Laser eye surgery can be a life changing procedure, but it comes with a high price tag. Therefore it is not surprising that, for many people, cost is a factor when choosing a laser eye practitioner. However, as the correction made to your vision will be permanent it is essential that cost should not be one of your main criteria for choosing a surgeon and that you know how to go about finding a reputable clinic.

Choosing an experienced and well qualified surgeon will increase your chances of getting the most pleasing results. In most instances laser eye surgery will improve the patients eye sight to an extent where they no longer need glasses, although poor night vision is a common side effect of the procedure and glasses may be required for driving after dark. But most patients do not end up with perfect 20/20 vision, due to slight under or over correction. Excellent results are also quite difficult to achieve in patients with very poor eyesight. The nature of laser eye surgery means that there is no guarantee of great results but a skilled surgeon makes patient satisfaction more likely.

Using a good laser eye practitioner will also reduce the risks involved with surgery. Lasik is popular due to a fast recovery time, but it is also riskier than other forms of laser eye treatment. Problems during surgery are quite rare, but occasionally the flap made in the cornea is damaged and becomes detached. Sometimes the surgeon can reattach this but in a few unfortunate cases the damage is too great and some sight loss is unavoidable.

Your first step in finding an experienced laser eye surgeon you can trust is to find a clinic with a good reputation. Be wary if a clinic makes grand claims that sound too good to be true, such as ‘perfect 20/20 vision guaranteed’ or ‘perfect vision or your money back’. You should spend a lot of time researching laser eye surgery before you start contacting clinics, so you are aware of the realities of the procedure and can spot clinics which over deliver on their promises in a cynical ploy to part people from their cash. The best clinics are the ones that are honest about the risks and the results you can expect from surgery, and who will tell you the negative aspects as well as the positive.

Contact as many clinics as possible before selecting one. After disregarding the clinics which seem less reputable, cost is going to be the biggest consideration for most people. But it is also a good idea to consider what equipment each clinic uses for the procedure, as this will vary. Ideally you should opt for a practitioner who has the most up to date technology and whose equipment is FDA approved.

Go to your initial consultation with a list of questions prepared, to establish how experienced the surgeon is. As well as qualifications and training you may wish to ask how many procedures he has performed, particularly in the type of laser eye treatment (for example Lasik) that you have opted for. A good surgeon will be very thorough in explaining how the surgery is done, what the risks are, what side effects may occur post-operatively and what level of improvement you can reasonably expect in your eyesight.

To locate a clinic or surgeon who offers laser eye treatment you may wish to ask your optician for recommendations, search the internet for listings, or American patients can visit the Amerian Academy of Ophthalmology’s website.

LASIK eye surgery is utilised to handle people who have vision problems. The operation – also known as situ keratomileusis – utilises a laser to make its way underneath the flap of the cornea to help remold the cornea itself. When done the right way LASIK eye surgery will be efficient to repair certain vision problems that makes some people to put on contacts or glasses.

All The Same, like with any medical procedures there are particular pros and cons to deliberate. Many health experts do think that LASIK is a very good process and the majority of patients are pleased with the effects from it. Still, there are gambles involved that people should be made aware of. These risks should be weighed before you make you concluding decision to go through with the operation.

Under Eye Corrections

Betting on how advanced your vision problem is and how well the surgery is didst will determine whether or not one operation is adequate to adjust the trouble. While the majority of people see instant results after only just one operation there are others who are determined to do two in order to mend the problem and see any effects. This second operation will be utilized to focalize the vision and is most commonly for people with truly profound prescriptions. In order to implement the second surgery the patient must hold a few months after the first one to permit the eyes to heal and adjust.

Still Need Contacts And Glasses

It is very rare that individuals will have to wear glasses or contacts even after the operation – but it can happen. This will count on whether or not you have various vision problems and which one you are rectifying. It is best to talk to your doctor about this possibility.

Non Permanent Results

This is also very rare. There are some patients who will have their vision troubles come back after several years since the surgery was performed. Having this problem is more common in people who are older and whose vision is passing due to old age. It is possible to have another LASIK eye surgery to repair the troubles over again.

Visual Aberrations

Visual aberrations are specified visual effects that can occur during the reduction of visual quality and LASIK surgery. The most popular of these is anisometropia – the difference in the refractive power between both eyes, aniseikonia – the difference in the size of the image that is between both eyes, hazy vision, double vision, and the fluctuation of vision during the day time. These troubles are rare and may never go away.

Dry Eye

Several people will have symptoms of dry eye after the surgery. These symptoms may get worse and lead to inflammation, burning, and a reduction in vision after the surgery. The majority of the time this is a enduring condition – but there are medicines that can help you to produce tears.

Loss Of Vision

One of the worst LASIK eye surgery risks can induce such horrible vision problems that glasses and contacts cannot help to improve it. This could be caused by scarring, malfunctioning equipment, infection, or extreme corneal shape alterations.

Laser eye surgery is generally a painless and straightforward procedure that takes little more than 15 minutes from the start of preparing the eye area to the completion of surgery. Patients can therefore expect to undergo treatment and return home in a matter of hours and should be sufficiently recovered to return to work within 7 days. The time taken to make a full recovery and the side effects vary from patient to patient, but there are general patterns that can be observed and guidelines that should be adhered to.

The guidelines your doctor will issue you with may vary depending on which type of laser eye surgery you have undergone. As a rule though, non-contact sports should be avoided for between 3 days and a week. This is especially important in procedures such as Lasik, where a flap is cut in the cornea, as the cornea may become detached during vigorous activity. Because of the risk of damage to the cornea, contact sports such as karate and kick boxing will need to be avoided for at least 4 weeks following surgery. Swimming and hot tubs should remain out of bounds for up to 2 months.

If you frequently wear lotion or make up you will need to wait at least two weeks before using products around the eye area again. This is to prevent infection occurring.

Lasik surgery is very popular because it has a very quick recovery time. There is very little discomfort after surgery and the patient should have clear vision within 24 to 48 hours and vision should become stable within 4 weeks.

Lasek treatment involves softening the epithelium with an alcoholic solution so that the surface of the cornea can be folded to one side to allow the laser to reshape the tissue underneath. The cornea will gently be pushed back into place after the procedure is complete, and a contact lens will hold it in place for several days following surgery.

Patients who have undergone Lasek laser eye surgery may experience discomfort for several days and require painkillers. Light sensitivity is also normal during the first 24 hours, which may cause further discomfort. Vision can remain blurred for around a week. It is normal for a patient’s sight to fluctuate for several months following surgery, and it may be around 6 months before the vision finally stabilizes.

Following laser eye surgery, a protective shield must be worn at night and you will be given anti-inflammatory eye drops. Drops are also required for 6 months to keep the eyes lubricated, as dry eyes are a common side effect of treatment. In the weeks following surgery, your eyes will be much more susceptible to the harmful effects of UV rays so sunglasses must be worn out doors for the first three months.

After undergoing corrective laser eye treatment many patients notice their vision is poor in low light conditions such as thick fog or darkness. At night they may also notice a halo effect around lights. Unlike other side effects from laser eye surgery, poor night vision is usually permanent and you may require glasses to drive safely at night, even if your vision is excellent during the daytime.

Always ensure that your surgeon fully explains what after effects you can expect from laser eye treatment and gives you comprehensive guidelines of how to protect your eyes and maximise the healing process. Never be afraid to ask questions. Your doctor should be happy to answer your queries.

If you have poor eyesight and you have worn eyeglasses or contact lenses all your life, then you might want to consider LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK is the acronym for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileuses. This is a procedure where the patient has to undergo surgery to reduce or totally eliminate a person’s poor eyesight.

There are certain eye imperfections that cause poor eyesight. Examples of these are:

- Astigmatism

A person with astigmatism sees ‘distorted’ imaged which is a result of deformities or irregularities on the lenses of the eyes.

- Nearsightedness

A person who is nearsighted has a condition called myopia. Here, the patient experiences difficulties seeing objects at a distance.

- Farsightedness

On the other hand, a person who is farsighted sees far objects without difficulty but the same does not apply to near objects. This condition is
also called hyperopia.

To treat these ailments, LASIK eye surgery is used, and this is the most common method of refractive surgery performed for patients nowadays.

‘The Procedure’

In LASIK surgery, there is a knife-like tool that is mainly used for the procedure: the microkeratome.

This is used to produce a very thin and rounded flap in the clear, outer layer covering the front or the eye which is the cornea. A more technologically-advanced way to create this flap is by the use of laser.

The shape of the cornea is changed permanently once this surgery is performed.

After the flap on one side of the eye is produced, this is folded back to reveal the stroma. The stroma is the mid-section of the cornea.

Afterwards, the microkeratome or the laser beam will vaporize a part of the stroma by producing computer-controlled pulses.

Then, the flap is put back into place after making the necessary corrections.

There are other types of refractive surgery that may be performed on a patient,depending on the degree of visual disability.

‘The Pros & Cons’

This type of surgery that aims to correct poor vision is very popular. Why do you think this is so? Here is a list of the advantages of LASIK eye surgery:

1. You will not feel pain while undergoing the procedure.

2. The results are immediate. Right after the surgery, you will experience an improvement with your eyesight. At the very least, you will get to literally “see” results a day or two after the operation.

Still, there is a downside to this type of medical procedure. Take a look at some of them and decide for yourself if undergoing the surgery is worth the risk:

1. Complications may arise.

Different patients respond differently to treatment. If there are certain health issued that your doctor is not aware of, the procedure may not have positive results.

2. There are certain jobs or profession which prohibit an employee undergoing LASIK eye surgery.

Be sure to check with your employer first if you think that this surgery might in any way inhibit you from doing your work.

3. The procedure is quite costly.

Over the years and because of its gaining popularity, the costs have gone down considerably.

However, it is still quite a hefty amount to squeeze out of your pocket if you are on a budget.

If you plan to undergo this type of surgery, ask your doctor about the
rates.

‘Should You Do It?’

If you are not the type of person to boldly take risks,LASIK eye surgery may not be right for you.

Before deciding to undergo the procedure, make sure that you know about the costs, health risks and take all the necessary precautions.

Also, talk with your doctor about what you should do before, during and after the surgery.

Ask them what you can expect to feel and the results that you will get right after the procedure.

Lasik is a type of eye surgery used to help improve the eye sight of individuals all over the world. The work LASIK itself is actually an acronym for the words: laser assisted in situ keratomileusis. It is possible now due to many advances in technology over the years. It is used to correct problems that an individual may have with their lens. These problems can include long sightedness, short sightedness and astigmatism. What it does is correct problems that the lens may have in focusing on things whether they are near of far away. It is performed by using a laser to make corrections to the eye’s lens thus allowing individuals to focus and perceive things more clearly.

During the first part of the procedure, a thin layer of the eyes cornea is detached and lifted. Part of it remains attached so that it is like a flap that is still connected to the cornea. The laser is then used to burn away portions of the cornea to change its shape. This is much in the same way camera lenses are cut and polished so that they can focus clearly things. The lens is given a smoother curvature and at the end of the procedure, the flap that was detached previously is put back into position. When everything is completed, the cornea has better control over the light that enters the eye and it is able to focus them more accurately on to the retina.

This procedure is a great choice for people who have had to wear glasses in order to see properly and can create a world of difference in your vision. Often times this procedure can be covered by your insurance, however this is not always the case. Contact your insurance provider to find out if you are covered. If you are interested in Lasik eye surgery, consult your eye doctor to see if you are a potential candidate.

Your vision is important and Lasik is a cutting edge and innovative way to take care of it and make sure that it will be clear for a long time to come. Whether you have far sightedness, near sightedness, or astigmatism, talk to your doctor and take the steps necessary to keep your vision as clear as possible for years to come. Not to mention get rid of those glasses that have troubled you for all those years.

As an eye surgeon this is a question I am frequently asked by patients. (I am
often tempted to reply “Yes – as long as you think your pectoral muscles are
up to it, and you don’t get into too much of a flap”.) However the more
sensible answer is that in most cases there are no restrictions on flying
after cataract surgery. It is usually quite safe to do so, even relatively
soon after the procedure. It is though always wise to ask your own eye
specialist before doing so, and to have their reassurances. Only they will
know the specific details and requirements of your case.

The air conditioning within an aircraft may make the eye feel a little dry
and irritable but this is not harmful. If this occurs using some artificial
tear lubricant drops may be helpful, along with the normal post-operative
eye drops prescribed by your surgeon. Avoid rubbing the eye if it is
irritable. Instead closing the eye gently may be helpful as this reduces
evaporation from the eye surface and the eyelids offer natural protection.

Do not fly away from post-operative supervision until your ophthalmic team
is happy that the eye has sufficiently recovered from surgery. If you need
to travel out of reach of their care during the post-operative recovery
period check that you are in a location where an eye specialist is
available, in case problems arise. The specialist who has performed the
surgery may be able to recommend a colleague at the new location. It does no
harm to ask.

The only situation where flying may be dangerous after eye surgery is when a
bubble of gas has been placed within the eye. This is not done during normal
cataract surgery. It is sometimes done for operations on the retina, e.g.
retinal detachment repair. Gas within the eye will expand if a plane flies
at high altitude and this can be harmful to the eye and vision.