Laser eye surgery, the common one being Laser-Assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK surgery), is a popular and highly effective procedure used to correct vision problems such as short-sightedness, long-sightedness, and astigmatism.
Other laser eye surgery procedures include cataract surgery, small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE surgery), computer-controlled excimer laser eye surgery, and other laser procedures.
This method involves using a cold laser for vision correction on symptoms like blurry vision, cloudy vision, and difficulty seeing distant objects due to refractive error. The problem is often solved on the corneal tissue with a computer-controlled excimer laser instrument.
Why choose Laser Eye Surgery?
Laser eye surgery involves using a cold laser to reshape the cornea, including LASIK eye surgery. #Meanwhile, the cornea is the clear frontal part of the eye to improve how light is focused onto the retina. The procedure typically takes about 15-30 minutes per eye and is usually performed on an outpatient basis.
However, other exciting factors can affect the success of laser eye treatment or any medical procedure. For instance, the patient’s medical history and the enhancement procedures the patient has used,
You can choose from multiple vision correction procedures, including refractive surgery to replace wearing contact lenses. However, it would help if you also considered the laser eye surgery cost before you finalize which laser treatment to do.
Summary of Steps in your Laser Eye Surgery such as LASIK surgery
Step 1
Before the surgery, the patient will be given numbing drops to keep them comfortable during the procedure by keeping the eyes numb.
Step 2
The surgeon will then use a unique instrument to create a small and thin flap in the cornea. Next, this doctor lifts the flap gently to expose the underlying tissue that will be reshaped with the laser.
Step 3
Next, the surgeon will use a cold laser to carefully, gently, and precisely reshape the cornea into the specific vision correction the patient requires. The cold laser emits short pulses of light that vaporize small amounts of tissue from the cornea. Also, this process allows the surgeon to sculpt the cornea skilfully into the desired shape.
Step 4
Once the laser eye surgeon completes the laser reshaping on the cornea, he places the lifted flap back in its original position and smooths it down. The smoothening allows it to heal naturally, contributing to the overall success of laser eye surgery.
After the procedure, the surgeon applies recovery eye drops to the patient’s eyes to help them heal. The eye drops can also prevent infection during the recovery process. Now the surgical procedure is complete.
In most patients, the improvement in their vision is immediate and shows even the next day. However, it may take a few days or even weeks for other patients to see the full effects of the surgery. Therefore, you should give your eyes at least a week to recover entirely in a natural way.
How to Prepare for Laser Eye Surgery for Laser Vision Correction
- Having a pre-examination of your eyes
The pre-examination process on your eyes can validate if you need laser eye surgery for eye correction. It could also establish which of the LES procedures is most suitable for you. Meanwhile, this examination includes other medical reports about diabetes and related diseases that could affect the result of conducting laser eye surgery.
The laser eye surgeon must check if you don’t have other eye diseases that could also affect the procedure. For instance, is there any case of glaucoma or cataracts that could affect the handling of your eyes or cause a different recommendation for curing your eyes?
- Stop wearing contact lenses.
It is time to stop wearing contact lenses for at least, Depending on your type of contact lenses. You may need to stop wearing them for several weeks before going in for laser eye surgery.
Also, note that using contact lenses can affect the shape of your cornea. It is, therefore, advisable to allow the cornea to be restored to its original shape before undergoing laser eye surgery. If you don’t also stop using contact lenses, it may affect the accuracy of the new procedure.
- Stop taking some medications, whether related to your eyes or not.
It would help if you informed the laser eye doctor about any medications or supplements you take during the examination. For instance, medications you take regularly, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, can raise the risk of bleeding during the eye procedure. On the other hand, you may get instructions to abstain from using eye drops or ointments during this time.
- Follow all the given pre-operative instructions.
While prepping for laser eye surgery, your doctor must give you some instructions to prepare you for the surgery. This process may include avoiding certain activities in preparation for your surgery.
In other cases, foods like alcohol and caffeine can also have some adverse effects. Doctors may also ask you to stop wearing makeup or using lotion before D-day. Kindly adhere to all the instructions because they determine the eventual outcome of the laser eye surgery.
- Prepare someone to drive you home after your surgery
After your laser eye surgery, you should have someone who will drive you home. It is not advisable to go home, no matter how well you feel. You need to arrange for someone to guide you home and stay with you for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
The laser treatment is a sensitive eye surgery and can be very sensitive due to the advanced surface laser ablation. The goal is often to correct the refractive error by working on the corneal tissue during eye surgery.
- It would help if you had post-operative care
No matter how good you feel after your laser eye surgery, it would help if you had someone by your side to take over your activities for some days. So it would help if you abstained from regular activities that could strain your eyes or even your entire body. For instance, no reading or use of computers and mobile phones.
This caution is needed to speed up your recovery process. In addition, you must follow the eye surgeon’s strict instructions about using eye drops and other means of caring for the eyes. Finally, ensure you attend all your post-operative appointments with the doctor.
Every potential candidate for laser eye surgery must make it an essential duty to consider the risks and benefits of laser eye surgery. In addition, patients must follow the laser eye surgeon’s instructions before and after the procedure to ensure the best possible outcome.
Conclusion
Laser eye surgery has become a safe and effective method for many patients to correct vision problems and provide a long-term solution. Discussing the procedure with a qualified eye surgeon is essential to determine if it is the right option for you. In addition, laser vision correction is cheaper than using contact lenses or wearing glasses.
Related: Laser eye surgery and the side effect with the precautions