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A useful guide on LASIK

A type of refractive eye surgery, LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. The procedure can correct refractive errors — nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. As the surgery has a good track record, it is often chosen by many patients. The procedure is safe and quickly restores the vision.

A useful guide on LASIK

Requirements for a good LASIK surgery candidate:

1. Candidate’s eyes should be healthy: The eyes should be healthy. If there’s any active eye infection or abrasions, they must be treated before the surgery.

2. The eye condition is within range: LASIK eye procedures treat a wide range of eye conditions, including hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism. An eye doctor is the best person to tell whether LASIK is the best treatment for a particular eye condition or not.

3. The vision should be stable: Stable vision reduces the risk of regression and the need for a touch-up procedure. 

4. The candidate should be an adult: The patient has to be at least 18 years old to undergo LASIK surgery.

What is the procedure for LASIK?

Before a LASIK procedure, the eye surgeon will/may:

  • Assess the overall health of the eye. 
  • Prescribe mild medication a few days before the procedure. 
  • Put numbing drops in the eyes before the operation starts.

LASIK treatment:

LASIK surgery can be performed with Excimer Laser as well as Femtosecond laser. While the former uses a blade during the procedure, the latter is a bladeless procedure.

The laser physically corrects the glass prescription by reshaping the cornea during the surgery. Thus, correcting myopia, hypermetropia or astigmatism using this technology.

The LASIK surgery usually requires less than 30 minutes of operating room time. The laser is for less than a minute on each eye. However,  preoperative preparation and post-operative observation may take hours.

LASIK with Excimer Laser

The procedure involves two steps:

  • Creation of thin-film or flap on the surface of the cornea by a precision flap-making instrument
  • Reshaping the cornea with excimer laser by removing tissue from the middle layer of the cornea

The procedure in detail:

  • After numbing the eyes, the patient is asked to relax on the treatment bed. The eyelids of the patient are held open with a precision flap making instrument, microkeratome. It is an extremely fine instrument with precise delicate gears.
  • The patient is then asked to focus on a special fixation light. The eye surgeon uses a precision instrument. The instrument folds away a corneal flap within seconds, revealing the middle layer of the cornea.
  • During the creation of the flap, the pressure in the patient’s eye rises and their vision may grey out.
  • The cornea is reshaped using an excimer laser. 
  • After this, the flap is returned to cover the exposed area. And the treatment is completed.
  • Eye drops are put in the eye and a shield will be placed to keep the eye protected.

LASIK with Femtosecond Laser

The following steps are followed on the day of surgery: 

  • The patient is brought to a procedure room and is asked to lie on their back under the laser system and a computer screen.
  • Numbing drops are put into the patient’s eyes. 
  • The patient’s eyelids are kept open during the procedure using a machine called eye speculum.
  • A suction ring is centered over the pupil and suction is applied. A glass lens holds the globe of the eye steady and flattens the cornea.
  • The laser is used to create a flap in the surface of the cornea and suction is released.
  • The cornea is reshaped as required.
  • The flap is replaced once reshaping is complete. 
  • The flap will heal without stitches.

Note: If you are looking for the best eye hospital in Kolkata for bladeless, femtosecond LASIK surgery, you can visit us. We, at Disha Eye Hospitals, are committed to providing our patients with the highest possible standard of ophthalmic care in an affordable manner. Along with LASIK surgery, a few of our other services include cataract surgery, glaucoma treatment, diagnostic and imaging services.

Although each of the LASIK procedures has its own features and benefits, there are a few advantages of femtosecond laser LASIK:

  • Puts patients at greater ease as no blade is used during the process
  • The decreased potential risk of corneal abrasion
  • Helps surgeons to customize LASIK procedure
  • Creates corneal flap with edges, enabling it to fit securely in place after the LASIK procedure, decreasing the risk of dislocation of flap post-surgery

What to do after LASIK surgery?

After LASIK surgery:

  • The patient should avoid rubbing or squeezing their eyes for the first week. 
  • They should take care of the eye to ensure that they do not displace the flap.

 

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The Ultimate Guide To LASIK Eye And Vision Surgery

Your colleague recently had LASIK eye surgery, and he is looking so much better without the spectacles. Now you might be wondering the possibilities of getting an LASIK surgery for yourself. But do you meet the criteria that are required for LASIK surgery? If you do, what are the factors that you need to keep in mind when deciding to get LASIK surgery? If these questions cross your mind, you are on the right page! Our ultimate Guide to LASIK Eye and Vision Surgery should help you understand the definition of LASIK Eye surgery in its entirety, who could undergo it, and what are the other available vision surgery options.

Here’s everything that you need to know about LASIK:

  1. What is LASIK?

    LASIK is one of the most commonly performed surgeries to treat common vision related problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. LASIK eye surgery, which stands for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, reduces the patient’s dependence on spectacles and contact lenses, and corrects vision to an extent. However, some people may still need glasses for driving at night or reading as they get older. Those who had a strong prescription before surgery will need to continue wearing spectacles even after the surgery.

  2. Why is LASIK done?

    LASIK surgery is an outpatient surgery; meaning, you do not have to stay at the hospital. You could go home the same day after the surgery. Though the surgery is performed under 20 minutes for each eye, you will be observed for a few hours after surgery is completed.

  3. How is LASIK performed?

    LASIK is performed under local anesthesia. In simple words, you would not feel pain even though you will be awake during the procedure. The surgeon will use a special type of cutting laser to reshape the cornea to improve your vision. During surgery, the cornea flap is painlessly peeled, and the underlying corneal tissue is reshaped. The flap is put back in place in the end. The operated eye will be covered with an eye shield, which means you should have someone to take you home.

  4. Is there any other alternative to LASIK?

    After LASIK consultation, if you learn that you are not suitable to get it done, do not lose hope. There are several refractive surgery options available. There are many alternatives that could reduce your dependence on glasses and contact lenses. LASEK, Phakic Intraocular Lens Implants, Epi-LASIK, and Refractive Lens Exchange Surgery are some of the alternatives to LASIK. It is best to discuss your options with your eye doctor.

    The Ultimate Guide To LASIK Eye And Vision Surgery

  5. Is LASIK eye surgery safe?

    The success rate of LASIK eye surgery is quite high; however, there remains several risks associated with surgeries of all kinds. There are chances of some short-term complications but long-term problems are rare. Among short-term complications, dry eyes are very common, but it goes away in a week or so.

  6. Who is a good candidate for LASIK? 

    To undergo LASIK, you should be above 18, and your eye prescription must be stable. An eye specialist will determine if your eyeglass prescription requires a LASIK. Also, the doctor will make sure that you have a thick cornea. LASIK surgery is generally not recommended for people with cataracts and pregnant women. Those with active corneal disease, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, or glaucoma are also not considered for LASIK.

  7. What should you expect after the surgery? 

    A few days after surgery, your eyes may feel irritated, uncomfortable, dry, and sensitive to light. However, these symptoms go away on their own. Though the immediate recovery period for LASIK generally lasts six to 12 hours, it could vary from patient to patient.

Get LASIK surgery done at Disha Eye Hospitals

If you are looking for an eye surgeon in Kolkata for a LASIK surgery, visit Disha Eye Hospitals. Disha has the best technology; the Wavelight Allegretto AG (German) technology for LASIK surgery, the state-of-the-art technology which screens out cases of risk. The hospital also provides LASIK eye surgery at a low cost. Besides LASIK, there is a range of ophthalmic services like refractive surgeries.

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Eye Diseases Associated with Smoking

If you smoke, you’re well acquainted with the guilty pleasure of lighting up another cigarette, despite having smoked one a couple of minutes before. But do you know the damage the smoke entering inside your lungs is causing?

Apart from leading to a number of health complications such as lung cancer, constricted blood vessels, strokes, loss of appetite, infertility, etc, smoking also increases the risk of a number of eye diseases which can lead to blindness.

Eye Diseases Associated with Smoking

Book eye check-up online:

Quitting smoking is the best step you can take to reduce the damage the chemicals in cigarette smoke has already done. To further lower the risks of eye complications, make sure to visit an eye doctor every year. Get your eye health diagnosed from one of our eye specialists at Disha Eye Hospital, one of the top eye hospitals in Kolkata. Book your appointment online at http://www.dishaeye.org/appointment.

Here are some of the serious eye diseases associated with smoking:

1.Cataracts: Cataract is one of the most common eye diseases linked to regular smoking. The eye complication occurs when the eye lenses start breaking down and form clumps. Over time, the clumps cloud the lens and obstruct light. This, in turn, leads to vision loss which gradually worsens as the clumps become denser. Smoking causes heavy metals like cadmium to accumulate in the lens and contribute to cataract formation. Also, regular smoking can alter the cells in the eye lenses through oxidation.

Cataracts treatment at Disha Eye Hospital

2.Dry Eyes: People who smoke regularly are at higher risk of developing dry eyes than those who don’t smoke. Also, cigarette smoke is an eye irritant; it worsens dry eyes in smokers as well as in non-smokers. Dry eyes occur when either the tear glands cannot produce sufficient/quality tears for lubrication or when the produced tears get evaporated quickly.


3.Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetic Retinopathy occurs when the blood vessels of the retina get damaged and lead to vision loss. Regular smoking causes blood sugar levels to spike up, especially in people with diabetes. As a result, the increased blood sugar levels cause more damage to the blood vessels and worsen Diabetic Retinopathy. People who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes stand at an increased risk of Diabetic Retinopathy.

Diabetic Retinopathy


4.Uveitis: The onset of Uveitis is commonly linked to regular smoking. The eye complication occurs when the eye’s middle layer, the uvea, gets inflamed. If left untreated, the eye complication can damage the vital structures of the eyes, including the retina and the iris. Smoking speeds up the development of Uveitis. As such, regular smokers stand at an increased risk of the complication than non-smokers.

Uveitis

5.Macular Degeneration: Macular Degeneration is one of the leading causes of central vision loss. The eye complication is more common in smokers than in non-smokers. Macular Degeneration occurs when the macula (a part of the retina) is damaged. Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors of Macular Degeneration.

Macular Degeneration

6.Tips to quit smoking:

Most people struggle to let go of the habit of smoking. However, making small changes to your lifestyle can go a long way in lowering the temptation to light one up. Here are some tips to help you quit the habit:

●Fight your cravings:

Like every other smoker, you may get cravings to smoke at specific times in a day. For eg, most smokers get a strong craving to light one up after a meal. When you get such cravings, try to fight them by eating a healthy snack, drinking water, and talking with somebody.

●Take help:

Do whatever it takes to get help in quitting the habit. Taking therapies and using mobile apps that help kick the butt is a good option.

●Hang out with non-smokers often:

You may tend to smoke frequently when spending time with other smokers. One simple and effective way to reduce smoking and quit eventually is to hang out more with non-smokers.

We at Disha Eye Hospital are committed to providing affordable eye care treatment so that people can have a healthy vision. Our services include LASIK, refractive surgery, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. To know more about our services, visit http://www.dishaeye.org/.

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How to Know if LASIK is Right for You?

How to Know if LASIK is Right for You?

Your friend got a LASIK eye surgery done last month and she looks fabulous without her eyeglasses. Now, you are thinking of getting a LASIK eye surgery done for yourself to reduce the need of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. But you don’t know whether you are a good candidate for it. The best way to know if you a good candidate for a LASIK is to take an appointment with an eye specialist.

For a LASIK surgery consult best eye specialists in top eye hospital in Kolkata

If you are in Kolkata and planning to get a LASIK surgery done, then look nowhere but at Disha Eye Hospital, one of the top eye hospitals in Kolkata. Besides LASIK, we offer a range of ophthalmic services like refractive surgeries and cataract surgery. To check our eye treatments that are available at affordable prices, visit http://www.dishaeye.org/.

A LASIK (Laser Intra-stromal Kerato mileusis) surgery is a common eye procedure that helps correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. It is an outpatient surgical procedure where the laser is used to make a small flap in the cornea and removes some of the tissue exposed by the flap. The operation takes around 10 to 15 minutes on one eye. Here’s some more information that can help you understand LASIK eye surgery and what it entails. However, only an eye specialist after a comprehensive analysis of your vision can tell you if LASIK eye surgery is right for you:

1. Are you above 18? You must be above 18 to qualify for the procedure. A person’s vision can change anytime during their lifetime and during adolescence, it changes dramatically. As the LASIK surgery is permanent, it is not recommended for anyone who is not an adult. Even those in their mid-20s are often encouraged to wait until their prescription may be more stable. In your early 20s, your prescription may change.

2. Does your eyeglass prescription qualify for a LASIK? After a thorough eye examination, an eye specialist will determine if your eyeglass prescription requires a LASIK. An experienced optometrist or ophthalmologist can evaluate your vision, your lifestyle needs and then tell you whether you are a good candidate for LASIK or not.

3. Do you have healthy corneas? A LASIK surgery involves the creation of a LASIK flap. To support this LASIK flap, you must have thick cornea. If your corneas are not thick enough, you are likely to experience some complications.

4. Do you have a stable vision? Your refractive errors need to be stable for at least a year before undergoing LASIK or other refractive surgery. Your eye specialist can tell you whether your prescription is stable or not.

5. Do you have cataracts? A LASIK surgery is generally not recommended for those who have cataracts.

6. Are you pregnant? It is not recommended for you to get LASIK done just before or after pregnancy. You may have to wait sometime. Women go through a lot of hormonal changes during and after pregnancy that can cause changes to a woman’s vision corrective prescription during pregnancy. A LASIK surgery during pregnancy can make the operations outcomes less predictable. Several prescription and non-prescription medications are given for a LASIK surgery and they may pose threat to the foetus.

7. Do you have any serious medical condition?

If you have no eye problems like active corneal disease, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, or glaucoma, you can be considered for a LASIK surgery.

8. Do you have realistic expectations? A lot of people think that getting a LASIK eye surgery means never ever having to wear your eyeglasses. The idea of a LASIK surgery is to reduce your dependency on eyeglasses and contact lenses. But it cannot completely eliminate the need of eyeglasses. Many people don’t eyeglasses even years after the surgery but some do. The need for wearing eyeglasses totally depends on the health of your vision.

Choose Disha Eye Hospital for LASIK eye surgery at affordable cost

Our LASIK surgery department is the most researched one. We have the best technology, the Wavelight Allegretto AG (German) technology. The state-of-the-art technology screens out risk cases. Now, to book an appointment at Disha Eye Hospitals through WhatsApp, send an SMS or WhatsApp text on 9433311111.

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Lasik in Kolkata

lasik eye surgery in Kolkata

Somdatta was 5 years old when she got her first prescription glasses. She faced difficulty in seeing the blackboard across the classroom and other activities became difficult as well. With the help of the glasses, she was able to get a clear vision.

However, as she grew up, her prescription started getting worse. It was a gradual process but now that Somdutta entered college, she quickly moved to contact lenses. She was fed up with her glasses and contact lenses seemed like a breather to her.

However, soon she got a very bad dry eye. It was when she first heard about LASIK eye surgery. She was a bit sceptical in the beginning but after consulting her ophthalmologist, she decided to undergo the procedure. The surgery was pretty quick. Immediately after the operation, Somdutta’s vision was blurry. When she woke up the next day, she was able to read the printed ads on the billboard for the first time, that too without glasses. She noticed her world became more vibrant.

LASIK eye surgery is the most common surgery for correcting refractive errors. Like Somdutta, thousands of people across the country have been benefitted by this surgery. It eliminates the need for glasses and contact lenses.

When is LASIK eye surgery performed?

You may undergo LASIK eye surgery if you have the following condition:

  • Myopia: You are myopic when your eyeball is slightly elongated or longer than usual and as a result, the distant objects appear blurry to you. Your vision is also affected if the cornea bends the light too sharply and the light focuses in front of the retina. As a result, you cannot see distant objects clearly.
  • Hyperopia: You have farsightedness when you cannot see the nearby objects clearly. This happens when your eyeballs are shorter than usual or if your cornea is so flat that the light doesn’t bend properly and focuses behind the retina. As a result, you cannot see nearby objects clearly.
  • Astigmatism: This is a condition that causes overall blurred vision. It happens when the cornea has uneven surface it affects both near and far vision. Usually, Astigmatism can be corrected with contact lenses and glasses. However, with LASIK, the corneal surface is reshaped, and the light that enters your eyes focuses just on the retina.

Are your Eyes Fit for LASIK?

LASIK eye surgery is good for people who have a mild or moderate degree of refractive error and do not have any other serious vision-related issues.

Before LASIK is performed, the doctors will first evaluate your eyes to see if your eyes are healthy enough for the surgery or not. He or she will evaluate whether you have any conditions that might complicate the procedure or result in a poor surgical outcome. The doctor will evaluate if you have:

  • Any eye disease that might cause progressive deterioration of eyesight and thinning of the cornea (known as keratoconus). In case keratoconus runs in your family, and even if you do not have the condition at that time, the doctor may not recommend LASIK eye surgery for you.
  • Uveitis, keratitis, and herpes simplex affecting your eyes, and any other type of eye infections.
  • Eye injuries or eyelid disorders
  • Severe dry eyes. The doctor will evaluate the moisture in your eyes. If you have dry eyes, LASIK surgery can worsen the condition. In such cases, the doctors either would not recommend LASIK or may recommend it along with a precautionary treatment to reduce the risk.
  • Large pupils. If your pupils are large, especially in low light, then LASIK eye surgery isn’t appropriate for you. It’s because the surgery may cause symptoms such as halos, light sensitivity, ghost images, and starbursts.
  • Glaucoma. LASIK eye surgery can increase your eye pressure and this can worsen your glaucoma.
  • Cataracts
    Even some medical conditions that are not related to the eye can make LASIK risky for you and the outcome less predictable. The doctor may not suggest LASIK in case you:
  • Have any medical condition affecting your immune system. It’s because it will impair your ability to heal, making you prone to infections, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders.
  • Are taking any immunosuppressive medication
  • Have diabetes.
  • Suffer from depression or any particular chronic pain conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, and fibromyalgia. If you have one or more of these conditions, you may face problems with postoperative pain and dry eyes than any other people. The reasons for this are still not clear. It might be related to how you perceive pain.

Rethink your decision of having LASIK surgery if:

  • You suffer from severe nearsightedness or if you have been diagnosed with any severe refractive error.
  • You suffer from any age-related eye conditions that give you presbyopia.
  • You are actively involved in any kind of contact sports such as boxing, martial arts where you are at risk of eye injuries. LASIK surgery isn’t a good choice for you.

How LASIK Eye Surgery is performed?

Before the surgery, the doctor will apply eye drops to numb your eyes. This is for preventing any discomfort during the surgery. The doctor may also give you some medicines (maybe sedatives) to help you relax during the process, visit https://medfitnetwork.org/public/valium-diazepam-oral/.

After that, the doctor will position your eye under the laser. He or she will use a lid speculum for keeping your eyelids wide open during the surgery.

During the surgery, the first thing that the surgeon will do is cut a thin flap in your cornea using a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser. He or she will then fold the flap to access the stroma. Using the excimer laser, the doctor will remove corneal tissue. This laser is a highly specialized laser that uses a cool ultraviolet light beam for removing corneal tissue in microscopic amounts and reshapes it in a way that the light can properly focus on the retina.

If you are nearsighted, the doctor will flatten the cornea and if you are farsighted, then he or she will make the cornea steeper. The excimer laser is also used for correcting astigmatism by smoothing the irregular cornea and give it a regular shape.

Once the cornea is reshaped, the flap is put back in place. The cornea is then left to heal naturally. LASIK or any other laser eye surgery is done with topical anaesthetic drops. It doesn’t involve bandages and stitches.

What to expect immediately After the Surgery?

Once the procedure is over, you may feel an itching or burning sensation in your eye. Don’t worry, this is temporary. The doctor will then conduct a brief post-operative examination before releasing you. You cannot drive immediately after the surgery until the doctor gives you the clearance as your eye will be recovering. It’s better to bring someone to drive you back home.

Following the procedure, you will experience a hazy and blurry vision. However, from the following day, your vision will start improving. The vision takes some time to adjust and stabilise. Usually, this happens in just a few days. In very rare cases, the vision takes several weeks or longer to stabilise.

It is highly recommended that you stay away from strenuous exercise for at least a week following the surgery. This can cause trauma to the eyes and hamper the healing process.

You have to come for a routine checkup after the surgery. The doctor needs to monitor your eyes and how they are healing. During the routine check-up, the doctor will check your vision.

Follow the doctor’s instructions and ensure that you are taking the prescribed medications properly. Also, avoid touching or rubbing your eye as it might dislodge the corneal flap.

Benefits of LASIK eye surgery

LASIK eye surgery has numerous benefits. These include:

  • LASIK has 96% success rate. In most of the cases, those who have undergone LASIK eye surgery have experienced improvements in vision. You will see a dramatic improvement in your vision after the day of your surgery or after a few days.
  • This is a painless process. It also doesn’t take much time but less than an hour to perform the surgery.
  • Recovery is extremely quick as it doesn’t require any stitches after the surgery.
  • In some cases, you may need a second surgery (if your vision changes with age) to correct your vision further.
  • After having LASIK eye surgery, most patients do not need glasses or lenses.

Preparing For LASIK Eye Surgery: Things to Consider

Before the surgery, you need to keep a few things in mind:

1. You cannot wear contact lenses for a long period. Before you undergo the procedure, you have to stop wearing contact lenses (if you wear). Do this at least several weeks prior to the surgery. It’s because the lenses will affect the shape of your eye lens and affect the outcome of the surgery.

2. Bring someone along with you to accompany you. It’s because your vision won’t be clear immediately after the procedure.

Once the surgery is over, follow these tips to ensure a fast recovery:

  1. Protect your eyes. Always wear protective goggle for covering your eyes after the surgery. Immediately after the surgery, the eye shouldn’t be exposed to light and dust and also, you need to avoid touching it. Sleep in your protective eye gear to avoid touching your eyes.
  2. Never rub the eyes. The corneal flap is still not secure and can dislodge if you rub or press your eyes. Even if you feel an itching sensation in your eyes, avoid touching it. Follow this for at least a week after the surgery.
  3. Apply the eye drops that are provided to you by the doctor. It’s an important part of the healing process and also minimises the risk of eye infection.
  4. Give your eyes rest. Plenty of rest is crucial for healing. Sleep. It’s because your body repairs itself while you are asleep.

Other Options

If you are not fit for LASIK, you have plenty of other options:

  • Epithelial laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis or epi-LASIK: In this procedure, the surgeon first separates the corneal surface or the epithelium from the Stroma (the middle part of the cornea). The doctor uses an Epikeratome, a mechanized blunt blade device for reshaping the cornea using a laser. This procedure is very similar to LASEK.
  • Photorefractive keratectomy or PRK: Here, instead of cutting a flap, the surface of the cornea is scraped away. You may initially feel moderate pain in the eyes and blurry vision but this corneal abrasion heals within 3-4 days. However, compared to PRK, LASIK is a better option for correcting severe myopia.
  • Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy or LASEK: This surgery is very similar to LASIK. The only difference is the flap is created with a microkeratome and exposing the cornea to ethanol. In this surgery, the surgeon can remove very less amount of corneal tissue. LASEK is a good option for those who have thin cornea and cannot undergo LASIK eye surgery.
  • Corrective lenses: The lenses can be surgically implanted in your eye for improving your vision. This is usually done for cataract surgery where implantable lenses are put in place of the cloudy natural lens. This may also be an alternative for LASIK for elderly who may need cataract surgery in the future. People who have severe nearsightedness which cannot be corrected with corrective lenses are also given implantable lenses. However, this procedure is usually not followed for everyone.
  • Bioptics: This procedure involves several techniques such as LASIK, implantable lenses for correcting nearsightedness or farsightedness. Like the above procedure, this is not followed for everyone who seeks vision correction through LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK Eye surgery in Kolkata

LASIK eye surgery cost in Kolkata depends on the severity of your condition. If you want to consult a specialist before the procedure, get in touch with us at http://www.dishaeye.org/contact-us.

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31 Facts on LASIK Surgery

Facts on LASIK Surgery

Using glasses or contact lenses forever seems a hassle. Everyone wants to get rid of them and enjoy clearer vision. LASIK is the most common surgical procedure for vision correction. If you are considering LASIK, then check these facts about the surgery first:

About LASIK

Fact 1:

Laser in-situ Keratomileusis or LASIK is the popular surgery for treating vision problems such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism.

Fact 2:

This vision correction surgery reshapes your cornea and the transparent front part of your eye so that the light that travels through your eye focuses on your retina, thus helping you see clearly.

Fact 3:

For near-sighted people, an eye surgeon uses LASIK surgery to flatten their too-steep cornea. In the case of farsighted people, the surgeon aims for a steeper cornea. LASIK is used to correct astigmatism by smoothing your irregular cornea giving it a normal shape.

Source: http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/

Fact 4:

LASIK surgery was made possible due to the efforts of Spanish ophthalmologist Jose Barraquer. In 1950, he developed the keratome knife for performing keratomileusis or cutting the flap of the cornea for vision correction.

Source: http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~pchandra/physics397/Project_Paper.pdf

Fact 5:

In 1980, researcher R. Srinivasan concluded that an ultraviolet excimer laser could be used on living tissues without causing any damage. Since this discovery, LASIK surgery has evolved a lot and has been widely used to improve the vision of millions of people all over the world.

Source: http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~pchandra/physics397/Project_Paper.pdf

How does LASIK surgery work?

Fact 6:

At first, the ophthalmologist will apply numbing drops in your eye by pulling down your bottom eyelid. It takes a few seconds for the drops to work. The effect lasts for 10 to 15 minutes. A device is used to hold your eye lid open. This device is specially used during LASIK eye surgery. You won’t feel any pain.

Source: http://www.lasik.com/articles/lasik-eye-surgery-how-does-it-work/

Fact 7:

During the surgery, the doctor uses an instrument called a microkeratome or femtosecond laser for cutting a thin flap in your cornea. The flap is then painlessly peeled back. Your vision is blurred during this time. The doctor uses another laser for reshaping and correcting the underlying corneal tissue so that it can properly focus light onto your retina. Once the cornea is reshaped and corrected, the flap is put back in place, and the surgery is complete.

Fact 8:

The laser used for LASIK surgery is highly specialised; it uses a cool ultraviolet light beam for removing the microscopic amounts of tissue from the cornea and reshape it. For nearsighted people, the surgeon uses the laser to flatten the cornea while for farsighted people, the cornea is made steeper. For correcting astigmatism, the eye surgeon also uses Excimer lasers for smoothing the irregular cornea, giving it a normal shape.

Fact 9:

LASIK is a painless procedure. No bandages and stitches are required for it. The entire process takes hardly a few minutes.

Advantages of LASIK

Fact 10:

LASIK has a 96% success rate. The majority of the patients who have undergone LASIK surgery agreed to have an improved vision. Your vision improves immediately after the surgery or a day after the surgery.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/lasik-laser-eye-surgery#1

Fact 11:

You can make further adjustments for correcting your vision if it changes with age. You can do this even if you had LASIK surgery years ago.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/lasik-laser-eye-surgery#1

Fact 12:

Most of the people achieve 20/20 vision after a LASIK surgery. A very small percentage of people require a LASIK enhancement procedure, a few months after the primary LASIK surgery for achieving visual acuity.

Source: http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/lasik.htm

Fact 13:

After the surgery, you might experience problems with the corneal flap. This might need further treatment.

Fact 14:

Some people might also experience minor side effects after surgery. However, these problems disappear with time. These side effects include hazy vision; dryness of the eye, difficulty with night vision; scratchiness, halos or starbursts around lights and halos; light sensitivity; small pink or red patches on the white portion of the eye; mild discomfort or pain in the eye.

Source: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/lasik

Fact 15:

Some people (a very small percentage) might also need a second surgery. This is known as an enhancement. An enhancement helps in achieving the desired vision correction. This is more common in people who were more farsighted, nearsighted, or had higher astigmatism before they underwent LASIK surgery. In other words, people whose vision required more intensive correction might need to undergo retreatment.

Source: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/lasik

Fact 16:

A few number of people experience discomfort after LASIK eye surgery. This usually continues till the first 24 to 48 hours. These include –

  • Under corrections: If too little tissue is removed, then you won’t get the desired clarity in vision. This problem is common in people who are myopic.
  • Overcorrection: If too much tissue is removed from your eye with the laser, then you will experience vision problems. Compared to under corrections, overcorrections are a bit tough to fix.
  • Halos, Glares, and Double Vision: After the surgery, you may have problems in your night vision. You might also notice halos around bright lights, glare or have double vision. Even if you have a good visual result under standard testing conditions, your vision may be reduced in dim light (during dusk or in fog).
  • Flap Problem: Since the corneal flap is folded back or removed from the front of your eye during surgery, it can also cause complications. This includes inflammation, excessive tears, and infection. Moreover, the epithelium (the outermost tissue layer of the cornea) may experience abnormal growth underneath the corneal flap during the healing process.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/lasik-eye-surgery/basics/risks/prc-20019041

Fact 17:

Certain health conditions can increase the risks associated with LASIK surgery. The eye surgeon may not recommend LASIK surgery if you have the following conditions:

* Persistent dryness of eye
* Eye conditions such as glaucoma, keratoconus, uveitis, cataract, herpes simplex (that affects eyes), keratitis, lid disorder or any other eye injury.
* Unstable vision due to pregnancy, age, medications, hormonal changes, breastfeeding, etc.
* Autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis
* Immunodeficiency conditions caused by HIV or other immunosuppressive medications.

Fact 18:

The doctors may not advise you to undergo LASIK surgery if you have very thin cornea or very large pupil, a fair overall vision; have a job that might be affected if you undergo surgery, age-related changes in eye causing presbyopia (less clear vision); and if you participated in sports which is associated with blows to your face (such as boxing).

Can you consider LASIK?

Fact 19:

If you are thinking of going for a LASIK eye surgery, first choose a good LASIK surgeon who will help you determine whether it’s right for you to undergo LASIK eye surgery or not. Your surgeon will first examine your eyes. He or she will first determine your eye health and see what kind of vision correction you need. He or she will then determine how much laser ablation or corneal tissue removal is required. Your surgeon might also inquire whether you have any specific health conditions or not (for determining whether you are fit for undergoing a LASIK surgery or not).

Fact 20:

If the doctor doesn’t find it suitable to perform LASIK, then you can also try (if your doctor considers its feasible) other laser eye surgeries such as epi-LASIK, LASEK, and PRK (this is a process similar to LASIK eye surgery but without the flap). Your doctor may also prescribe other non-laser vision correction procedures. Your surgeon will check your prescriptions and your eye structure to determine which procedure is best for you.

Fact 21:

LASIK is an outpatient procedure. This means you do not have to stay at the hospital overnight. The surgeon uses a computer for adjusting the laser. He or she will ask to look at a light for a while as the laser will send pulses of light to reshape your cornea.

How Should Patients prepare for LASIK?

Fact 22:

You will meet your eye surgeon before the LASIK eye surgery is performed. The surgeon will discuss and explain what you can expect during and after the procedure. The surgeon will also go through your medical history. He/she will examine your eyes. The most likely tests that a surgeon might conduct before the surgery are measuring your corneal thickness, corneal mapping, refraction, pupil dilation, and air pressure. Once the initial evaluation is over, you can ask the surgeon any questions you may have. Following this, you can schedule an appointment for the procedure.

Fact 23:

If you wear rigid gas permeable contact lenses, then you must stop wearing those 3 weeks before your eye examination for LASIK surgery. You should stop wearing any contact lenses at least three days before the evaluation. Do not forget to show your eyeglasses to the surgeon so that he or she can review your prescription.

Fact 24:

Eat a light meal on the scheduled day of your procedure and before you go to the doctor and take all of your prescribed medications. Avoid wearing eye makeup or attaching any heavy hair accessories which might interfere with the position of your head when under the laser. In case you do not feel well in the morning before your surgery, immediately let the doctor know. This will help you determine whether the procedure can be done or needs to be postponed or not.

Healing and What to Expect after LASIK

Fact 25:

Immediately after the LASIK surgery, you might feel itching and burning sensation in your eyes, and they may become watery. You might also experience blurred vision. You might experience a little pain. However, you will recover your vision quickly.

Fact 26:

The surgeon might give you medication for pain or eyedrops to make your eyes comfortable for several hours after the surgery is over. Your eye doctor may also ask you to wear a shield over your eyes until it heals completely.

Fact 27:

Right after the surgery, you will be able to see, but your vision won’t be clear initially. It might take about two to three months after the procedure for your eyes to heal completely and for stabilising your vision. Your chances for improved vision depend highly on the quality of vision you had before surgery.

Fact 28:

Once your surgery is over, you will have a follow-up with your eye doctor a day or two after the surgery. Your doctor will review how your eye is healing after the surgery and whether there are any complications or not. It’s better to plan for follow-up appointments during the first six months after surgery.

Fact 29:

After a few weeks of the surgery, you can start using cosmetics around your eyes. If you are into sports or other strenuous activities, you might need to wait for several weeks before resuming those activities.

Fact 30:

You may feel a temporary dryness of the eye. Your doctor will prescribe you drops to prevent infection and inflammation. The doctor might also prescribe eye-drops to keep your eyes moist. The drops might cause slight burning sensation in your eyes or also blur your vision when you use them.

Fact 31:

Your eyes heal rapidly after LASIK eye surgery. Most of the patients notice an improvement in vision within a few days.

Do not hesitate to ask the doctor about your post-operative eye routine and ensure that you follow each of them ardently.