Lasik Surgery: A Primer

LASIK is an eye surgery done to correct a patient's dependency on wearing contact lenses or eyeglasses. This surgery is most common in patients that have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. There are a few different types of LASIK surgery to be performed. Which one is used depends on the patient and that particular patient's problem. The first step towards having this procedure done is to talk with your Ophthalmologist to see if you are a good candidate.

One of the advantages of having LASIK surgery is that statistics show about 98 percent of patients comes out with enhanced vision after only a few days recovery. Depending on the patient, it can take up to three to six months for full recovery of vision. However, as with most surgeries that are cosmetic in nature, most patients have to assume the cost themselves. This can be a disadvantage to LASIK depending on the patient financial health.

The good thing about this and all surgeries is that there are continuous updates being made on a daily basis. These updates have significantly reduced the cost of LASIK since it was first introduced in 1990. So the fact that LASIK is getting better as it is getting cheaper is a major plus for all the vision troubled people that are candidates for this surgery.

It truly is a small price to pay to correct your vision. The money that is saved on not having to purchase eyeglasses or contact lenses will be rewarding in the end. Not to mention the countless visits having to do with eye checks scratched lenses irritated eyes from normal daily wear. If you add in the two major health scares having to do with contact lens wearers and contact solution that has been in the news lately, then LASIK truly seems like a bargain.

The LASIK surgery procedure in itself takes less than 30 minutes per eye. Your Ophthalmologists will determine if one eye will be done at a time. In most cases, the eyes are done at separate intervals. The reason for this is an easier recovery on the patient because after the surgery, the eye that was done will feel like something is in it and it will cause blurred vision, along with eye watering. So in the interest of letting the patient have some vision the doctor will usually let one eye wait. A patient will recover from this within 2 days by letting the eye stay closed and letting it water as it needs.

After the patient has recovered from having the LASIK surgery in one eye, the Ophthalmologists will schedule to have the second LASIK done in the other eye. This is usually done within a few weeks, depending on the prognoses of the first eye. LASIK surgery in accordance with all surgeries can have results that can vary from patient to patient. If you consider LASIK, please research all information on it, as it is not for every patient. So being informed is really in everyone's best interest.