The most popular form of eye operation is the Lasik eye surgery. Lasik is the short term for Laser Assisted Situ Keratomileusis.

Over the years, Lasik has established its reputation as the better procedure. Shorter convalescence period and generally immediate results are some of its acknowledged advantages. Generally, better vision is immediately achieved right after surgery; for others, result might appear the day after the surgery.

The laser method uses a microkeratome to cut a thin, spherical flap into the cornea. The surgeon then folds back the flap to uncover the cornea to be able to remove some corneal tissues under. The excimer laser, a cool ultraviolet light, is used to precisely remove the prescribed amount corneal tissue. Consequently, the cornea is restructured to allow light to improved direction of the light on the retina, to attain better vision.

Choose a Doctor and Learn the Essential Information About Lasik

Primarily and most essential thing to do before going through the laser method is to find a reputable eye surgeon. You should choose a doctor who is really skilled in the Lasik field as successful result is contingent upon on the surgeon’s competence. Indeed, possible risks or side effects are greatly diminished when an experienced doctor does the method.

During the pre-op interview, the doctor will ask you questions related to your health and medical record. It is very important to answer everything completely and honestly. Leaving out information will not render an accurate assessment if you are or you are qualified for the surgery. If you are not physically fit, and that will put you at risk if you have the process, then the doctor will definitely advise you not to go through with it. It could be quite disappointing but definitely much better than damaging your eyes or making your vision turn for the worse.

Additionally, the doctor you choose should also be honest enough to give you the advantages as well as the risks related to the procedure. Whereas this technology is quite outstanding, there are real risks involved here. If your doctor does not discuss this aspect of the procedure with you, then you should walk away from his clinic as his or her primary concern is not your health.

Make certain that you read and understand all the information provided by your doctor and try to absorb all the details described to you by the doctor regarding the procedure and the possible side effects. You should be prepared to handle potential complications that may occur after the procedure. Moreover, you have to carefully consider the probable gains versus the potential side effects before finalizing your decisions about the procedure. Results are irreversible and there will be no room for regrets.

Remove Those Contacts

If you intend to go through surgery, do not wear contacts for a few weeks prior to surgery. Wearing of contacts stops the cornea from getting enough oxygen. This could lead to corneal neovascularization or formation of blood vessels in the cornea. Refraining from wearing contacts will reduce or totally eradicate the condition.

If your eyes are operated with these corneal formations, the eyes will take longer time to heal and can cause increased inflammation. The procedure could also turn into a more difficult procedure having these formations obstructing the cornea.

Fix Your Schedule So You Can Take Some Time-Off From Work

Generally, it is feasible to go back into your normal routine right after the surgery. However, it will still be prudent to take some time off to rest and relax after the surgery. The complications could happen most possibly during the first two days after the surgery. The flap could be severed completely and this could bring about eye diseases and other side effects.

It is for these reasons that most doctors advise their patients to go home directly to get some sleep right after the surgery. Refrain from doing very physical activities right after the surgery. If you damage your eyes, correction could be very expensive and complicated.

Lasik surgery could very well liberate people from wearing glasses. However, rushing to have the procedure done without proper knowledge and understanding of the procedure will be unwise. Carefully select your doctor and follow the safety measures to guarantee a successful outcome of the procedure.

Source: http://www.lasiksurgery101.com/accomplish-three-things-before-undergoing-laser-surgery.php

Considering lasik eye surgery and being optimistic about the results does not make the possible complications disappear. Something can go bad and you must be informed from reliable sources, about what and why, to make a good decision.

Reliable Information Sources

It is not so commonly known that bad lasik eye surgery may cause terrible side effects; different lasik complication may occur, both after and during the surgery. The causes are different from the faulty equipment to doctors’ inexperience.

Before taking the decision to go through a lasik surgery you should research and understand the problems that can occur and the procedure, and there are many ways to do this. Records of bad lasik eye surgery, study of surgical vision correction may help you to make the decision.

Information sources like websites may provide very different stories but they are not so reliable. The positive stories may be very positive and the negative ones may be enough to keep somebody from thinking about the procedure. So if you want a more reliable source just speak with relatives and friends that have undergone an eye surgery. They will be happy to share with you both the problems and the successes. Also consulting a doctor may be useful, but be aware because some doctors are interested only in the money.

What can go wrong?

The consequences of a bad lasik eye surgery are very serious, devastating and difficult to leave with. One of the most serious consequences is loss of eye sight. A wrong move made by the doctor and or a faulty equipment can put you in this situation. Also, infection from the equipment or from other factors can lead to loss of eye sight.

Change in shape of the cornea is another serious complication that can occur which has implications on receiving and wearing contact lenses. If after the surgery the cornea is odd shaped you may have problems finding contacts that will fit. It will be necessary to make special contacts which will much more expensive than the average lens.

Bad lasik eye surgery can also result in constant burning and irritation that can be treated with eye drops.

Informing yourself about the helpfulness and safety of the procedure before making the decision from reliable sources such as health organization, family, friends, and doctors is a good idea. Even if eye surgery is widely used and if it is successful can be beneficial, bad lasik eye surgery is not excluded and the effects can be devastating.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/Bad-Lasik-Eye-Surgery.php

It’s imperative that you get all the Lasik eye surgery information you can find before you have the surgery. Try to talk to someone who has had the surgery. As important as it is to read all about the procedure, there’s no substitute for the first-hand experiences of someone who has been there.

Your doctor should be willing to answer all your questions and provide literature about the procedure and the risks and benefits. If your doctor says you may not be a candidate for Lasik eye surgery, ask him about alternative laser surgeries. You may find that another type of laser surgery would be more beneficial to you.

There is a lot of Lasik eye surgery information available on the internet. The National Eye Institute maintains a website that has a lot of information regarding different types of eye problems and the corrective procedures associated with them. You can access their website at nei.nih.gov. The American Optometric Association also has a website containing information you may find useful You can access it at aoa.org.

Take into consideration that you must be in good general overall health in order to have this type of surgery. You can’t have a disease that could slow healing such as diabetes or lupus. There are other criteria of which you may not be aware so discuss these with your doctor. You may think of other questions to ask your eye surgeon after searching for Lasik eye surgery information. As you think of them, write down your questions so you’ll be prepared for your next appointment.

You’ll need to arrange for some time off from work. In most cases, it is just a couple of days. You’ll need to make sure you have a ride to and from the procedure. Discuss with your doctor ahead of time if he’ll be giving you a Valium or something to relax you during the surgery. Of course, you’re not obligated to take any medication but for some people, it helps them to relax and not be so frightened.

Make sure whoever takes you to the appointment listens to and understands the aftercare instructions, especially if you have had a sedative as you may not remember all the instructions. Ideally, they’ll be written down and you’ll be given some post-op literature to read. Keep the Lasik eye surgery information regarding post-op procedures handy.

Whatever you do, once you’ve made the decision to have Lasik surgery, don’t let anyone scare you into not having it. The pain, if any is minor and the discomfort only lasts for a few days. If you and your doctor have decided that you would make a good candidate for this type of surgery, don’t listen to someone else who probably is scared herself. The overwhelming majority of those who have had Lasik eye surgery are happy with the result and you, most likely, will be too.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/Lasik-Eye-Surgery-Information.php

The use of computer technology in medical science is fast developing. Nowadays there are a large number of surgical procedures available for patients who need to correct their vision.

Generally, laser eye surgery is used in three types of eye problems:

l myopia – near sighted
l hyperopia – far – sighted
l astigmatism – distorting vision at any distance

What cause these conditions are problems with the patient’s ability to focus an image on the retina. The ability to focus varies upon three factors: the distance from the back to the front of the eye, the shape of the cornea and the lens. The cornea is the curved clear front surface of the human eye above the iris and the pupil. It provides approximately two thirds of the eye’s ability to focus.

During a laser eye surgery, the surgeon changes the shape of the cornea using a device called Excimer Laser. This produces a laser beam that vaporizes tissue. It is also called a “cold” laser because it removes targeted areas of the eye tissue without harming the surrounding area.

Laser Procedures

The most common types of laser procedures are PRK (Photo-Refractive Keractomy), available since early nineties and LASIK (Laser Assisted in situ Keratomileusis), first introduced in mid nineties.

PRK – In this surgical procedure, the surgeon uses a beam of light that vaporizes small amounts of eye tissue on the surface of the eye. It removes enough tissue to reshape the cornea and correct vision. The patient is recovered within a week.

LASIK – This is a more complicated surgical procedure. The first step is to cut a flap of the cornea and lifted. Afterwards, the surgeon removes precise amounts of the inside layers of the cornea using a laser guided by a computer. In the end, the flap is put back in its place and the eye heals fast by itself.

Benefits and Risks

Laser eye surgery is always performed by high skilled and well prepared specialists. For most of the patients, the results are very good and their lives are significantly improved. They no longer have to wear glasses or contact lenses.

It is important to keep realistic expectations about laser eye surgery. Patients over 40 years of age may have to wear reading glasses even after the surgery. The eye continues to change after the surgery and you may have to wear prescription glasses or lenses at some point in your life. You might also need a second laser eye surgery if the first one is not entirely successful/

After PRK laser eye surgery, the patient may have a blurry vision throughout the healing process. However, this generally clears up later. Another possible outcome is regression, which means the eye will get back to its original state within around six months. When this happens, you either need another surgery or have to go back to wearing glasses or contact lenses.

LASIK surgery usually involves less negative effects and the eye heals faster. However, as it involves cutting part of the eye tissue, the risk of severe complications is greater.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/What-Is-Laser-Eye-Surgery.php

Most patients who undergo refractive surgery are very pleased with the results. However, just like any other surgical procedure, there are also some risks that come with it. This is why it is very important to be aware of the possible complications, effects and laser eye surgery risks.

Before undergoing a vision correction procedure, you should examine the risks and benefits carefully based on your own value system and try not to let yourself influenced by friends who have had the surgery or doctors trying to convince you to have it.

Listed below are the most common laser eye surgery risks.

Vision Loss

After the procedure, a very small percentage of all patients experience a vision loss which cannot be corrected with glasses, contacts or a second surgery. This is a very rare, but very serious laser eye surgery risk.

Debilitating Visual Symptoms

A few patients experience halos, glare or double vision after surgery, which serious night vision problems. Even if they have a good vision on the vision chart, they may not see well at night, in fog or in other situations of low contrast. They may even see worse in these situations than they used to before treatment.

Under Treatment or Over Treatment

This is a very frequent laser eye surgery risk. Only a small percentage of patients obtain 20/20 vision after surgery without glasses or contacts. You may need additional treatment to enhance vision, but this is not always possible. Even if you used to wear very weak prescription glasses before treatment, you may still need glasses or contact lenses afterwards. If you used to wear reading glasses before, you might still need them after surgery.

Severe Dry Eye Syndrome

Another laser eye surgery risk is to develop serious dry eye syndrome. After surgery, your eyes might not be able to produce enough tears for keeping moist. This not only produces discomfort, by can also reduce quality vision due to permanent blurring and other problems. This eye condition may be permanent. It is usually treated with intensive eye drop therapy, but other procedures can also be used.

Less Effective Results in Patients with Different Types of Large Refractive Errors

You shouldn’t expect too much from a laser eye surgery. To have realistic expectations, you should discuss with your doctor and ask whether you will still need to wear glasses or contact lenses after surgery or not.

Results Diminishing with Age

Another laser eye surgery risk is for results to decrease over time, especially in patients with farsighted vision. If your manifest refraction (an exam with lenses before using dilating drops) differs from your cyclopegic refraction (another exam with lenses after applying dilating drops), the chances of getting this side effect are higher.

For newer technologies, there is not enough research data available. As some of them have been developed only a few years ago, long-term effectiveness and safety cannot be determined yet. Even though they are more advanced, they might have some unknown long-term side effects.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/Laser-Eye-Surgery-Risk.php

LASIK laser eye surgery is a complex procedure used to treat all degrees of nearsightedness. The surgeon who performs it uses a small knife to cut a flap of the cornea, then removes part of the underneath tissue with a laser and put the flap back in its place.

In LASIK laser eye surgery, the skills of the surgeon are more important than in the PRK procedure, where the computer does most of the work. This is why it is very important to find a high-skilled and experienced surgeon who has done several such procedures before to perform it. The success of the procedure depends mainly on the surgeon.

LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Advantages

Most physicians agree that LASIK laser eye surgery is very appropriate for correcting very severe vision problems. It also allows a faster recovery than PRK and other methods. In addition, patients who have undergone a LASIK laser eye surgery can see accurate enough to drive and read within just a week.

LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Risks

In a small number of patients, LASIK laser eye surgery can have some negative side effects. Such effects include over or under-correction, scarring of the cornea, astigmatism, corneal infections, lower contrast sensitivity or problems with driving at night.

LASIK Laser Eye Surgery vs. PRK & RK

There are physicians that still consider other surgical methods as well. Some patients who had previously decided on LASIK laser eye surgery are often advised to undergo a PRK or RK procedure instead. After studying all the options they have and consider side effects, many of them eventually agree on other methods.

Many clinical centers, while they do perform LASIK laser eye surgery in many situations, they claim that other methods are in some cases more suitable. For example, some physicians believe that for a small number of patients with low or moderately nearsighted eye conditions, a RK (radial keratotomy) is more appropriate.

RK is an earlier eye correction procedure that does not need an Excimer laser. The incisions are made radically along the exterior portion of the cornea with a hand-held knife. Such procedures are designed to help reshape the curvature of the cornea and allow light rays that enter the eye to focus properly on the retina. The success of the procedure depends on the length and number of these incisions. Some surgeons use this type of eye surgery for a small number of people with mild myopia.

In contrast, other physicians believe that a LASIK laser eye surgery is always the best option. While they do mention other options to their patients, such as PRK or RK, they do not advise them in favor of these procedures.

Others claim that a RK procedure involves penetrating around 90 percent of the cornea, which can have a negative impact on the structure of the eye. Moreover, once you have done a RK surgery, you can never repeat it or have a PRK. This is why some doctors would never recommend this method to anyone.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/What-Is-LASIK-Laser-Eye-Surgery.php

After Lasik eye surgery, life can become very different and quite often considerably better. Lasik eye surgery is a type of refractive surgery, which is a procedure that corrects vision. Lasik surgery is, in fact, the most commonly performed surgical surgery for the eye and the name is actually short for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis”.

Lasik eye surgery is popular because of the general ease of the procedure. Patients discuss a relative lack of pain after Lasik eye surgery and almost immediate occurrence of excellent vision. The quick and easy results, as well as the lack of pain, make this procedure very popular.

What to expect following Lasik eye surgery

Lasik eye surgery is a surgical procedure, but one can essentially come and go from the hospital before and after the procedure with little to no assistance. The procedure takes place while the patient is conscious although sometimes a mild sedative is given to the patient upon advice of the surgeon. The entire process takes, in normal circumstances, less than sixty seconds. Most people do not feel any pain at all during the procedure as drops of anaesthesia are administered directly to the eye prior to the surgical procedure.

After the procedure, the patient rests for a short period of time. Some patients elect to have both eyes worked on, so a short break is taken between procedures and then the other eye is sought to. Some patients choose to book two appointments, one for each eye, due to time constraints or other personal preferential matters.

It is important to follow the doctor’s instructions specifically, as it is with all medical procedures. Proper rest and the administering of any necessarily prescriptions is important to the completion of a successful Lasik eye surgery process. It should be noted that following the procedure, the patient should have somebody else drive them home.

Long-term

In most cases, after Lasik eye surgery the vision improves almost instantly however in some cases patients that their vision improves to an even greater degree after days and weeks pass. Most people end up with 20/20 vision after Lasik eye surgery, but some still need glasses or contact lenses to assist with proper sight requirements. Their prescription levels, of course, would be much lower than before the surgery.

There are a few complications that should be noted, however they rarely occur. Some patients experience infection or glare and normally consult their surgeon for a small adjustment procedure that is equally simple.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/What-to-Expect-After-Lasik-Eye-Surgery.php

The following is a brief overview of the elements involved in the Lasik eye surgery procedure. Lasik eye surgery is still fairly new on the scene and is becoming very popular with many because of the ease, painlessness, and overall satisfaction of the procedure. Still, the Lasik eye surgery procedure leaves a lot of people curious as to what it entails and how it is done.

Do you qualify?

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has a basic set of guidelines to determine if you qualify for the Lasik eye surgery procedure. First, the procedure is not done on anyone under the age of 18 since the vision of those under 18 tends to still evolve and possibly change or improve given time. Also, pregnancy or nursing is considered as these biological conditions can actually change the makeup of the eye and alter the shape of the eyeball.

Eyes must be healthy and in stable condition in order to be a candidate. Due to the changing specifications of the eyeball because of various eye afflictions, Lasik eye surgery is often postponed by surgeons in order to determine if the eye is suitable for the procedure. This is simply a precaution as not everyone is a good candidate for the surgery. The best way to determine this is to consult your medical professional.

The procedure

Lasik eye surgery is a quick and painless procedure that involves a local anaesthetic in the form of an eye drop on the surface of the eye. The surgery can range anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes per eye, but in some cases can be completed in less than a minute.

A special device or laser cuts a flap on the cornea and lifts it out of the way. The laser then reshapes the tissue of the eye underneath the flap and the flap is replaced. No stitches or sutures are required and the flap automatically heals itself and reattaches to the corneal tissue almost immediately. A shield is placed over the eye to protect the cornea while the healing process takes place.

Many patients take time off after surgery. The standard is a few days as the eye can properly heal in that amount of time. After Lasik eye surgery procedure, it is important to have a friend or trusted associate transport you home because your vision will likely be blurry. There may also be a mild burning or itching sensation following the procedure, but it is important to remember not to rub or touch your eyes. The medical professional will prescribe medication to ease this discomfort.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/A-Brief-Outline-of-Lasik-Eye-Surgery-Procedure.php

Radial Keratotomy

The history of laser eye surgery goes back almost 100 years. Lans, a Dutch Ophthalmology professor, explained the basic principles of keratotomy in 1898. Sato, a doctor from Japan, did some pioneering trials with corneal incisions during the ’30s. However, many of his patients suffered from late corneal decomposition after the treatment.

Radial keratotomy was put in practice by Dr. Fyodorov in Russia in 1970s, to treat a case of eye trauma. He used this technique to treat a boy who suffered from corneal lacerations after breaking his glasses. After treatment, the patient’s vision was better than before injury. This success determined Fyodorov to make some research on past efforts in this field. His findings caught the attention of American ophthalmologists in 1978.

Dr. Leo Bores was the one to bring the technology to the United States after visiting Dr. Fyodorov in Russia. Since then, over 2 million people received radial keratotomy only in the United States.
The discovery of certain limitations of radial keratotomy determined doctors to research alternative forms of eye surgery.

The Excimer Laser

The use of the Excimer laser was another important step in the history of laser eye surgery. Dr. Srinivasin was the first to discover its potential in interacting with biological tissue while working in the IBM research labs. Dr. Steven Trokel was the one to use it for the first time in reshaping corneal tissue. This laser device emits a cold beam that when interacting with corneal tissue, destroys carbon-carbon bonds between molecules, causing tissue ablation.

The excimer laser has been used in refractive surgery worldwide since 1987 and proved a high level of effectiveness and safety. Millions of patients suffering from various eye conditions have undergone this procedure.

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

Photorefractive keratectomy was also an important progress in the history of laser eye surgery. The first PRK surgery was held in 1988 in Germany. Millions of surgeries have been performed since then all over the world.

Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

LASIK is a more recent discovery in the history of laser eye surgery. The surgeon uses a blade to cut a flap of the cornea and then a laser to remove tissue underneath the flap. Compared to PRK, this procedure allows the cornea to remain mostly intact. Therefore, the patients who have LASIK feel more comfortable and recover better and faster after surgery.

Surgeons have been performing LASIK for about 15 years now. The first surgery was performed in United States trials in 1991. However, the main components of this procedure have a much longer history. Ophthalmologists have been using different methods to reshape the cornea for over 50 years, creating protective layers for over 40 years and using an excimer laser since late ’80s.

In 1996, the FDA approved the laser treatment for myopia up to -6.00 diopters and in 1997; this procedure was approved for treating astigmatism up to -4.00 diopters.

Recent progress in the history of laser eye surgery includes advanced procedures to overcome the risks associated with laser treatment. Current technologies such as IntraLense use an extra laser instead of a blade and provide better safety and faster recovery. Other techniques allow an advanced level of accuracy and predictability, increasing the chance for a successful procedure.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/History-of-Laser-Eye-Surgery.php

Halos around lights, making driving difficult at night is often touted as a minor laser eye surgery complication but it can have significant effects on the practical lives of the people who have to live with this laser eye surgery complication.

If the only reason you are considering laser eye surgery is so you can get rid of your glasses or contact lenses, you may want to give this a lot of thought. Yes, millions of people have had some form of laser eye surgery and yes, it is successful most of the time. Realize, though that laser eye surgery is irreversible and any damage that occurs will be irreversible as well.

We’ve all seen those circles around the lights, or the halo effect, when it rains. However, for those who experience this particular laser eye surgery complication, it’s an every day pest. For some, it is so severe they are unable to drive, not only at night but on cloudy days as well. The halo effect as it is experienced after laser eye surgery is the most common laser eye surgery complication.

One woman who could read the eye chart perfectly after her laser surgery experienced the halo effect and glare to such a degree that she could no longer drive and had to rely on public transportation. As she had only wanted to eliminate the need to wear her glasses, she was quite upset about the outcome of her surgery. She had been aware of the risks beforehand but relying on the overwhelming number of success stories, she decided to take the risk. She’s sorry now that she didn’t pay more attention to this laser eye surgery complication.

With laser eye surgery still being so new, the long-term effects won’t be known for some time. As successful as it has been, what will the effects be 15 or 20 years down the road. If someone has laser eye surgery at the age of 20 and we later learn that it’s only good for about 20 years, that person will only be 40 years old when their time runs out.

Laser eye surgery is a great choice for a lot of people. It has improved vision slightly and it has improved vision greatly. Only you can decide if the benefits outweigh the risks for you. The best thing you can do for yourself is arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible so that you can make an informed decision.

Source: http://eyesurgery.factsandnews.com/Have-You-Thought-About-This-Laser-Eye-Surgery-Complication.php