Lasik eye surgery or laser In-Situ Keratomileusis, to give it its full name, is a laser eye treatment for people with refractive problems or impaired vision.
How does Lasik surgery work?
A Lasik works by removing a thin layer of tissue from the cornea. A Lasik is usually done on people to correct near or far sightedness (myopia or hyperopia). A laser is then beamed on the cornea to reshape it to meet the type of vision correction needed.
Before the start of procedure a mild anaesthetic is given and eye drops directed to get rid of the pain in the eyes while procedure is ongoing.
The procedure itself takes very little time, perhaps a few minutes. However, there will be several visits to the optometry surgery prior to the procedure to ensure that you are a suitable candidate and to determine the vision problem you are currently experiencing. The optometrist will establish how much reshaping the cornea requires to correct your vision.
There are many laser surgery clinics now providing Lasik. Lasik is the most popular laser vision correction treatment today. Ensure they are fully licensed to provide laser vision correction treatment.
Why Lasik surgery?
Here are some advantages of why Lasik surgery is becoming so popular.
Lasik has become an extremely popular way to restore vision. It is done on hundreds of thousands of people everywhere in the Unites States alone. In almost all cases, the surgery goes without any problems
The purpose of having laser eye surgery, despite being a relatively costly procedure, is that it does away with the need to wear a pair of glasses or the hassle of putting on contact lenses.
The procedure is done extremely quickly; it takes few minutes and is almost pain free.
Restoring 20-20 vision
Permanent vision, though it will still be exposed to the effects of aging on vision. This will result in gradual worsening of vision with old age.
Few (though quite a small number) of people have reported significant side effects from the surgery. A few people reported their eyesight was in a worse state after a surgery that was supposed to correct their vision.
Side effects of Lasik surgery
Side effects from Lasik surgery are rare. The percentage of people suffering major complications is very small – less than 1%. Around 5% report minor complications.
Minor side effects
Here are some of the minor complications.
Some discomfort in the eyes. This is expected because it’s quite an invasive procedure, as it requires removing tissue from the cornea and reshaping it.
Following the procedure you may experience puffy eyes for a few days.
Under correction
This is when the optometrist failed to fully reshape the cornea to required consistency. This can mean the desired results haven’t been achieved i.e. there are still some minor vision problems.
Over correction
This is when the reshaping was slightly over done. This can again result in not achieving the desired results.
Major complications
Although incredibly rare, a few people have lost their sight as a result of undergoing a Lasik surgery. This again makes it all the more important that a Lasik surgery is fully planned and the optometrist clinic that performs the surgery is fully researched to they have a history of providing great results. Do not compromise on price if it is deemed too risky. Most of the good optometrists charge a similar price.
Cost of the surgery
The cost of having a Lasik eye surgery is around $2000. This includes the cost of the surgery itself and all other peripheral costs such as consultation fee with the surgeon the Lasik surgery. In the UK, the cost is around £1000 per eye.
You may get help from the NHS for a Lasik eye surgery if your case is deemed worthy enough. In most cases, the patient will be refused any financial help because there are cheaper alternatives such as wearing a pair of glasses.
The people that may get help are those with severe cases of vision impairment where restoring vision is seen as being better than providing artificial enhancement, as would be the case with a pair of glasses. For example, the armed forces often provides its recruits free Lasik surgery because wearing glasses or contacts is deemed dangerous, especially in battle
