Living with poor eyesight is a struggle. Defective eyesight prevents you from enjoying simple tasks such as reading or watching the telly. You have plenty of options to correct defective eyesight, from eyeglasses to surgery. Contact lenses and glasses may not be everyone’s first-line choice for remedying poor vision. In cases where you do not want to struggle with bothersome glasses, the doctor may recommend LASIK in Hamilton to impart better vision. But again, LASIK is only for some and only works for some eyesight problems. Who is the ideal candidate for LASIK? How is the surgery performed? Here’s what you need to know to answer all your questions before getting LASIK surgery.
What is LASIK?
LASIK, short for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is a type of refractive surgery that uses lasers to reshape your cornea, eliminating the need for further eyesight correction through glasses or contact lenses. LASIK is particularly beneficial for treating astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness. LASIK can treat tolerable degrees of vision problems as you learn.
How is LASIK done?
LASIK is a laser-assisted surgery usually done by a qualified ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist makes a thin microsection on the cornea using a microkeratome to expose the area that is to be corrected. The surgeon then uses a computer-guided excimer laser to vaporize the cells and tissues, causing the eyesight problem.
In healthy eyes, the cornea precisely refracts light to the retina. But in defective eyes, the refracted light goes beyond or falls short of the retina’s focal point, resulting in blurred vision. LASIK reshapes your cornea to make it healthy once again.
What to expect before surgery?
It is important to follow a preparation routine to increase the chances of a successful surgery. The preparation routine varies from person to person. However, the surgeon will advise you to stop wearing soft contact lenses two weeks before your operation. Also, it would help if you ceased wearing gas-sensitive lenses three weeks before the operation. Avoid makeup and other jewelry on your face to prevent the risk of post-surgery infection. On the surgery day, the eye surgeon will perform an eye exam to determine the shape of your cornea and the associated eyesight problem.
It is possible to have LASIK done on both eyes on the same day and go home after the procedure. Vision will improve immediately and continue improving after one year or more.
Who is the ideal candidate for LASIK?
As previously stated, LASIK cannot treat all vision problems. The vision problems that benefit most from LASIK are individuals with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Statistically, over 80% of the population with vision problems are ideal candidates for LASIK. Some conditions, such as uncontrolled diabetes, cataracts, advanced glaucoma, severe dry eye, abraded cornea, and keratoconus, will affect your candidacy for LASIK. Only an eye surgeon can determine your suitability for LASIK after extensive testing.
LASIK is a popular elective surgery procedure for correcting eyesight problems. Before you schedule your surgical appointment, it is important to have such essential information. If you want to avoid wearing contact lenses or glasses to refract light into your retina precisely, then LASIK may be for you. Seek LASIK only from qualified eye centers to improve outcomes and reduce the severity of potential side effects such as dry eyes and temporary visual disturbance.
