In Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, also known as LASIK eye surgery, a patient’s vision is corrected from requiring wear of eye glasses or contact lenses to that of not requiring corrective lenses, at all. The surgery is conducted by a specially licensed physician who changes the shape of the cornea using an excimer laser. More patients are qualifying for and requesting this procedure, as advances are made and risks lessened.

The cornea of the eye plays a vital role in the quality of eyesight. When the cornea is imperfectly curved, as most are to varying degrees, resulting vision is blurred. This is because the cornea works much like a camera does, focusing light to create the image on the retina. Historically, eye glasses have been worn by those with blurred vision, just as contact lenses have become popular in the last forty years. Scientists have since turned their own sight toward developing surgical procedures to correct eyesight permanently through adjustment of the cornea into a more perfect curvature. LASIK is one such surgery.

The cornea is soft tissue and adjusts to the shape of a contact lens. When lenses are worn in the eye, it may take several weeks following that wear for the cornea to readjust back to its normal shape. This is important to remember, as one of the first steps in preparing for LASIK eye surgery is to visit the eye doctor. There, the physician measures the curvature of the cornea to determine how much correction will need to be made. If contact lenses have recently been worn, the measurements will be inaccurate and surgical results will not be as accurate as desired.

To ensure the best outcome from LASIK eye surgery, the doctor will conduct an initial eye exam during which the patient will be asked questions about their health history, eye health, allergies and medications they are taking. Also discussed will be issues such as the potential results of LASIK eye surgery, risks, benefits, options, and what the patient can expect in regard to their surgical and post-operative experience. The surgery will not be conducted on the same day, so the patient will have time to evaluate all of the information their doctor presented to determine if they wish to proceed with the vision correction operation.

Leading up to the LASIK procedure, the patient should not use creams, makeup, lotions, or perfumes for at least 24 hours. Beauty products such as mascara and eyeliner, as well as other products, can remain around the eye even after washing. So, the doctor may request that the patient scrubs their eyes and eyelashes clean for several days before coming in for surgery. This attention to cleanliness will aid in ensuring risk for operative and post-operative eye infection is minimized.

Patients of LASIK eye surgery are not able to drive following their operation or to the first follow-up visit. This is due both to the procedure itself and medications which may be prescribed to aid in relaxation during surgery. As vision will be blurry and the medications inhibit driving, arrangements should be made for someone else to provide transportation for the patient.

A mild pain reliever may be prescribed by the eye doctor following LASIK eye surgery, for patients who experience slight pain. Other irritations post-operation include itching, burning, and other discomforts, as well as the expected haziness and blurriness which will run its course over the next days. Vision should be expected to fluctuate over the period of three to six months following the eye operation. But, most patients are very pleased to notice the immediate, drastic improvement in their eyesight from the days following surgery.

Final instructions from the doctor following surgery will likely include avoidance of strenuous activity such as sports and swimming for several months. The patient will likely be told to not use any makeup, creams, or lotions around the eyes for a few weeks, too. Each patient’s doctor is the most qualified adviser for what the individual who is recovering from LASIK eye surgery should and should not do following their procedure.

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LASIK is a procedure that was invented in the late 1990s to ease the suffering of contact wearers. It replaced the much riskier procedure of radial keratotomy. Still, there are still side effects to this new procedure, and all surgeries pose risks. Anyone contemplating this procedure should be aware of its potential hazards.

The word LASIK is a shortening of “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.” WIth a high-intensity laser, the cornea of the eye is reshaped. In near-sighted people, it is flattened; in farsighted people, steepened. This helps light to focus better on the retina. Usually lasting only five minutes, the procedure is short. Both eyes can be corrected at the same time, or a patient can spread out the procedure over time.

Immediately after surgery, all patients see blurry. Someone else must drive you home. Other immediate symptoms include light sensitivity and eye irritation. Even tearing of the eye is possible. However, many of these symptoms are normal.

It is important for the eye to heal. Many doctors prohibit strenuous exercise for over a week. Rest is extremely important, almost as important as the surgery itself, so patients must be willing to make time in their lives for that. Swimming is prohibited. Touching or rubbing the eye can lead to the cornea becoming displaced, and the entire surgery being undone or even leading to further damage. Even wearing makeup is discouraged. The short-term effects of the surgery only last a few weeks. The long-term risks are more disappointing and dangerous.

There is no guarantee that a patient will achieve 20/20 vision, and many have to continue to wear corrective lenses. Some people even experience a gradual decline in vision after it has been improved, and surgery is required to fix this problem. This symptom, known as regression, is rare.

Other post-operative complications include infection. Patients must take antibiotics after surgery, but rarely, and devastatingly, infection can occur. It must be treated or it can lead to a scarred cornea or even the loss of the eye. Although corneal transplants are possible, an infection is extremely painful.

A more common long-term side-effect of the surgery may be night glare. This symptom occurs when one looks into lights and sees spots or halos. It can have a debilitative effect on night driving. The FDA even warns that LASIK patients may be lose their ability to drive at night completely.

Many patients wish the procedure to be a cure for losing vision due to old age. However, such age-related loss will not be cured by LASIK. Presbyopia, or the inability to see near things after a certain age, is not curable through LASIK. However, other procedures are being studied to combat the condition.

Many people believe there have not been enough studies on LASIK and its long-term risks. In late 2009, a study was initiated to survey the national population of patients to determine how their quality of life has changed. This study is funded by the FDA, the U. S. Department of Defense, and the National Eye Institute (NEI). By 2012, the study should be complete. Many patients do not wish to wait this long, but should be aware that all the risks of the surgery are not yet known.

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