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Many of us have been there: you fall asleep with your glasses on and wake up to find the frames bent out of shape or the lens (if not both) popped out of place or broken. Or, for those who choose to wear contacts, maybe your trip to the beach went well until the splash between the waves caused you to lose touch, making it hard to see for the rest of the left trip.
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How do I know if I am a candidate for LASIK eye surgery?
Myopia up to -12.00 D, also known as myopia
Hypermetropia up to +6.00 D, also called farsightedness.
Before receiving LASIK, you must meet with your eye doctor and have a thorough eye exam. During this initial visit, your doctor will evaluate the shape and thickness of your cornea and the pupil size and check for refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and other eye conditions. Your doctor may also limit your eyes’ moisture and recommend preventative treatment to reduce the risk of dry eyes after surgery.
The ideal candidate for LASIK must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- They do not have an autoimmune disease that can make it difficult to heal after surgery.
- Not pregnant or breastfeeding. Increased hormone levels during pregnancy can affect the shape of your eyes, so it is better to wait for surgery until hormone levels return to normal.
- Have healthy eyes, including no history of cataracts, chronic dry eye, or glaucoma.
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Is LASIK eye surgery painful?
Fortunately, LASIK eye surgery is not painful. Before the procedure, the surgeon applies numbing eye drops to both eyes. Although you may still feel slight pressure during the process, you should not feel any pain.
Your surgeon may also give you another medication, such as Valium, to help you stay calm and relaxed during the procedure.
It is common to feel slight itching or burning in the eyes after surgery, but this should subside quickly.
During LASIK surgery, a particular type of cutting laser is used to precisely change the shape of the clear dome-shaped tissue at the front of the eye (the cornea) to improve vision.
But with nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), or astigmatism, light is bent incorrectly, resulting in blurred vision.
Glasses or contact lenses can correct vision, but treating the cornea will also provide the necessary refraction.
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What does LASIK eye surgery involve?
The prime objective of LASIK eye surgery is to correct the cornea to better focus on the retina and achieve better vision. This effect is achieved by using two lasers.
Your surgeon or doctor will monitor your eye to determine whether your eye history is good and whether LASIK could be performed.
Numbing eye drops will be applied to both eyes, and you will be given a sedative.
Your surgeon will use a femtosecond laser to create a thin circular “flap” on your cornea. The flap will then be folded back, allowing your surgeon access to the stroma or underlying cornea.
If you are farsighted, the laser will create a steeper cornea.
The flap will then be put back in place and cover the area where the corneal tissue was removed.
The cornea then gets time to heal naturally.
LASIK eye surgery is a simple procedure. Even when awake, numbing eye drops combined with medication will help you stay calm and problem-free. “The LASIK procedure takes approximately twenty minutes for both eyes,
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What does recovery from LASIK involve?
After LASIK eye surgery, you will be given a brief postoperative eye exam. Once your doctor confirms that the operation was successful, you will be able to go home, but a family member or friend must drive you. You will not be able to drive until after your follow-up appointment with the eye doctor, usually the day after surgery. At that point, they will confirm that your vision is within the legal standard for driving.
About a week after surgery, you will see your doctor again to ensure your eyes are healing correctly. At this visit, the doctor will determine if further follow-up visits are necessary.
Although you will be allowed to work the day after the procedure, it is recommended that you take a few days off to rest.
It would help if you also refrain from strenuous exercise for a week after surgery, as this can hinder the healing process. In addition, you must stop wearing eye makeup for a week.
This is common and may take up to two weeks to resolve.’
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When will I see the results of LASIK eye surgery?
Immediately after LASIK eye surgery, you should start seeing things from a distance you couldn’t see. While your vision will likely be blurred and foggy at first, it should stabilize and continue to improve during the first few days after surgery. It is common for your eyes to sting a little or feel gritty and light-sensitive after the procedure.
“As we know, every surgery has a particular risk, and similarly, LASIK has various associated risks. Although this is rare, it may take several weeks before you see complete results.
- Impaired night vision, such as seeing halos or starbursts, especially when driving
- Dry eyes
- The need for reading glasses for several years after the procedure due to natural aging
- Inflammation
- Infection
- under correction or overcorrection that would require glasses or contact lenses for better vision
- Complications with a flap of corneal tissue at the time of surgery