LASIK
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without Glasses

LASIK Surgery

LASIK or Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed to correct several refractive error conditions. It is a laser vision correction procedure that reshapes the cornea’s curvature to correct the refractive index of the natural lens in the patient’s eyes.

An ideal candidate for this surgery should be above 18 years and have a stable spectacles power for a year. This surgery is suitable for candidates who want to ditch their glasses and artificial lenses for good with a naturally corrected vision.

While the primary objective of a LASIK surgery is to make the refractive error zero, it isn’t always the case. However, a successful surgery will enable the patients to have a completely clear vision without wearing glasses or lenses.

When is LASIK Surgery performed?

LASIK surgery is primarily performed to treat refractive errors in the patient. So, the surgery can treat:

• Myopia - The condition of near-sightedness wherein the refracted light rays fall in front of the retina instead of on it. It makes viewing distant objects challenging for the patients.
• Hyperopia - Also termed as far-sightedness, this condition involves patients who have a hard time viewing nearby objects. Undergoing surgery focuses the refracted light on the retina instead of behind it.
• Astigmatism - This refractive error occurs due to the irregularly shaped cornea that distorts both the near and the far vision of the patient.

All of these conditions are easily treatable with LASIK surgery if done the right way and under the guidance of an experienced ophthalmologist.

How to prepare for a LASIK Surgery?

You might consider undergoing LASIK surgery after your consulting ophthalmologist recommends a corrective vision procedure following a regular eye examination. However, the procedure is not as simple as it seems.

• The doctor will start with a thorough checking of the patient's eye structure, taking readings of the corneal thickness, corneal curvature, and optical aberrations. All of these, along with a few other pathological tests, are conducted using cutting-edge diagnostic equipment.
• Once the reports come in, the ophthalmologist will give them a once over and then ascertain whether the patient is fit enough to under LASIK surgery.

What happens during a LASIK Surgery?

LASIK surgery is done as outpatient surgery, which means that it doesn't involve hospitalization. You can check in to the hospital a few hours before the surgery and have someone take you back home an hour after the surgery is done.

The surgeon generally uses topical anesthesia to numb the part of the eye that will be operated on. The patient is made to sit on a chair, following which a microscope emitting green light is focused on their eye. The suction ring fades out the vision of the patient. Once the surgery is completed, the doctor will remove the suction ring to restore the vision in the eye.

The procedure is often done with one eye and takes a few minutes, depending on the patient's requirements. Patients don't usually complain about pain during the procedure.

What can a patient expect after the LASIK Surgery?

Following the successful completion of the surgery, the surgeon administers a few types of eye drops and ointment, after which the eye is covered with a shield. The patient is prescribed a few oral analgesics to keep the pain minimal for the first two days.

The follow-up schedule will be handed over to the patient before they are discharged from the hospital. Here is a basic follow-up chart you can familiarize yourself with:

Your ophthalmologist will likely ask you to get a few special diagnostic tests done at every follow-up check-up to get a better understanding of your visual acuity.

How long does it take to show results after LASIK surgery?

Patients typically start experiencing a clear vision within a few days after the surgery. Some might have to undergo another round of stronger laser treatment to improve the refractive error correction.

Remember that although LASIK surgery has promising results for patients with low and moderate refractive errors, there are cases where the patients still need to wear glasses to have 100% clear vision. So, you must go into the treatment with realistic expectations.