Posts Tagged ‘lasik eye surgery’

Lasik laser eye correction gives patients a whole new outlook on life without the need, or little need, for prescription glasses or contact lenses. The majority of individuals that undergo the procedure go from completely relying on glasses to see clear to obtaining almost ideal sight in just a few minutes. However, all procedures come with risks and Lasik is no different.

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.  

The most common side effect is that the dependency on corrective lenses is still there, even after the surgery. Lenses may sometimes be required while driving or reading or, in a few cases, permanently after the procedure. Although additional lenses may be needed, they are often of a weaker prescription than what was used prior to the surgery. While additional treatments can be done, they may not be able to totally eliminate this effect.  

Individuals that are nearsighted or farsighted have a greater risk of requiring extra corrective lens support post-procedure than individuals with general or insignificant vision issues. An understanding of realistic expectations for the procedure prior to agreeing to Lasik laser vision correction is a must for all patients.  

A person should consider all the possible negative repercussions of Lasik laser vision correction. Some patients may experience halos, glares, or even double vision after having the surgery done. This occurs frequently after daylight hours while driving at night.

One of the risks with Lasik laser vision correction is dry eye, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, also known as KCS.   During the Lasik procedure, the laser severs some of the nerves in the eye as it repairs the shape of the cornea. 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. Controlling this is simple with the help from ointments and occurs very seldomly. For example, a Northern California office offers pre-op appointments with a Lasik surgeon in Stockton for eye surgery in Stockton so the customer is informed week’s before scheduling the procedure.

After surgery, the most common side effect is smoky vision. Smoky vision often diminishes several hours after Lasik surgery has been performed. Minor irritation is a result as well and is often described as having a grain of sand in the eye. This is also temporary and will resolve itself in a few 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. Assessing these risks may help determine if indeed an individual is a candidate for Lasik laser vision correction.

Want to have LASIK Surgery?  Then the first step is to pick a good surgeon.   Things that should be considered as you make your selection include the surgeon’s qualifications, personality, experience, reputation and the equipment and technology he uses. Without a doubt, the doctor’s experience and qualifications are the most important of these.   This is because your eyes will feel the effects of your doctor’s performance for as long as they are part of your body–which should be forever. 

The majority of LASIK surgeons perform their craft flawlessly. But a few bad ones continue to taint the field. Therefore, remember to thoroughly research any doctor before you ask him to perform your LASIK surgery.

The first thing to research is the surgeon’s reputation. If the surgeon belongs to a few highly-regarded professional organizations, this is a good indicator that he is highly committed to his profession.   Check and make certain, though, that the association has something to do with the doctor’s chosen field.   Membership in something that does not pertain to LASIK does not count.

Once you’ve researched the surgeon’s associations, see if you can find out the views of some of his previous patients.    Their opinions by themselves should not be the most important consideration, but they should give you some valuable information before reaching a conclusion.

Also, find out how long the doctor has been in this particular field, doing LASIK surgery. It’s true that each surgeon has a first patient, but do you want to be the first?

Once you’ve finished researching the surgeon’s reputation, it’s time to investigate the medical center where the doctor practices.   What kind of equipment does he use?   Of course, to understand this information, you’ll also need to research all of the available LASIK equipment.   The smart patient will make sure that the latest, best technology is used. The internet can be a good resource with looking for information on lasik surgery cost or lasik surgery.

Finally, pay attention to your own gut feeling as you choose a surgeon.   Be sure to set up a time to meet with the surgeon in person. If at this meeting you find that you simply cannot trust him to do a good job due to some inner hunch, then don’t be embarrassed about going elsewhere. It’s astonishing at just how many times a person’s intuition gets matters like these right. And even if your intuition is leading you astray, it’s never a bad idea to do what’s necessary to give you comfort and confidence prior to your surgery.   And that means you should be comfortable talking with the man who will be operating on your eyes.

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.Even though each person should discuss their situation with a professional Lasik physician, there are some guidelines that should be followed to determine if Lasik eye surgery is right for you.

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.Vision clariy will not be affected after the Lasik procedure as long as the shape of the eye doesn’t change.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.  This is for the same reason as above, that the Lasik procedure will only continue to be effective if the eye shape remains constant after surgery.

One comment about age cutoffs should be made with regard to Lasik surgery.  There is no maximum age, as many patients in their fifties to their eighties have had a very successful Lasik procedure.  The main consideration in these cases is enough tear production for successful healing and lubrication after the Lasik vision correction.

Health

The eyes of the Lasik candidate should be healthy.  This means that any person undergoing a Lasik procedure should have had no eye infection or injury for at least a year, and must have no scarring on the cornea of the eye.  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.  Some chronic conditions, such as autoimmune disorders like Lupus, will prevent some people from being able to schedule a Lasik procedure.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.People who are generally healthy and get the procedure done by a qualified, professional Lasik physician will greatly benefit from it.  Look for a good Lasik center in your area and discuss your individual case in detail.

More: Lasik Eye Surgery Complications