Is Lasik Surgery for You?

Most people know of at least one family member or acquaintance who has undergone Lasik surgery. They're the eager people telling everyone they come in contact with that the procedure is fantastic and everyone should do it.

The procedure is cutting edge and can make it possible to use glasses or contacts less often. It also carries serious risks, including blindness. Some people are not candidates for the procedure.

Lasik surgery changes or alters the refractive state of the eye via laser. The procedure is a delicate one and should be done by a very experienced eye surgeon. Some consider physician choice the most important part of the Lasik decision. Carefully consider who you wish to trust your vision to.

The procedure is usually done on an out-patient basis. Typical recovery time is from one to six months. Side effects include pain and sensitivity to light. Return to normal activity is approximately 2 to 3 weeks.

Lasik surgery is an elective procedure and isn't covered by most insurers. If you opt for the procedure, you'll have to find a way to pay for it. Some insurance providers can put you in touch with recommended surgeons at discounted prices.

The typical Lasik patient is between the ages of mid-40's to early 50's. There are no rigid age limits. Teens as well as those over 60 years of age can undergo the surgery.

Don't subscribe to the belief that Lasik surgery will give you perfect eyesight. If you already wear glasses or contacts, you'll probably still need them occasionally. Most of the time, Lasik does result in improved eyesight. Rarely however, do patients achieve 20/20 vision.

Near-sighted patients tend to get the best result in eyesight improvement. About 92-98% of patients do get a good result and don't have to use glasses or contacts as often as they did pre-surgery.

The long term safety and effectiveness of Lasik surgery are not known. Lasik surgery is not reversible and does carry serious risks. These include:

>permanent loss of vision

>debilitating vision problems including glare, halos, double vision, light sensitivity and headache

>surgical complications including inflammation, tearing, infection, and hemorrhage

>additional surgery may be required

>dry eye syndrome (common side effect)

>cataract surgery may be difficult or impossible

Those who are extremely near-sighted or extremely far- sighted do not get results that are as good as those for patients whose vision problems are less extreme. Far-sighted patients do not usually get results as good as near-sighted patients do.

If you are considering Lasik surgery, visit an experienced surgeon and find out what results you can realistically expect. Don't do it just because everyone else is.