Laser Vision Correction: Is it Right for You?

Do you hate wearing glasses? Do contact lenses make your eyes dry out? The costs associated with contact refills and annual eye exams and new glasses make Laser vision correction a more economical eye care approach to consider.

Your physician will decide if you are a good candidate for one of the varied types of laser vision correction. Your vision will be assessed as well as the overall health of your eyes. Do you think you might be a good candidate? Basically, if you are 18 and above, have vision within a certain range, and do not have glaucoma or cataracts, you are considered.

Laser vision correction handles some of the more troubling eye conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia.

Myopia is the medical term for nearsightedness. Near objects are clear and distant objects are fuzzy. Hyperopia is farsightedness, which means that near objects are blurry, but distant ones are clear. Sometimes both near and far objects can be blurry. Astigmatism means that objects are not focused into a single image and vision is distorted. This condition can stand alone or with myopia and hyperopia. Presbyopia means the eyes are not able to focus on close objects. This is a normal part of aging.

There are several different laser vision correction treatments available. Your doctor can tell you which one would be the best fit for your situation.

LASIK is the most common laser vision correction procedure. The physician lifts a thin flap of tissue on the outer part of the cornea and then with a laser beam reshapes the cornea underneath. The flap is replaced and heals without stitches.

Custom LASIK is specialized for your particular eye and is said to produce a clearer, sharper image than basic LASIK. This is most beneficial to patients with severe vision problems. Patients have reported improved night vision and a reduction in glare.

PRK totally removes the cornea and then a laser shapes the tissue underneath.

LASEK is a combination of LASIK and PRK. This is for patients whose corneas are too thin for LASIK. Recovery time is also quicker than PRK.

There is a period of healing to be expected after the procedure but the results are wonderful!

Along with surgery come risks. Your physician will discuss in detail the risks versus the benefits in his initial consultation. You will most like undergo a pre-screening and, if you go through with the surgery, post-operative care. If you have a reaction to the surgery, it can most likely be corrected in your follow-up visit.