How Safe Is Lasik Eye Surgery In The Elderly Years ?
MIKE SELVON asked:
It’s a pretty well-established fact that most people experience a decline in the quality of their vision when they hit their forties. And, with a very large population of baby boomers now in their forties and above, the demand for corrective eye surgery to help improve these common vision problems has been on the rise. But many senior citizens question if it is worth it to have Lasik eye surgery in their later years.
The answer, according to experienced ophthalmologists and laser eye surgeons, is that people are eligible for laser eye surgery at just about any stage of life. Those experiencing problems with their eyesight can enjoy improvement with correction laser vision surgery. The main vision problems that can be improved with corrective eye surgery are astigmatism, far-sightedness and near-sightedness.
Lasik eye surgery in virtually any stage of life is considered a very low risk procedure, overall. But, there are a few precautions that doctors recommend to those who are a bit older. One common condition that the elderly deal with is eye dryness and therefore, after Lasik eye surgery, the elderly are strongly encouraged to take extra care to be sure to keep the eyes well-hydrated and lubricated with eye drops.
Lubrication of the eyes after Lasik eye surgery is not only important for those who are having the procedure done in their later years. Keeping the eyes moist and keeping them from drying out is an important part of aftercare for everyone who has undergone corrective eye surgery, but it is even more crucial for the elderly and for anyone who tends to naturally have dry eyes.
Using eyedrops routinely after the corrective procedure is a very simple, yet very effective way to avoid problems and complications. The laser eye surgery clinic will provide the patient with the proper lubricating eye drops for post-surgery use.
One of the reasons why eye surgery in the later years is still safe and effective is because overall the procedure has proven to have very few complications and has very low risk. This is because the surface of the eye is not cut with traditional surgical instruments, which can cause damage to the cornea.
Instead, the small cut that needs to be made is accomplished with a laser beam. This means the incision will be tiny, accurate and extremely clean. All of these factors result in much less risk of infection and other complications.
However, even with a very good track record of success, eye surgery in general is not completely foolproof. Corrective eye surgery patients experience complications from the procedure or disappointing results approximately 5% of the time. When the procedure does not go well, the patient might end up having fluctuating vision, seeing halos around light sources, having increased sensitivity to glaring light, and possibly experiencing more dryness of the eyes.
Even though most laser eye surgeons are in agreement that Lasik eye surgery in the later stages of life is still a viable and effective option, they also mention that Lasik vision surgery is not the right procedure for everyone. There are conditions, such as glaucoma and presbyopia, which will not be corrected through laser eye surgery. In fact, with glaucoma, such a procedure can even worsen the condition.
It’s a pretty well-established fact that most people experience a decline in the quality of their vision when they hit their forties. And, with a very large population of baby boomers now in their forties and above, the demand for corrective eye surgery to help improve these common vision problems has been on the rise. But many senior citizens question if it is worth it to have Lasik eye surgery in their later years.
The answer, according to experienced ophthalmologists and laser eye surgeons, is that people are eligible for laser eye surgery at just about any stage of life. Those experiencing problems with their eyesight can enjoy improvement with correction laser vision surgery. The main vision problems that can be improved with corrective eye surgery are astigmatism, far-sightedness and near-sightedness.
Lasik eye surgery in virtually any stage of life is considered a very low risk procedure, overall. But, there are a few precautions that doctors recommend to those who are a bit older. One common condition that the elderly deal with is eye dryness and therefore, after Lasik eye surgery, the elderly are strongly encouraged to take extra care to be sure to keep the eyes well-hydrated and lubricated with eye drops.
Lubrication of the eyes after Lasik eye surgery is not only important for those who are having the procedure done in their later years. Keeping the eyes moist and keeping them from drying out is an important part of aftercare for everyone who has undergone corrective eye surgery, but it is even more crucial for the elderly and for anyone who tends to naturally have dry eyes.
Using eyedrops routinely after the corrective procedure is a very simple, yet very effective way to avoid problems and complications. The laser eye surgery clinic will provide the patient with the proper lubricating eye drops for post-surgery use.
One of the reasons why eye surgery in the later years is still safe and effective is because overall the procedure has proven to have very few complications and has very low risk. This is because the surface of the eye is not cut with traditional surgical instruments, which can cause damage to the cornea.
Instead, the small cut that needs to be made is accomplished with a laser beam. This means the incision will be tiny, accurate and extremely clean. All of these factors result in much less risk of infection and other complications.
However, even with a very good track record of success, eye surgery in general is not completely foolproof. Corrective eye surgery patients experience complications from the procedure or disappointing results approximately 5% of the time. When the procedure does not go well, the patient might end up having fluctuating vision, seeing halos around light sources, having increased sensitivity to glaring light, and possibly experiencing more dryness of the eyes.
Even though most laser eye surgeons are in agreement that Lasik eye surgery in the later stages of life is still a viable and effective option, they also mention that Lasik vision surgery is not the right procedure for everyone. There are conditions, such as glaucoma and presbyopia, which will not be corrected through laser eye surgery. In fact, with glaucoma, such a procedure can even worsen the condition.
An Overview of Lasik Eye Surgery
Lina Lee asked:
Many people are talking about LASIK this and LASIK that, but you don’t understand what LASIK is? If you are wearing contact lenses or glasses, probably you might be interested in LASIK. LASIK is an acronym for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a type of eye surgery to reshape cornea and improve your visual acuity. With LASIK eye surgery, many people have achieved better vision without having to wear glasses or contact lenses.
LASIK eye surgery uses laser beams to remove the corneal tissue without disturbing nearby cells. Before that, a hinged corneal flap is created with microkeratome blade or laser (IntraLase method) and after the underlying corneal tissue has been removed, the corneal flap is repositioned. The flap will stick to the underlying cornea on its own and heals quickly. It is a painless procedure because the LASIK surgeon will use anesthetic eye drops to numb your eye. You may feel a little uncomfortable because your eyelids are secured with a small instrument to keep your eye wide open during the LASIK eye surgery.
LASIK eye surgery has been the most popular eye surgery these days because the cornea healing with LASIK procedure is faster and less painful than other eye surgeries, such as PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy). It has been performed on more than one million people in the world. In the United States, the practice of LASIK surgery is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the approval of all medical devices used for the procedure, especially the lasers used for LASIK. However, FDS does not have the authority to set the price for LASIK, recommend any LASIK surgeons or clinics or laser centers or provide ratings of lasers approved for the LASIK procedure.
However, not every eye problems can be treated with LASIK eye surgery. LASIK eye surgery is for people with common vision problems as follows: – Nearsightedness (myopia)
People who are near-sighted are only able to clearly see things near them and things that are far away may seem blur to them. – Farsightedness (hyperopia)
People who are far-sighted cannot see near things clearly but able to see clearly things that are far away. – Astigmatism
People with astigmatism are difficult to see things clearly at any distance because of irregularities in the cornea or the lens of the eye.
It can also treat people with a combination of above problems, such as myopia and astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism.
LASIK cannot correct or prevent presbyopia, which is a type of vision problem in people at the age of 40 or older. This means that if you have had LASIK surgery, you still have to wear bifocal glasses when you already have presbyopia.
So, if you are really interested in LASIK to eliminate your dependence on glasses or contact lenses, consult with your doctor to determine if you are eligible for LASIK or not and make sure you know the risks and complications that LASIK eye surgery may cause. Comprehensive eye examinations, using a number of medical equipments will be taken and a few questions will be asked before you can undergo LASIK.
Many people are talking about LASIK this and LASIK that, but you don’t understand what LASIK is? If you are wearing contact lenses or glasses, probably you might be interested in LASIK. LASIK is an acronym for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a type of eye surgery to reshape cornea and improve your visual acuity. With LASIK eye surgery, many people have achieved better vision without having to wear glasses or contact lenses.
LASIK eye surgery uses laser beams to remove the corneal tissue without disturbing nearby cells. Before that, a hinged corneal flap is created with microkeratome blade or laser (IntraLase method) and after the underlying corneal tissue has been removed, the corneal flap is repositioned. The flap will stick to the underlying cornea on its own and heals quickly. It is a painless procedure because the LASIK surgeon will use anesthetic eye drops to numb your eye. You may feel a little uncomfortable because your eyelids are secured with a small instrument to keep your eye wide open during the LASIK eye surgery.
LASIK eye surgery has been the most popular eye surgery these days because the cornea healing with LASIK procedure is faster and less painful than other eye surgeries, such as PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy). It has been performed on more than one million people in the world. In the United States, the practice of LASIK surgery is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the approval of all medical devices used for the procedure, especially the lasers used for LASIK. However, FDS does not have the authority to set the price for LASIK, recommend any LASIK surgeons or clinics or laser centers or provide ratings of lasers approved for the LASIK procedure.
However, not every eye problems can be treated with LASIK eye surgery. LASIK eye surgery is for people with common vision problems as follows: – Nearsightedness (myopia)
People who are near-sighted are only able to clearly see things near them and things that are far away may seem blur to them. – Farsightedness (hyperopia)
People who are far-sighted cannot see near things clearly but able to see clearly things that are far away. – Astigmatism
People with astigmatism are difficult to see things clearly at any distance because of irregularities in the cornea or the lens of the eye.
It can also treat people with a combination of above problems, such as myopia and astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism.
LASIK cannot correct or prevent presbyopia, which is a type of vision problem in people at the age of 40 or older. This means that if you have had LASIK surgery, you still have to wear bifocal glasses when you already have presbyopia.
So, if you are really interested in LASIK to eliminate your dependence on glasses or contact lenses, consult with your doctor to determine if you are eligible for LASIK or not and make sure you know the risks and complications that LASIK eye surgery may cause. Comprehensive eye examinations, using a number of medical equipments will be taken and a few questions will be asked before you can undergo LASIK.
