Laser Eye Surgery (LASIK): A Brief Guide

If you suffer from any problems with your vision, you may have sought medical attention and been told that you might need some eye surgery. With the extensive advancements in medical technology, laser eye surgery is now a well-established procedure capable of resolving many challenges with eye health. Unfortunately, not everyone who suffers from curable conditions is aware of the benefits of laser eye surgery. In this article, we’ll discuss laser eye surgery in-depth, exploring its potential benefits.

What is Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery or laser in-situ keratomileusis is one of the most common procedures used to correct refractive vision problems like short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hypermetropia), and astigmatism.

As the name suggests, a laser beam is used to reshape the cornea of the eye to correct vision after a corneal incision.

What are the Benefits of LASIK?

Taking the bold step of opting to have laser surgery will likely help resolve your eye troubles if you are suffering from one of the conditions mentioned above. There are a few other advantages that make LASIK preferable to merely bearing the discomfort. Here are a few of them:

It’s a Painless Procedure

While this procedure is done while you are awake, LASIK is usually completely painless. This is because anesthetic drops are applied to the eyes before the procedure. In some cases, patients feel a slight pressure on their eyeballs but nothing significant, and in the majority of cases, most people will feel nothing at all. The thought of surgery on your eye might be alarming, but do not worry because there is a bright light that is shone into your eye so you cannot even see the procedure being done.

It Offers a Permanent Cure

Unlike glasses and contact lenses, LASIK offers corrective treatment. LASIK can restore 20/20 vision to patients. At the very least, patients receive such a massive improvement to eyesight after the procedure that their dependence on glasses or contacts is greatly diminished and, in many cases, completely eliminated. An estimated 96% of patients achieved their desired levels of vision after laser eye surgery. And subsequent enhancements increase that number by a considerable margin.

Fast Results

If you’re currently dealing with serious eye challenges, you would probably jump at an offer to have this resolved within 48 hours. That is exactly what LASIK offers. With LASIK, vision is corrected within 48 hours of the surgery, with many reports showing that some patients are even able to see normally within 24 hours.

This means that there is no need to take a long break from work to recuperate and patients can resume their normal schedule in less than 48 hours. Also, once your eyesight is restored, you can continue performing your daily activities such as driving without any fear.
It is important to note that like every other part of the body, the eyes need some time to heal, and the FDA recommends that you stay off sports for at least four weeks after having had surgery.

It has High Rates of Success

Perhaps the greatest benefit of LASIK is the increasing success of corneal reconstruction and repair. Many patients suffer from corneal diseases like cataracts and LASIK offers a chance of regaining full vision after cataract surgery. And since the discovery of corneal reconstruction, doctors like Dr. Motwani of the Motwani Lasik Institute have worked ceaselessly to improve on the procedure and LASIK to guarantee success to their patients.

What are the Possible Disadvantages?

When embarking on any high-stakes activity such as surgery, it is wisdom to weigh the costs against the benefits. Now that you know what you will stand to gain from the procedure, you should also know some of the negatives to consider. Here they are:

It is an Expensive Procedure

LASIK is a very costly procedure, at about $3,000 per eye. Long term, however, this initial cost ought to be seen as a sound financial investment, as it will help you to save money in the long-run on the cost of getting new glasses every other year, or even on your monthly contact lenses.

It Can Have Some Side Effects and Complications

The most important complications of LASIK are referred to as flap complications. After the cornea has been reshaped, the corneal flap is usually replaced over the eye. If this is not properly done, it can cause damage to the cornea and cause the cornea tissue to be much weaker and more susceptible to problems.

Another possible complication is dry eye. This often occurs to many patients after the procedure but can be treated with eye drops.
When it comes to LASIK, the benefits of the procedure far outweigh the possible complications, and as more technological advancements are made, these risks will one day be completely eradicated.