK and Custom LASIK. With either type, the preparation work and post-operative procedures are similar. The difference between the procedures involves the customization of the laser.

Standard LASIK

Prior to the scheduled procedure date, the eye surgeon meets with patient to re-test for certain eye problems and diseases. When it’s confirmed that the patient meets the requirements, a procedure date is set.

On the day of the procedure, the eye doctor may perform another corneal topography to confirm that nothing has changed that would require changing the procedure. Three types of eye drops are then administered. The drops anesthetize the eye, protect the eye from post-operative inflammation and protect the eye from infection.

Next, the patient reclines and the laser is positioned overhead with the eye surgeon above it. To remove the flap, the patient’s eye must first be stabilized. The eye is kept from blinking by placing it into a restrainer. Suction is administered to the eyeball and the microkeratome makes one swift slice across the top of the cornea. The resulting flap (which should still be hinged to the eye) is pulled away with tiny tweezers.

The laser then emits a pre-determined number of laser pulses to remove the excess tissue, a process which takes literally seconds. The flap is pulled back into place and saline solution clears the eye of any debris. The eye is covered and the procedure is finished unless the other eye is receiving a LASIK Surgery treatment.

Custom LASIK Surgery

In standard LASIK, the computer inside the laser determines the number and location of laser pulses based solely on the patient’s prescription. With custom LASIK, the eye surgeon creates a three-dimensional image of the eye. The image results are then fed into the laser’s computer and the patient receives a laser treatment that is truly customized to that eye.

Risks and complications

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with LASIK Surgery. The procedure may under- or over-treat the eye. Under-treatments can be corrected with additional surgery however over treatment generally results in the patient needing to continue wearing corrective lenses. Loss of vision or compromised vision, especially at night, are other risks. Dry eye syndrome can develop. And vision that has been surgically corrected may decline over time. Another serious risk involves using an inexperienced ophthalmologist.

Tips on selecting a LASIK Surgery surgeon

Get referrals from people you trust and then make arrangements to interview several candidates.

Make the most of the pre-procedure consultation. Prepare a list of questions to ask each surgeon and record the answers. It’s important to understand what care the ophthalmologist intends to provide during all stages of surgery: before, during and afterwards as well as all costs.

Remember that low cost doesn’t mean top quality. Your eyesight is far too valuable to allow cost to be the determining factor.