Wednesday, September 9, 2009

What Is Lasik Eye Surgery Like?

By Brian Gordon

Lasik eye surgery looked like the answer to eyeglasses and contact lenses. Heavily advertised in the late 90s and early 2000s, it looked like glasses and contacts were going to fall to the wayside as patient after patient signed up.

Vision is often restored to 20/20. Some patients may only be restored to 20/40. As a point of reference, in the United States you are legally allowed to drive a vehicle with 20/40 vision as it is not considered to be a significant enough vision impairment to require correction.

In order to really understand whether the procedure is right for you, an evaluation by a qualified Lasik eye doctor is necessary. There are certain eye health requirements that you must meet before having the procedure done.

When you go in to the Lasik eye center for your procedure you can expect to be given a local anesthetic, and often a sedative to help keep you calm. Most patients are a little nervous.

Cornea shape determines your ability to see well. When your vision blurs and you develop nearsighted or farsighted issues, it means that your cornea is not refracting light inside the eye effectively and glasses or contacts are required to correct the vision.

Lasik eye surgery is the process of correcting the shape of the cornea in order to improve vision. You might experience perfect vision afterward with minimal discomfort. Very few patients feel more than a mild disturbance during or after the process.

When Lasik surgical procedures first came out, the public ended hearing horror stories about the potential problems from the surgery. The rate of successful procedures far outweighs the potential for any kind of eye damage.

The laser procedure of today is far better than the original laser used in the early procedures. It is nearly common knowledge for laypeople that those with dry eye must have their dry eye treated well in preparation for the surgery and may not be a successful candidate.

Lasik eye surgery is still surgery. It is better if you can relax at home for a few days. Your vision will improve, but you will need to give it a full 7 to 10 days before doing any physical exercise or lifting heavy object. The blood vessels in the eyes need to remain as calm as possible in order for proper healing to take place.

Dry eye syndrome can increase following the procedure, so Lasik eye surgery may or may not work well for these patients. Patients that have astigmatism are now able to be effectively helped through the process.

The corrective process of Lasik eye surgery is now a simple and routine procedure that improves the vision of most patients who get it done. The permanent loss of glasses and contacts not only save money over time, but gives you the opportunity to live without the daily hassles. The process is easy, and the technological advancements have proven that Lasik eye surgeries are now safer than ever. Corrective lenses pale in comparison to having your own clear vision back.

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