- LASIK,Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is a
surgical procedure intended to reduce a person's dependency on glasses or
contact lenses.
LASIK is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the
clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A knife,
called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is
left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma,
the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser
vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.
For clear vision, the eye's cornea and lens must bend light rays properly,
so that images are focused on the retina which is a light sensitive nerve
tissue in back the eyeball. If the light rays aren't clearly focused on
the retina, the image you see is blurry.
This blurriness, "refractive error" ,is caused by an imperfectly shaped
eyeball, cornea, or lens. LASIK uses an Excimer Laser,an ultraviolet
laser,to precisely remove corneal tissue to correct the shape for better
focusing.
Indications
o LASIK eye surgery is performed most
often on people who have nearsightedness (myopia).
o LASIK occasionally used to correct
farsightedness or astigmatism.
o Candidate should be at least 18
years old (21 for some lasers).
o Candidate should not be pregnant or
nursing because these conditions might change the measured refraction of
the eye.
o Candidate should not be taking
certain medicatins, such as Accutane or oral prednisone.
- o For
candidates with presbyopia, LASIK can be used to correct one eye for
distance and the other for near.
o Myopic patients should postpone
LASIK until their refraction has stabilized, because myopia may continue
to increase in some patients until their mid to late 20s.
o Candidate should be healthy.LASIK
may not be recommended for patients with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis,
lupus, glaucoma, herpes infections of the eye, or cataracts.
Befor Surgery
o LASIK is an outpatient surgical
procedure and will take 10 to 15 minutes for each eye.
o The procedure is done with the
person awake.
o LASIK may be done on one or both
eyes during the same session.
After Surgery
o The day of surgery, vision generally
is blurry or hazy but by the next day the blurriness improves.
o It is very important NOT to rub the
eye after LASIK.
o At the first doctor visit after the
surgery, the eye shield will be removed
o You may receive eye drops to help
prevent infection.
o Do not drive until your vision has
improved enough to safely do so.
o Avoid swimming, hot tubs,
whirlpools, contact sports, lotions, cremes, and eye make-up for between
2-4 weeks after surgery.
o Sometimes additional
surgery,"enhancement surgery", may be needed in order to get the best
possible vision.
o It may take up to 3-6 months for
vision to stabilize after surgery.
o The most common complaints after
LASIK are glare, haloes, and difficulty with night driving.
o The doctor should be called
immediately if there is severe pain.
LASIK Risks
o Corneal infection.
o Corneal scarring, permanent warping
of the cornea and an inability to wear contact lenses.
o Decrease in contrast
sensitivity,objects may appear fuzzy or gray.
o Decreased distance vision at high
altitudes.
o Dryness.
o Light sensitivity.
o Loss of vision.
o Over- or under-treatment of the
condition requiring additional surgery, contact lens, or glasses.
o Patches of red or pink in the white
of the eye.
o Permanent vision loss.
o Problems with night driving or
visual symptoms, such as glare and haloes.
o Reading glasses may still be needed
after surgery.
o Scratchiness.
o Some patients will still need
glasses for their best vision.
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