A friend of mine who had been wearing glasses for years came to my house yesterday and I almost didn’t recognize her. I kept looking her up and down, studied her face, and then it hit me: she wasn’t wearing her glasses! She told me that she recently had LASIK surgery and no longer needed to wear eyeglasses anymore. I was stunned. I too wanted to see if I too was a good candidate for the most popular vision corrective surgery around. Here is what I found out.
What is LASIK surgery anyways?
LASIK which is the abbreviation for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis is a form of eye refractive surgery that is performed over a million times in the United States each year. Known for its minimal to no discomfort, quick procedure and immediate and lasting results, LASIK surgery can have you up and running seeing 20/20 or better on the following day!
How does it work?
First, because this is a surgical process, you must arrive at your designated surgery center. The actual LASIK surgery is a two-step procedure that only requires roughly fifteen minutes or less to complete. The surgeon creates a thin, flap of tissue directly on your cornea with a laser or microkeratome. The flap is then folded back so that the surgeon can reshape your eye. The flap is then repositioned when the eye is properly reshaped. When the surgeon is finished with the first eye, the process is repeated on the second.
What can it fix?
This “miracle” procedure can correct near and far-sightedness and astigmatisms, the leading causes for poor vision problems. Using a special process called monovision, it can dramatically reduce, or even eliminate, the need to wear reading glasses forever.
Am I a good fit for LASIK surgery?
There are some basic requirements in you intend on pursuing corrective surgery using the LASIK method. To begin, you must be at least 18 years old. Sorry kids, but you are simply going to have to wait. Another important factor is the current condition of your eyes. Because LASIK surgery involves removing tissue from your cornea in order to reshape your eye, you must have adequate corneal thickness to undergo the procedure. LASIK surgery is not recommended for those with chronic dry eye problems, corneal issues and similar diseases as well as other abnormalities. Therefore, it is always required that patients undergo a comprehensive eye exam to determine whether or not your eyes are in suitable condition to continue with the surgery.
Will my vision be completely fixed?
Although there are plenty of cases out there involving patients having near perfect 20/20 vision after having LASIK surgery, this outcome is never fully guaranteed. There is still a chance that you will need glasses from time to time to assist in certain viewing activities. There is also a small risk that your vision will be less clear permanently after the procedure. The surgery itself is optional, so please weigh the risks against the benefits when communicating with your eye doctor at your local clinic.
