Sarah wilson asked:

It has become easier to get treated for any disease easily these days, all thanks to the advent of information technology along with the advancement of medical science. However, getting operated for some treatment leaves people with many apprehensions, especially when the vital organs like eyes are in question. Sometimes, even looking for lasik eye surgery center becomes tough, but not any more, as you can flip through the pages of the directories or even get information through search engines.

The doctors at the lasik eye surgery center will offer you treatment for eye diseases and conditions like myopia – a condition in which things that are at quite a distance, become blurred or indistinct, but things that are approachable can be viewed easily and clearly. The other condition, hyperopia is characterized by clear vision when viewing objects in the distance but blurrs vision up close. Lasik surgery is also effective for astigmatism, which is a distortion of the image as reflected on the retina. This is caused by a misshapen cornea or lens of the eye. In fact, the combination of these conditions is common and can be cured easily at any good and reliable lasik eye surgery center.

Well informed doctors from the center will provide you with the information on the procedure of lasik surgery. In fact, if anyone who wishes to undergo the lasik surgery wears contact lenses, then it is advisable to stop wearing them before the initial check-up. The center will ask to you not to wear contact lenses for at least two weeks before surgery, as they are capable of altering the shape of the cornea. The doctors from the center can choose a treatment from a variety of procedures that suit the eye condition. However, wavefront mapping method is generally used prior to the surgery. Lasik treatment is not advisable for pregnant or nursing women or people with various conditions like corneal scratching or infection, keratonconus, herpes simplex or herpes zoster, glaucoma or high blood pressure, inflammation of the eye or eyelid and crusting of the eyelashes. In fact, a consultant from lasik eye surgery center will further inform you on the conditions that cannot be treated or are less likely to be successful.

In fact, the consultants from lasik eye surgery center will also advise you to restrain from using the cosmetics, at least a day before the surgery. This is to prevent debris from entering the eyes that can cause incorrect incisions and lead to infections. A reliable lasik eye surgery center also imparts information on the recovery period and risks involved. The vision may take three to eight weeks to stabilize. If you suffered from any visual problems before your surgery other than distance viewing conditions, it is important to remember that the surgery is not expected to correct any of those conditions that were pre-existing. While lasik eye surgery is quite safe, there is always the slight risk of complication. Hence, it is important to consider these risks before going for or deciding on the procedure. And that is what the lasik eye surgery center does, by giving you factual points involved in the lasik surgery.

Carson Danfield asked:


Refractive surgery (LASIK) often produces amazing results, however, as with any medical procedure, there are risks involved. If you’re considering LASIK, it’s important that you are aware of the limitations and possible complications that may arise.

According to FDA reports, nearly 100% of LASIK patients have good results and no complications, but you need to be aware that there are things that can and do go wrong. Some problems include double or triple vision, light distortion so severe that patients can’t drive at night, or eyes so dry that they have to wear goggles when going outside.

Some patients experience infections, inflammation of the eye, redness, blurriness or eye irritation. In many cases, LASIK eye surgery can eliminate your need for corrective lenses, but that’s not always the result. Sometimes, LASIK will drastically reduce your dependence on corrective lenses, but you may still require corrective lenses for some activities, such as reading. It’s best to think of LASIK as reducing your dependency upon corrective lenses – not necessarily as eliminating your need for them.

Diffuse lamellar keratitis is a post operative LASIK risk that happens when a foreign substance, such as a hair or speck of dirt gets trapped behind the corneal flap. If this happens to you, you may experience pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, along with the sensation that something is trapped in your eye. Rubbing will only intensify the problem and may lead to further complications, such as infection or tearing or dislodging of the corneal flap. Diffuse lamellar keratitis usually occurs as the result of the patient not exercising proper precautions during the healing period after LASIK eye surgery.

One of the most common complications of LASIK eye surgery is a slipped flap. The flap that was created during the LASIK procedure may become detached from the rest of the cornea. Most doctors recommend that you go home and sleep for several hours after completing the LASIK procedure in order to allow the cornea to start its healing process. That’s good advice and can substantially reduce your chances of experiencing a slipped flap.

Even without LASIK eye surgery, it’s expected that everyone’s eyes will change slightly with the passage of time – it’s just a natural part of life. After LASIK, your eyes will still follow their natural course of changing with time, so LASIK shouldn’t necessarily be considered a permanent solution. For most people however, their vision will not change enough to require any additional treatments, especially when the original procedure was done to correct for poor distant vision.

The information provided here is not intended to scare you away from LASIK eye surgery, since it has been a blessing to a great many people. For many who have chosen LASIK, it has meant that they are no longer dependent on corrective lenses in order to have good vision. It’s highly recommended that you talk with your doctor about LASIK and how any possible risks or side effects relate to your own personal circumstances.

April Kerr asked:

Everywhere you look there seems to be ads for LASIK eye surgery. The way they advertise the procedure can make you think that is will be the perfect solution to your vision problems. No more straining to read the ingredients on food packets or road signs. Simply undergo LASIK surgery and all there hassles will be a thing of the past.

However it is important to note that LASIK eye surgery may not be suitable for everyone so it’s important to read up as much as possible out the procedure.

The acronym LASIK means laser in-situ keratomy, eye surgery and uses an excimer which is a powerful laser. These have been specially designed to work on the delicate eye area. The laser can quickly re-shape the cornea (for treating nearsightedness) or the hyperopia (for treating farsightedness).

When the cornea is reshaped what happens is that tissue underneath is removed. So that the tissue can be worked on, a very small flap is pulled back from the surface of the cornea. The laser or microkeratome blade can be used to create this flap.

The laser zaps away excess tissue determined by the ophthalmologist whilst viewing an extremely detailed image of the cornea. This process can take only a matter of minutes and the patient won’t feel a thing. Vision can be corrected so swiftly that they are able to drive home aftwards.

The primary consideration when deciding if LASIK is for you is to look at the costs involved. Many health plans don’t cover this procedure as they believe it to be purely cosmetic.

The cost of surgery can vary greatly however the costs generally reflect the use of a reliable and experienced ophthalmologist and will cost several thousand dollars per eye. The cost is certainly not insignificant.

Cost isn’t the only consideration however. You can only undergo surgery if you have healthy eyes which have stopped changing. Other situations can also arise which prevent surgery.

When you go for your first consultation a number of tests will be performed to detect eye problems or diseases which could cause problems with the surgery. Because of hormones, LASIK surgery cannot be performed on pregnant women or on people with suppressed immune systems.

If you have the money to spend on surgery then LASIK may be a good way to improve your vision. The success rate is very high and the procedure is painless. There aren’t many reasons not to go ahead with treatment.

Monica Keller asked:

LASIK eye surgery is elective. It is not cosmetic, like facelifts, or medically necessary, like heart bypasses, but it does correct a physical problem and enhance quality of life. However, if you are comfortable wearing glasses or contact lenses, you don’t really have to have any kind of laser eye surgery.

There are a number of reasons why you might not be an ideal candidate for LASIK eye surgery. Not all LASIK surgery alternatives involve the same degree of surgical intervention. For example, intracameral intraocular lenses (ICLs), which are pending approval by the FDA, may become a good option if you are simply too nearsighted or farsighted to benefit from LASIK. A small lens is placed behind the pupil but just in front of the eye’s existing lens, adding another focusing apparatus and changing the orb’s focal point. When approved, this procedure could become quite popular, but probably won’t replace LASIK because of the additional risk.

There are several types of intraocular lenses (IOLs) that can be implanted in the eye, temporarily or permanently, to correct moderate to severe nearsightedness. In nearsighted patients, light rays focus in front of the retina resulting in blurry vision, so the IOL is placed behind the cornea to alter the focus and improve vision. Like LASIK surgery, this is an outpatient procedure than takes little time.

There are several different laser surgery methods available as alternatives if you are not a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. One of the best known, and most widely performed, is photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), which uses a laser to sculpt the cornea’s exterior surface. (LASIK makes changes inside the cornea.) For patients with low to moderate nearsightedness and farsightedness, with or without astigmatism, PRK has proven extremely beneficial. This procedure is often recommended if you have certain corneal conditions, such as ulcerated areas, scarring, or what is called “recurrent corneal erosion.” It takes longer to achieve a final result from a PRK surgery because there is a greater amount of tissue that requires healing.

A new procedure called laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) – simply a modification of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) – was developed by an Italian surgeon and first described in the medical literature in 1999. In the LASEK procedure the surgeon loosens the outer layer of the cornea (epithelium); but, unlike PRK, the epithelium is not removed but folded back so the laser can sculpt the cornea as it is exposed. After applying the laser, the surgeon replaces the epithelium over the cornea. Vision recovery following LASEK is usually faster than with PRK, but slower than LASIK.

The LASEK procedure, which utilizes the eye surgeon’s favorite laser (called an “excimer” laser), is not FDA-approved. Surgeons cannot advertise the LASEK procedure except to get subjects for clinical trials. Early results with this procedure are promising, but many additional studies are required before LASEK is accepted as a safe, effective procedure.

Research continues on both surgical and non-invasive vision correction procedures. Using a variety of approaches, from implanting plastic pieces to reshape the cornea to using different heat sources than lasers (like radio waves and probes), doctors and physiologists continue to make progress in the treatment of various eye maladies. Somewhere among the many existing and soon-to-arrive techniques, from LASIK to LASEK, there is bound to be one that matches up well with your diagnosis, goals, expectations and comfort level.

Alan James asked:

In the present time people are very conscious about their physical look and to maintain themselves they go to gym, walk and for meditation also but neglect their eyes. They forget that eyesight is one of the most essential functions of human body and realize that they have problem in their vision when it increases a lot. At this time the people have to take help from spectacles and lenses for better vision, but after some times they find that it lessen their face value. In this state LASIK Eye Surgery is a handful surgery to remove these specs and lenses.

LASIK Eye Surgery is a vision improvement surgery during which the surgeons remove the dead tissues which gather on the cornea of the patient and cause difficulty in their vision. But some times due to some complications the patient can not able to get satisfactory results after LASIK Eye Surgery at this circumstance Enhancement of LASIK Eye Surgery when the outcomes of LASIK Eye Surgery do not go as planned. Usually the surgeons do not charge any further fee for Enhancement of LASIK Eye Surgery.

Usually, the surgeons recommend this enhancement after three months of LASIK Eye Surgery but it is not the rule. The period may be extended or curtailed according to patient status. The enhancement surgery is not only way to recovering of vision after LASIK Eye Surgery normally the surgeons do not advise the enhancement surgery. There are enough other procedures for the perfect vision so the do not be in hurry for this enhancement because the eyes take time to cure. The patients just have to observe the reaction and changes after LASIK Eye Surgery and explained it to the surgeon and let the surgeon decide that the patient required the enhancement or not. The surgeons should be suggesting the patient any other way to adopt the eyes for perfect vision. But it is very rare in case that the patient necessitate the enhancement. For the lesser chances of enhancement the patient have to follow the all the instructions very fairly that may be pre surgery or post surgery.

Louis Zhang asked:


LASIK eye surgery is a procedure that treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.

A laser or a surgical blade is used to cut a flap in the cornea. Then, a laser removes tissue beneath the flap, permanently changing the focusing power of the cornea, thereby improving vision.

Laser eye surgery is relatively painless, quick and convenient. There are two surgical methods from which to choose.

Do your research, ask lots of questions and follow all of the surgeon’s directives both prior to and following the lasik procedure to improve its effectiveness.

The Lasik Procedure In order to access the stroma, the surgeon cuts a flap in the upper portion of the cornea, right above the pupil. Numbing drops are put into the eye, the cornea is marked to aid in replacing the flap, and then the eye area is cleaned.

A lid speculum holds the eye open. High pressure is applied to the eye with a suction ring that is briefly placed directly on the eye. Then the flap is cut. This is called a keratectomy, which may be done by either of two methods.

The time-tested way uses a microkeratome, a cutting instrument or blade. The newer method of cutting the flap is by “laser-only” or femtosecond lasik, sometimes known by the brand name “IntraLase”.

After the suction ring is removed, both lasik methods are nearly identical.

The corneal flap is folded back, and the exposed tissue is allowed to dry. Then, the patient is asked to stare at a light for about sixty seconds to help keep the eye fixed and immobile.

In less than one minute, the lasik computer pulses high-energy ultraviolet light removing the tissue that was previously determined to reshape the cornea most effectively and accurately.

The lasik laser makes clicking sounds, and there may be a smell of burning tissue. After very precise amounts of tissue are removed from the stroma, the surgeon lays the flap back into place. The eye is observed for a few minutes to make sure that proper bonding is taking place.

After Lasik Eye Surgery Once the surgery is complete, a protective shield is placed over the eye, to prevent pressure and anything from bumping the eye. Since there are no stitches in lasik surgery, these precautions must be taken to ensure that the flap remains in place.

Some patients return to work the next day, but most doctors recommend that you wait a few days. Strenuous activity, and non-contact sports should be avoided for up to three days.

Facial products and makeup are out for up to two weeks. The eyelashes may need to be scrubbed fairly often during this time to help prevent infection.

No contact sports are allowed for at least four weeks. Expect to leave off swimming, hot tubs, whirlpools and saunas for up to eight weeks.

Expected Outcomes from Lasik Most lasik patients see huge improvements in their vision by the next day. Vision may continue to improve for three to six months post-operatively. While visual fluctuations may occur temporarily throughout the day, this tendency diminishes over time.

Lasik eye surgery is not for everyone. Most good candidates follow their surgeon’s pre and post-operative directives faithfully. They find their vision, and therefore their lifestyle, greatly enhanced by this laser procedure.

Arvind asked:


Lasik that stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a refractory laser eye surgery in which the deformities in the cornea of the eyes are corrected with mild laser rays. This procedure is approved by FDA and has a high rate of success that is around 92% to 95%. If compared with other forms of corrective eye surgeries, Lasik procedure takes less time, causes less pain and the recovery time in Lasik operation is also minimum. With a Lasik vision correction the common disorders of vision the myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism can be cured permanently. So, with a Lasik eye surgery New York you can get rid of those corrective glasses or contact lenses that you have to wear to get proper vision.

In Lasik operation the eyes are numbed, held with a speculum and then immobilized with a corneal suction ring. The surgeon cuts a small incision of the top layer of the cornea with a mechanical microkeratome using a metal blade or a femtosecond laser microkeratome to make a flap. The flap is then folded and the surgeon uses a low power excimer laser to resurface the stroma so that light is refracted correctly within the eye, while going forward. The process requires optimum precision and promptness of the surgeon for maximum benefit of the patient. So, it is important that you find one reputed Lasik eye institute that have the proper infrastructure and competent doctors to carry out the procedure. If you have chosen Lasik eye surgery New York to do the operation you are never short of options.

Not only Lasik eye surgery New York but you will also find number of Lasik centres throughout the country. In fact Lasik surgery Chicago can also be an option for you. You have to make the choice of Lasik centre based on some factors. It always better to choose a local centre, cost is another factor and of course quality of service remains the first priority.

Whatever Lasik eye surgery New York clinic you choose, make sure you are absolutely ready to undergo a Lasik surgery. Consult your eye surgeon and try to understand the complications of the Lasik surgery. It is wise to opt for the Lasik surgery only when you have a stable vision and didn’t require a change in the prescription for the glasses or contact lens during the last one year.

Carson Danfield asked:


In the vast majority of cases, recovery from LASIK eye surgery is quick and uneventful. However, as with most all medical procedures, there are certain risks, ut if you take the recommended precautions, you’ll have little to worry about.

One of the most important aspects in promoting the healing process is to avoid dry eyes. Dry eyes can act like an abrasive to the cornea and invite infection. You’ll want to use artificial tear drops on a regular basis during healing, especially if you sense dryness. An additional unwanted side effect of dryness is the increased tendency to want to rub your eyes.

Rubbing, particularly during the first week or two should be strictly avoided. Rubbing can scratch the cornea or even worse – it can cause the corneal flap to become detached, requiring medical assistance for correction.

During the first four hours after LASIK eye surgery, your doctor will prescribe certain medications to be applied frequently, usually at 15 minute intervals. These medications will usually consist of steroids to promote healing and antibiotics to prevent infection. Be sure to adhere to the prescribed regimen of applying these medications.

You may want to limit reading, watching television or working at the computer for the first couple of days after LASIK eye surgery. Even though you’ll notice a marked improvement in your vision, you may be subject to headaches if you overdo things during the early stages of your recovery.

Avoid any dusty areas or anywhere that has particulate matter in the air. For example, don’t mow the lawn, as the mower can still up grass clippings or other debris that can enter your eyes and cause complications. Also be aware that pet hair can sometimes float in the air and get in your eyes, even if you don’t notice the intrusion.

Be careful when showering so that you don’t allow the stream of water to hit your eyes. Also, don’t allow soap or shampoo to enter your eyes. Avoid steam rooms and swimming pools during the healing process. It’s also a good idea to forego any strenuous exercise or sports activities. It’s important that you protect your eyes from any undue pressure and don’t let any foreign objects come into contact with your eyes.

During the healing process, you may notice that your eyes are very sensitive to bright light, so be sure to wear sunglasses if you go outdoors.

Complications during recovery from LASIK eye surgery are rare, but they do occur. If you notice anything questionable during your recovery period, be sure to consult with your doctor immediately.

Chris Crowe asked:


Wavefront Lasik is called by some a slightly better procedure than the traditional lasik eye surgery operation. Also called custom wavefront lasik, this procedure is more precise than other procedures

because it maps corneal irregularities before the surgery begins.

This means that the wavefront lasik procedure (which is also more expensive) is more attuned to the actual eye it is being performed on. With a detailed map of the specific eye, in theory the procedure can be more effective in solving the particular vision deficiencies of the patient.

Traditional lasik utilizes a similar way of measuring the eye as when you get fitted for contacts or glasses. For people with minor vision modifications needed, this is fine. But for people with higher order aberrations, they may need a more exact procedure.

Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are some of these lower level problems that the normal lasik eye surgery may be used with great effect on. Other problems may require more specialization.

Wavefront lasik eye surgery works in a few steps. First, the doctor shines a light into the eye. A computer inputs the data (which will show any abnormalities in the eye) and analyzes the data. Then a three dimensional model of the eye is created and the laser is put to use.

A beam of laser light then shapes the inside layers of your cornea to replicate the particular prescription the patient has in glasses or contacts. In addition, it looks for other repairs that can be made to the eye to improve vision. Wavefront uses more technology–the name is derived from the fact that light waves are used to scan the eye and gather information about the cornea and any necessary vision corrections. Some people have had great outcomes with this surgery.

Some people have trouble with glasses and contacts and just can’t seem to avoid annoying vision problems like glare and the halo-effect of lights at night when they wear glasses. People who just don’t want to deal with glasses and contact lenses also may opt for lasik surgery. It’s very important to talk to qualified physicians about the procedure and be guided by them throughout.

The wavefront lasik procedure can take as little as a half-hour or even shorter, depending on the vision doctor and whatever guidelines he or she follows.

Since the corneal flap that is created is so tiny and is in a high-blood area of the face (the eye) recovery time is very quick. Most doctors recommend lots of fluids and that the patient avoids any kind of eye-straining activities. Reading and even watching television may be considered “too much.”

But even then, the healing process takes only two or three days. Lasik is a procedure that shouldn’t be taken lightly even though the process and the healing seems so quick, relatively painless, and easy. It is always necessary to find a vision specialist you trust and to find advice from people who have undergone the procedure, general basic information about the procedure, and any other information you can find to prepare yourself.

If you are not convinced that one doctor is right, you can always consult others to get a different perspective on your health needs. You only have one pair of eyes–you should take care of them.

John Porter asked:


Lasik eye surgery has gained tremendous popularity since the time it was introduced in the last decade. The main reasons for this has been its efficacy and the realtivly high rate of success compared to most other operations. But at the end of the day it is a question of your eyes and it is always better to be properly educated about the operation and the kind of complications you might face.

It is generally your optometrist who will first provide you with the details of the operation. In this article we just provide you an overview.

This eye surgery is used to cure three main types of eye conditions-myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Myopia, also know as nearsightedness is the problem of not being able to see what is far away without glasses. Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, is the other way round. Astigmatism is something different where the patient has irregularities in his cornea which as a result distorts the image formed on the retina of the eye. The complications that one can face after surgery are discussed below.

The capacity to distinguish an item from its neighboring backdrop is a problem of contrast sensitivity. The reduction in contrast sensitivity is a comparatively common occurrence after LASIK surgery, particularly in patients with high amounts of myopia.

The occurrence of a second, generally fainter, image of an object next to the original object, creating an indistinct vision is what double vision or ghosting is. This problem is generally an effect of irregular astigmatism brought on by surgery. Like several other lasik-related vision problems, double vision often goes away over a period of time.

Then there is the problem of halos where one can see halos around lights. It must be noted that corneal swelling after this operation can cause halos for the first few weeks. In fact it is quite normal. However, if you think that the halo has persisted over a normal period of time, then it might be necessary for you to go for treatment again.

Another eye surgery related complication, starbursts cause a person to see lights as blurred. Often spikes or rays of light seem to radiate out of the center of the light source. Generally it affects night time vision, but in some cases, it might be a problem for all light sources at any time of the day.

Lasik has become a wildly popular surgery and while it does have some risks and occasional complications, it usually results in greatly improved vision for many people. To have the best chance for a successful recovery be aware of the restrictions after eye surgery. Here are the most important:

Prior to your lasik procedure, your eye care professional will have already performed an in-depth eye exam. In addition to an eye exam, you doctor needs a thorough health history to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for this procedure.

Many factors can make or break your eye surgery. To have the expected outcome, you must be a good candidate, you should follow all pre-operative instructions and you should always follow the post-operative instructions.

When you are ready for your operation procedure, your doctor will discuss several things to look for after surgery. He or she will also give you detailed post-operative instructions. Some of these restrictions may include not driving or working for several days, going to your check up appointments when scheduled, avoiding make up or touching the eye and refraining from physical activity.