LASIK eye surgery is the most well-known and widely used laser refractive surgery to repair vision disorders. Lasik (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) can be used instead of spectacles or contact lenses.
It is performed by ophthalmologist/ eye surgeon. They also provide other treatments like, Cataract surgery; Uveitis treatment; Ptosis surgery; Amblyopia, Glaucoma procedure etc.
Why is Lasik Surgery performed?
For a vision to be clear, your eye’s cornea and lens must refract the light rays in a proper order. This helps and allows your eye to recognize and distinguish between object and the images. The images focus on retina; if it does not work so, then image which you see may get blur. This blurriness in the vision is termed as “refractive error", which is commonly caused by difference in between the curvature and the length of the image. Many times it is used to correct farsightedness. It is also helpful in preventing astigmatism.
How is Lasik Surgery performed?
Lasik uses an ultraviolet laser to get rid of small amount of cornea tissue. This gives cornea a new shape so that light rays are focused mainly on the retina. Lasik helps cornea to be thinner. It is an outpatient surgical procedure which hardly takes 10 – 15 minutes to perform for an individual eye. Anaesthesia is used in the form of eye drop that numbs the eye surface. Lasik is a procedure which can be done on more than one eye at a same time.
The procedure starts with creating a flap of cornea tissue. This flap is peeled off so that the excimer laser can reshape the cornea tissue underneath. In ancient times, when Lasik was done, it happened with the help of a special knife that was used to cut the flap. In today’s generation more different types of lasers (femtosecond) are used to create the flap of cornea. Once reshaping is done, doctor replaces and protects the flap, and here no stitches are needed. Moreover, cornea will naturally keep the flap in hold.
Eligibility criteria for Lasik Surgery -
- To undergo Lasik surgery you need to be 18 year old, in some cases the age totally depends upon the laser used. Question arises why? It is because vision may change in people younger than 21.
- You are not recommended to go for this procedure if you are pregnant or breast feeding because it may affect the conditions of your eyes.
- You should not go for this procedure if you are prescribed with certain medicines such as Accutane, Cardarone, Imitrex, or oral prednisone
- You must have healthy eyes. If your deal with near sightedness, then you should postpone your plan for Lasik, until your condition becomes stable
- You must be in good general health. Lasik is not recommended to people with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, glaucoma.
Success rate of Lasik Eye Surgery -
Next question comes is, are these effects temporary? Can this process make your eyesight even worse? What are the chances if anybody needs the adjustment? Well you all might probably be aware about laser eye surgery another medical term for Lasik eye surgery.
Complications are present in any of the surgery. In past years, sicne1990, the people suffering from eye disorder was not more than 5%, but the surgery was full of complications. Whereas, in 2008 the number increased to 12 million for Lasik surgeries. Now a day number has still gone down and it has decreased to less than 1%, with little or no complications due to advanced technology used.
Lasik is a form of eye surgery that permanently changes the shape of cornea (covering formed on the front of eye). The lasik surgery is done to improve the vision in order that people has to lean less towards glasses or contact lenses.
What are the risks associated with Lasik Eye Surgery?
If the condition is over or under corrected, a small number of people may need to go for another surgery.
Sometimes you need to wear contact lenses or glasses. Moreover, the risks associated with it are as follows:
- Infection in cornea
- Problem with shape of cornea where it becomes impossible for you to wear contact lenses
- low contrast sensitivity, object may still appear blur and fuzzy
- dry eyes
- sensitivity to light
- problems in driving at night
- Reduce vision
- Scratchiness
- Red or pink patches in eye but it is usually temporary
Can adjustments be made after years of Laser eye surgery to rectify the vision further?
Yes; adjustments are possible and can be made years after also after the surgery. However, it may raise many more critical questions as well.
Post Surgery - Recovery & Results
- Most of the people recover fast after their surgery whereas, many of them take a long time of 3 – 6 months.
- In that case most of them another surgery for the best results to come out. There are chances that the second surgery may improve your far sightedness but it may not relieve you from other symptoms such as glare, haloes or night driving problems.
- Whenever the older method is used, these are some of the common complaint followed in Lasik surgery. Whereas these complaints are vanished within the period of 6 months in most of the cases
- However less number of people still has the problem with glare. It is also said that if you are operated to remove your distance vision, there is still the need of glasses at an age of 45 for reading.