What to Know for LASIK Surgery
Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis or LASIK eye surgery, as it is commonly referred to as, is a highly advanced and popular outpatient procedure to improve your eyesight and eliminate the need for contacts or glasses. One among the most commonly performed eye procedures in America, Lasik has been known to produce dramatic results with a majority of the patients having their vision corrected permanently. So, if you too are considering Lasik eye surgery, here are a few things that you might want to consider beforehand
You need to choose the type of surgery you want
There are two types of Lasik surgery namely the Flap surgery and the Flapless surgery, also known as PRK or EpiLASIK. Although the two procedures are quite different from each other, the end results are the same. Choosing between the two is typically a matter of personal preference and might also involve consideration for your individual medical condition including the health of your cornea or the existance of dry eye syndrome. In addition, iLASIK, which is bladeless/all laser LASIK is also an option to discuss with your surgeon.
Your family eye doctor may not be certified for performing the LASIK
Since only ophthalmologists can obtain a board certification for performing the Lasik surgery procedure, a family doctor who is merely an optometrist may not be the suitable option for you. You will need to take a referral from the optometrist and then get the surgery performed only by a certified ophthalmologist who has adequate experience in the field.
You will have to do away with your contacts before the testing and the actual surgery
Since contact lenses can alter the shape of your cornea, wearing them right before a testing session might lead to skewed results. You will, therefore, be required to discontinue the use of contacts at least a week before testing and nearly two weeks before the actual Lasik surgery to ensure accurate measurements required for the procedure.
You wouldn’t be required to keep your eyes perfectly still
A lot of people have the concern that the slightest movement of the eye during the surgery might botch the procedure or lead to eye damage. However, there is no reason for you to worry about that. A majority of the advanced iLasik technologies employ the use of three-dimensional tracking that facilitates the laser beam to lock in one position and detect the slightest movement of the eye. So, even if you inadvertently move your eyes during the procedure, the surgery will be performed in a safe and effective manner.
