What is LASIK Surgery and Who Should Have it?

You might have experienced various scenarios like choosing to wear contact lenses and splashing among the beach waves, which results in losing one or both contacts or falling asleep with the glasses on and waking up to find the frames out of shape. Such scenarios may force you to think about giving up on contacts and glasses in favor of a permanent solution to the vision problems such as LASIK eye surgery.

What is LASIK surgery?

LASIK stands for Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis. It is a very popular refractive surgery technique that is performed to correct vision problems that reduce or remove the need to wear glasses or contact lenses. Here, the precise and controlled removal of corneal tissue by a special laser reshapes the cornea and changes the focusing power. 

Why is LASIK surgery done?

A person’s vision becomes blurry when the light doesn’t focus on the retina as it should. This is known as refractive error. There are three types of refractive errors, and these include:

• Myopia (nearsightedness): A person can see things clearly when he/she is close to them. However, things farther away will look blurry.
• Hyperopia (farsightedness): A person may see things that are far away more clearly. But things that are closer to him/her will look blurry.
• Astigmatism: When the cornea flattens unevenly or simply curves, it can result in astigmatism. This can disrupt the focus of distant and near vision.

See Also: Astigmatism: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options 

The doctor will speak with you about whether LASIK surgery or any other refractive procedure is a safe option for you.

Who can have LASIK surgery?

According to the AAO, you need to meet specific requirements to have LASIK surgery. Below are some of them:

• 18 years or older is the required age for LASIK surgery.
• The refractive error must be one of those that can be easily treated by LASIK.
• The prescription for your eyes should not have had many changes in the previous year.
• The corneas should be healthy and thick enough.
• The overall health of your eyes must be generally good.

The LASIK procedure

1. LASIK surgery is generally finished in 20 minutes or even less.
2. During the procedure, you will be made to lie on your back in a reclining chair. The eye surgeon will also ask you to focus on a point of light, and this helps keep the eye fixed in position while the laser reshapes the cornea.
3. The surgeon may give you some medicine to help you relax.
4. After some numbing drops are placed in the eyes, the surgeon will use an instrument to hold the eyelids and keep them open.
5. Then, a suction ring will be placed on the eye just before cutting the corneal flap. This may cause a sensation of pressure and may dim your vision.
6. The surgeon will use a special laser or a small blade to cut a small, hinged flap away from the front of the eye. The folding back of the flap allows the surgeon to gain access to the part of the cornea that needs to be reshaped.
7. Then, the eye surgeon will use a programmed laser to reshape parts of the cornea. The laser beam would remove a tiny bit of your corneal tissue.
8. After reshaping the cornea, the surgeon will lay the flap back into its place (the flap generally heals without needing stitches).

Benefits of LASIK surgery

These include:

• There’s very little pain involved.
• There aren’t any stitches or bandages involved.
• The doctor can adjust your vision if it changes as you grow.
• You won’t require to use glasses or contact lenses that much or at all after LASIK surgery.
• About 96% of patients have reached their vision goals after the surgery.

LASIK surgery cost

The cost can differ according to the patient’s location, the surgeon, and the techniques and equipment used for the surgery. You should also note that health insurance plans generally do not cover LASIK surgery as it is an elective procedure.

Conclusion

LASIK surgery can be a quick and effective way to correct certain vision issues as it offers better vision without the use of contact lenses or glasses. But not everyone can undergo it.

Are you looking for the best eye care surgeon or eye care hospital in Kolkata? Netralayam is one of the most popular eye care hospitals in Kolkata, with qualified medical staff and state-of-the-art equipment. Contact our medical team to know more.