Ranju Kumar asked:


LASIK eye surgery is a medical procedure that can correct your vision by altering the physical properties of your eye. Unlike traditional surgical procedures that depend upon the skills and steadiness of the surgeon’s hand, LASIK eye surgery is computer controlled.

The more progressive LASIK surgery centers perform in-depth analysis of your eyes as an evaluation procedure to determine if you’re a good candidate for the LASIK procedure. The evaluation process, which is largely controlled by computer itself, maps the overall physical makeup of each eye. A traditional eye exam determines your visual abilities and then an exhaustive computer analysis determines if your eyes can be enhanced by the LASIK procedure.

In addition to determining whether or not you’re a good candidate for LASIK, the procedure also records quite a bit of data that’s specific to your eyes. If you choose to proceed with the LASIK surgery, this data is used to program the computer controlled LASIK equipment to insure that your eyes are modified exactly in the proper manner so as to provide maximum benefit.

How Your Eyes Work

The cornea of the eye is responsible for projecting light onto the retina in order to produce an image. When the cornea is not shaped properly, distortion of the image will occur. This is called a refractive error. LASIK eye surgery can correct refractive errors.

There are three primary types of refractive errors -

1) Myopia is a refractive error in which a person has trouble seeing things at a distance, but they can see things that are close up.

2) Hyperopia is when a person will be able to see things clearly at a distance but cannot see things that are close to them.

3) Astigmatism is the distortion of images caused by irregularities in the shape of the cornea.

LASIK eye surgery is also called refractive surgery because it will reshape the cornea, therefore improving the ability to focus clearly.

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. To be a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, you have to be willing to accepts the risks that go along with this type of surgery. Your eyesight should be stable, meaning that it hasn’t changed appreciably over the past several years. Also, you shouldn’t have any existing health conditions that would put you at risk while having LASIK eye surgery.

Risks of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK eye surgery does carry some risks, such as loss of vision. In some extremely rare cases, the patient may lose vision due to equipment malfunction, scarring or healing related complications.

One common risk of LASIK eye surgery is that any dry eye condition that is experienced right after surgery may hamper the healing process. Signs of dryness are burning, redness and decreased vision. If this dry eye condition persists, you may have to medicate to improve tear duct function and use artificial tears to maintain the proper level of moisture. You must keep your eyes moist after LASIK surgery in order to promote healing.

Things to do Before LASIK Surgery

If you wear contact lenses, either soft contacts or rigid contacts, you should stop wearing your contacts at least three weeks before your initial evaluation by the doctor. On the day of surgery, you shouldn’t wear makeup or perfumes. Also, don’t wear any fuzzy clothing that is likely to disperse lint.

Make sure that someone goes with you on the day of surgery, since you’ll need someone to drive you home after the LASIK procedure. Before the surgery, the doctor may give you medicine to relax you and your vision may be a little blurry immediately following surgery. Also, special eye drops are administered prior to the procedure which can cause additional, but temporary blurriness.

LASIK eye surgery is relatively safe and it can free you from glasses and contacts. Before you commit to LASIK surgery, make sure that you consider all the advantages and disadvantages of having the procedure. Ask the doctor lots of questions so that you can make an informed decision about whether LASIK eye surgery is the right choice for you.



Troy

Miodrag Trajkovic asked:


I have noticed that more people I work with are talking about, or undergoing, the Lasik vision correction procedure. I don’t know really know why Lasik has suddenly become more popular in my company, but I do know that there are a number of rumors about Lasik that I am not sure are true. Let me just talk about my long term experience with Lasik.

It has been more than eight years since I had the Lasik procedure, so I was one of the early and brave pioneers! Perhaps I wasn’t that brave when considering Lasik, for my vision in each eye was worse than -9. Even now, Lasik physicians consider that a very strong case and do caution prospective clients that the Lasik process will likely improve their vision, but may not eliminate the total need for glasses.

The Lasik operation itself had mild pressure and some unusual feelings, but no real discomfort or pain. This is still true in modern Lasik procedures, and hopefully they are even better at keeping the client comfortable. I do notice that now Lasik physicians also give a mild sedative mainly for psychological reasons, which I think I would have appreciated back then.

Two or three days after the Lasik operation I was astounded to find I had VERY clear vision in each eye, at least 20/20. Considering my previous prescription, you can imagine how fervently I thanked my Lasik physician. However, I did also have temporary symptoms of considerable dryness in each eye (which was helped by eye drops), and also halos around lights at night.

A few months after the Lasik procedure I noticed my vision changing a bit, though very slightly. The best way I can describe it is that the crisp edges no longer looked exceedingly crisp, but each object still seemed to be in focus. At my one year Lasik correction anniversary my physician said that one eye was still at 20/20, but the other had changed slightly to 20/40. However, I was still a great statistic for the Lasik correction procedure, and we were both still happy with the results.

In the years between the original Lasik procedure and now, my vision is still 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other. I do have a pair of glasses and one contact lens for that eye, but rarely bother with them unless I am doing something like watching a movie. My long track record after the Lasik procedure has given hope to a number of other people in my office. I do want to say though that I was over 35 when I had the operation, and my Lasik physician said that the stability of my eyes and my age were good indicators that the Lasik results would be long term.

I hope this encourages people with bad vision to talk to a local Lasik physician about scheduling a Lasik procedure. Find a physician that has a good track record, and one that you trust, and I hope that your long term Lasik results will be as good as mine!



Samantha

Miodrag Trajkovic asked:


A person that is considering a Lasik procedure to improve their vision has two major responsibilities: selecting the best surgeon possible for their budget, and understanding and keeping up with eye care after the Lasik operation is done. Most Lasik procedures go very smoothly, and more than 90% of the patients are happy with their improved vision and have no permanent side effects. Part of this success is due to good care at home once the Lasik procedure is complete.

The first step in having the best care after a Lasik procedure is to understand exactly what is directed by the Lasik physician. The prospective Lasik patient should be given a good understanding of the entire process when they first visit a Lasik center to interview the physician and the staff. On the day of the procedure, a member of the staff should very carefully go over exactly what steps should be done to encourage optimal eye health and healing after the Lasik operation.

One thing that the patient should ask is what side effects are to be expected directly after the Lasik procedure, how long they should last, and which symptoms should be promptly told to the Lasik physician or member of the staff. A number of symptoms, such as fluctuating vision or halos around lights, are to be expected and are not a cause of worry. Ask the staff about any postoperative symptoms that are unclear, to make sure that they are thoroughly understood.

Each Lasik physician has their own recommended procedures for their patients, but here is a list of typical suggestions that most Lasik centers recommend. First, get some sleep as soon as possible after the Lasik procedure is done. This gives a great boost to the healing process. Second, avoid any contact, bumping, or rubbing of the eyes for at least five days after the Lasik procedure. Most Lasik centers have some kind of eye guards to wear at night to prevent patients from rubbing their eyes in their sleep.

Third, try to avoid eyestrain for some days after the Lasik procedure. It is tempting to try to read all of the signs and words that were previously blurry, but avoid this temptation at least for the large part. If any light sensitivity or glare is noticed, wear dark sunglasses for several days until this problem resolves itself. Some common Lasik side effects are temporary halos around lights, especially when viewed at night, but this is not a problem to be concerned with.

It is very important to keep the eyes well lubricated in the days following a Lasik operation. Every Lasik physician will give eye drops to help this, and patient should be especially aware of this before going to sleep. A Lasik procedure may increase eye dryness temporarily, and during sleep this may make the eyelid stick slightly to the eye. When the patient wakes up, opening the eyelid is equivalent to rubbing the eye. The physician should be notified if this happens, for there are other varieties of eye drops that will solve this problem.

Taking these simple steps will give nearly all Lasik patients an easy postoperative experience without any problems.



George

Steven Walters asked:


Lasik surgery has been gaining in popularity over the past years and one of the reasons is that lasik costs have been declining making it more affordable for everyone. Lasik is also popular because it is easy, the recovery period is short and it is safe compared with other vision correction surgery.

Really when you think about all the benefits you receive from lasik surgery the total cost of lasik is quite low. Just think, after your lasik surgery you’ll never have to pay for contact lenses, saline solution or glasses ever again.

Just remember that costs can and do vary widely for lasik surgery. The price is determined by many things such as the doctor performing the lasik, the problem being corrected, the facility where the lasik is performed and the lasik technology being used. You’ll also find that the area of the country you live in will effect the lasik cost.

No doubt you’ve seen ads that promise just $500 per eye for laser vision correction surgery. Don’t be fooled by these low low prices. Usually they don’t include pre-operative and post operative appointments and may also not include testing that can make the surgery safer. A much more realistic lasik cost is between $1000 and $2000 per eye if you include everything.

With all the benefits of lasik it’s a shame that the high cost still puts it out of reach for many people. Insurance usually will not cover the cost of lasik surgery since it is considered elective surgery and even if it is covered the insurance often will only pay a small amount of the total cost of lasik.

Lasik financing is another option used to pay for the surgery and this helps many people to afford their lasik procedure. If you can find a way to make lasik surgery a possibility for yourself you’ll love the freedom you gain from your contact lenses and glasses. Many people think that this freedom justifies the cost of lasik eye surgery and makes it completely worthwhile.

Even with the high cost of lasik people are choosing to accept the price and have lasik done in increasing numbers. Lasik surgery centers have never been so busy and the competition fortunately is causing the price of lasik surgery to decrease. Adding to this is the number of baby boomers that are beginning to have vision problems due to their increasing age. This is a group that is huge in the U.S. and has the money to indulge themselves with lasik.

Many people find that the benefits of lasik surgery outweigh the cost of lasik and this trend should continue into the future as prices continue to decline. Actually, any lasik cost is very likely to be balanced by the savings you’ll get once you no longer need to buy glasses, contacts and saline solutions. Lasik is a very good investment for the future.



Kathy

Miodrag Trajkovic asked:


Lasik eye surgery is increasingly gaining popularity as the most preferred method for improving vision surgically. Lasik vision correction surgery can completely eliminate or at the very least significantly reduce an individual’s dependence on contact lenses or eyeglasses in order to have 20/20 vision.

Before performing a Lasik procedure the eye surgeon has to assess the patient’s compatibility and risk factor with regards to Lasik surgery. The first thing the doctor does is to get the individual’s complete health history, after which a thorough eye examination is carried out. Only after the individual has been deemed compatible for Lasik eye surgery does the doctor then discuss the various options available. Of the various techniques of Lasik vision correction surgery, using an excimer laser is the most common. This technique has been in use for vision correction surgery since 1987. The excimer laser profiles the cornea, enabling the surgeon to get the best results possible for surgery.

Lasik vision correction surgery is the best option for individuals with moderate to low vision problems. Nearsightedness as well as farsightedness can both be improved by performing Lasik surgery, which is a painless procedure and results in almost immediate vision improvement.

The outcome of Lasik eye surgery is drastically improved by the ability of profiling the cornea using the excimer laser. There are no guarantees for any surgery and Lasik surgery is no exception. While there is no guarantee that you will have perfect vision after undergoing the surgery, there is an estimated 90% success rate. A hundred percent successful Lasik eye surgery does away with the need for any other kind of corrective lenses. But this is not always the case with everybody. Some patients would still require corrective lenses even after undergoing Lasik surgery.

Lasik eye surgery involves creating an extremely thin, circular flap in the outer layer of the cornea. This is done by an instrument called a microkreatome. The microkreatome performs the same functions as an excimer, but the excimer has been found to be more precise and has a higher rate of success. After cutting the flap, the cornea is then profiles. What this means is that the flap is folded out of the way and the surgeon proceeds to remove corneal tissue with the help of the excimer. The excimer laser removes tiny pieces of corneal tissue at a time using cool ultraviolet rays. How much tissue needs to be removed depends on the severity of the existing vision problem. Sometimes removing just a very tiny amount of tissue is necessary to correct the patient’s vision.

After removing the necessary amount of corneal tissue, the cornea needs to be re-shaped in order for it to focus better. After this is done the Lasik surgeon then places the flap back over the area. The entire Lasik corrective eye surgery takes about one to two minutes. If Lasik surgery is required in both eyes, the doctor waits a while after performing Lasik on the first eye before proceeding on to the second eye. Some patients may prefer not to have both eyes operated on at the same time. They may prefer to wait a few weeks for the first eye to heal before having Lasik on the second eye.

Using an excimer laser to profile the cornea has many advantages. It has an extremely high accuracy level and produces better surgical outcomes. The excimer laser is fitted with a control unit that controls the intensity and movement of the laser beam. Often there are uncontrollable eye movements that occur during surgery. The laser beam is trained to stay at the right side of the eye even if there is a slight eye movement. This gives the Lasik surgeon full control during surgery and can positively influence the outcome of the surgery.

The benefits of Lasik vision correction surgery and its high success rate far outweigh the low risks and discomfort associated with this surgery.



Joseph

Carson Danfield asked:


LASIK eye surgery is a medical procedure that can correct your vision by altering the physical properties of your eye. Unlike traditional surgical procedures that depend upon the skills and steadiness of the surgeon’s hand, LASIK eye surgery is computer controlled.

The more progressive LASIK surgery centers perform in-depth analysis of your eyes as an evaluation procedure to determine if you’re a good candidate for the LASIK procedure. The evaluation process, which is largely controlled by computer itself, maps the overall physical makeup of each eye. A traditional eye exam determines your visual abilities and then an exhaustive computer analysis determines if your eyes can be enhanced by the LASIK procedure.

In addition to determining whether or not you’re a good candidate for LASIK, the procedure also records quite a bit of data that’s specific to your eyes. If you choose to proceed with the LASIK surgery, this data is used to program the computer controlled LASIK equipment to insure that your eyes are modified exactly in the proper manner so as to provide maximum benefit.

How Your Eyes Work

The cornea of the eye is responsible for projecting light onto the retina in order to produce an image. When the cornea is not shaped properly, distortion of the image will occur. This is called a refractive error. LASIK eye surgery can correct refractive errors.

There are three primary types of refractive errors -

1) Myopia is a refractive error in which a person has trouble seeing things at a distance, but they can see things that are close up.

2) Hyperopia is when a person will be able to see things clearly at a distance but cannot see things that are close to them.

3) Astigmatism is the distortion of images caused by irregularities in the shape of the cornea.

LASIK eye surgery is also called refractive surgery because it will reshape the cornea, therefore improving the ability to focus clearly.

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. To be a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, you have to be willing to accepts the risks that go along with this type of surgery. Your eyesight should be stable, meaning that it hasn’t changed appreciably over the past several years. Also, you shouldn’t have any existing health conditions that would put you at risk while having LASIK eye surgery.

Risks of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK eye surgery does carry some risks, such as loss of vision. In some extremely rare cases, the patient may lose vision due to equipment malfunction, scarring or healing related complications.

One common risk of LASIK eye surgery is that any dry eye condition that is experienced right after surgery may hamper the healing process. Signs of dryness are burning, redness and decreased vision. If this dry eye condition persists, you may have to medicate to improve tear duct function and use artificial tears to maintain the proper level of moisture. You must keep your eyes moist after LASIK surgery in order to promote healing.

Things to do Before LASIK Surgery

If you wear contact lenses, either soft contacts or rigid contacts, you should stop wearing your contacts at least three weeks before your initial evaluation by the doctor. On the day of surgery, you shouldn’t wear makeup or perfumes. Also, don’t wear any fuzzy clothing that is likely to disperse lint.

Make sure that someone goes with you on the day of surgery, since you’ll need someone to drive you home after the LASIK procedure. Before the surgery, the doctor may give you medicine to relax you and your vision may be a little blurry immediately following surgery. Also, special eye drops are administered prior to the procedure which can cause additional, but temporary blurriness.

LASIK eye surgery is relatively safe and it can free you from glasses and contacts. Before you commit to LASIK surgery, make sure that you consider all the advantages and disadvantages of having the procedure. Ask the doctor lots of questions so that you can make an informed decision about whether LASIK eye surgery is the right choice for you.



Christina

Steven Walters asked:


Lasik eye surgery is very safe when compared with other types of vision correction surgery. The problem is that like most other types of surgery lasik can be quite expensive and many people might have problems affording lasik surgery. If you’re considering having the lasik procedure done to correct your vision then you should do some homework to find out what’s involved with the cost of lasik eye surgery.

The standard among eye surgery centers is to quote lasik prices on a per eye basis. Since this is the case you may be wondering what the average cost per eye is for lasik surgery. Unfortunately this is not an easy question to answer since the cost of lasik eye surgery can be influenced by many different factors. Keep in mind that the supper cheap prices of $500 per eye that you may see advertised are often not valid for most people.

Some of the factors involved in the cost of lasik eye surgery are as follows:

The first cost factor you’ll run into is the cost of pre-operative evaluations. This is critically important to determine if you are a good candidate for lasik and to tell if there are any potential complications to your lasik surgery. It will also help the surgeon determine what type of eye surgery is most appropriate for your individual circumstances. Many lasik surgeons offer free evaluations so you can get the opinion and costs from several doctors before making a decision on who will do your lasik eye surgery.

Another cost factor is the type of equipment being used in the eye surgery. Lasers, computerized eye scanners, tear analysis and eye tracking equipment are all expensive and some of the laser manufacturers actually get a residual every time the surgeon uses their laser. These equipment expenses all impact the cost of lasik eye surgery. Each eye surgery center may use different equipment and the costs can vary dramatically.

To save yourself some money on your eye surgery look for lasik discounts, but be cautious as well when considering these discount offers. You’ll need to read all of the fine print to know what is included and more importantly what is not included in discount lasik prices. In some cases the discounts won’t be available to everyone and some discounts don’t include important pre-operative and post-operative testing and follow up. This can end up making your lasik eye surgery more risky, which is never a good idea.

Based on what eye surgery center you choose the cost of lasik eye surgery can vary by as much as $1500 per eye. This is a huge difference so be sure to shop around and have consultations with several lasik providers prior to making your decision. And don’t forget to read the fine print if you’re considering discount lasik eye surgery to keep yourself safe.



Russell

Miodrag Trajkovic asked:


The first significant step before the Lasik surgery is to have a comprehensive eye examination, in order to be sure that you are a good candidate for the Lasik procedure. A map of your eye will be created during this exam. This map is used in order for the Lasik physician to determine how to reshape your eye to give you the clearest post-operative vision possible.

This eye exam will do several things. Your eyes will be dilated in order to see if there are any irregularities within the eye itself. The thickness of the cornea will be measured, and a precise map of the cornea will be generated. The “refractive error” (or the reason why your vision isn’t currently perfect) will be accurately analyzed in order for the Lasik procedure to get the best results possible. Finally, how your eyes generate tears will be closely looked at, as good tear production is essential for the health of every eye.

Before or after these measurements, the Lasik physician will discuss your past medical history to see any previous operations or any ongoing health problems. A few chronic conditions may make the Lasik procedure not a good option for some people, and also women currently expecting should wait for some time after delivery. The physician also will discuss the expectations the Lasik client has about the operation and subsequent changes in their lifestyle.

Though most people pass through this Lasik eye exam with flying colors, be prepared for some suggestions or serious discussion. Your eye map may indicate that a newer form of Lasik procedure might be better, such as one that generates a three dimensional waveform for each eye. Tear production issues may indicate that the Lasik procedure is not the best option for you, and the Lasik physician may recommend another solution.

If all goes well and the Lasik procedure is scheduled, the physician will review the treatment plan and what the client should do to prepare for the Lasik surgery. This plan may vary slightly between patients, but in general will look something like the schedule below. Always follow the recommendations of your Lasik physician closely.

First, contact lenses should be avoided for several weeks prior to Lasik vision correction, since contacts can slightly affect the shape of your cornea. It is important to let your eyes rest in order to get the most accurate Lasik vision improvement possible. Hard contacts should be avoided for a month, soft contacts for at least two weeks.

Stop using any lotions, makeup, or anything else that could possibly get into the eye the day or two before surgery. It is important to have your eyes as rested as possible before the Lasik operation. Also, arrange for someone else to drive you home after the Lasik procedure itself.

These are the most common steps to prepare you for an easy and successful Lasik procedure. Make sure you give the doctor all information needed for your case, and follow his directions closely. The Lasik procedure will give you a new outlook in life!



Grace

Michelle Beck asked:


Lasik surgery has been around in some form for over 20 years. However, there have been many changes made to it, and it is not the same as it was in the past. This is a good thing, because the evolution of the procedure has made it much safer and much more precise. In the past, the Lasik procedure worked relatively well, but the complication rate was higher than eye doctors liked it to be, the cost was excessive and the results were not always as good as expected. The procedure was good, but there were improvements that needed to be made. Now, those improvements have been made and the Lasik procedure is safer and more effective than ever. Recent studies have even indicated that Lasik is safer over the long-term than wearing contact lenses — which were considered the standard for a long time among eye doctors and their patients.

New Technology — Bladeless Lasik

One of the most important technological advances where Lasik is concerned is the new style of bladeless Lasik. In the past, a microkeratome blade was used to make a cut in the cornea, which would allow a corneal flap to be folded back, exposing the inner corneal surface to the laser for reshaping. This is still used quite often, and is certainly not obsolete. However, the bladeless technology has been found to be safer and even more precise than the current style of Lasik, making it the wave of the future. Like Lasik itself, though, there is a learning curve, and it may be some time before bladeless Lasik is used more often than the standard kind.

More New Technology — CustomVue

The CustomVue system is able to give Lasik patients a much more customized experience. In the past, Lasik was done based on a person’s prescription and nothing else. This worked relatively well, but each person has some subtle nuances in his or her eyes that the Lasik could not adjust for. This meant that not everyone got the sharpest vision they could get, and a lot of that depended on whether their eye just happened to be ‘normal’ for that prescription — in which case their Lasik would generally have a better result. Now, with the customized Lasik option, a person can get that better result because the Lasik procedure is calibrated specifically for the contours of that individual’s eye. This is a significant change from the way that Lasik used to be performed, and it holds a lot of hope for an even better future for Lasik and the patients who choose to have it.

Future Advances Are Coming

Given the fact that CustomVue and bladeless Lasik have done so well, eye doctors and researchers, as well as Lasik surgeons, are all working toward new ideas for improvements and procedures. If individuals keep working in that way, the chances that Lasik will continue to evolve and improve are extremely high. No one really knows, however, what the future holds for Lasik. Since it has been around for a relatively short time, and it is still being perfected in the eyes of many people, there is no real knowledge of whether there will be long-term complications with the procedure. Only time will tell if the Lasik procedure changes much in future years or if the people that have had it continue to have successful vision correction throughout their lifetime.



Curtis

Arvind asked:


What is custom lasik?

Given that all humans are unique beings, their troubles will also be so. In that case if standard measures are practiced to each and every person irrespective of the problems, can there be effective solutions? No.

Likewise, Custom Lasik surgery on the eyes, as is enlightened by the term itself, caters distinctively to your individual needs and situations rather than involving the general modus operandi which was formerly used. Prior to the emergence of custom lasik surgery, many cases of postoperative barriers had appeared causing a lot of perplexity and maiming the issue. With custom lasik surgery you can rest assured that the procedure would be absolutely adapted to your eyes and its associated vision tribulations.

Though a pricey procedure, there is much compensation to undergoing custom lasik surgery. People go for it given the superior results.

Greater probability of getting a 20/20 vision,

Diminution in night vision disturbances and

Less chances of losing contrast sensitivity or quality of vision.

Custom Lasik procedure:

Custom Lasik surgery involves photographing your cornea from three different dimensions to check on the comportment in which it recognizes and retains light. Doctors will appraise these pictures and the surgical stratagem for your Lasik surgery will be based on their annotations. This procedure is known as lasik wave-front technology and it offers better exactness and exactness match up to to contact lenses, glasses or other Lasik procedures.

Warnings:

But know that this may not be appropriate for everyone. You need to be accepted as a nominee for custom lasik surgery by the FDA. The stipulation of your eyes and general health will first be checkered by the FDA and then by your surgeon to verify if you are at all eligible for the procedure. Be conscious that lasik surgery though popular eyes care procedure today may also not be the solution to many indiscretions to do with vision.

Where to get custom lasik surgery?

Lasik in San Diego and Lasik institutes in Los Angeles are possibly the best options for most people keen on this procedure. Both cities are the largest in the state of California and come highly recommended for their excellent lasik doctors, lasik institutes, pre and post operative care and follow-ups.

Lasik costs depend on doctors, expertise, and institutes you prefer. While one lasik surgery brings about working only on one eye, the expenses will double if both eyes are operated. Lasik doctors and lasik institutes may also add charges reliant on whether lasik wave front examination is being used or not for that added precision.



Bryan