Generally, LASIK is a safe and effective procedure. If done with careful screening and patient selection, this refractive surgery yields desirable results. The patient is required to have appropriate expectations and to also consult with an experienced eye surgeon. Studies have shown that most patients were happy with their outcome. Some of the advantages of this treatment are:
*Most levels of myopia can be accurately resolved. The same goes with hyperopia and astigmatism.
*The procedure is fast and can be finished within 10 minutes and involves no pain.
*The laser is computer-guided. The procedure is precise and results are accurate.
*A single treatment is enough to produce results. If enhancements are necessary, more treatment may be needed after several years.
Disadvantages of LASIK:
*Results vary by patient. Recovery speed is not the same in all patients as each patient will have a different recovery rate based on their age, health condition and optical system.
*Some patients have experienced night vision problems such as glare and halos. These problems arise just after surgery and occur for a few weeks.
*In certain individuals, this type of laser eye surgery can worsen dry eye symptoms.
What the doctor should check before surgery:
*Refractive error – A patient’s refractive error is a problem in the eye’s focusing ability. Refractive error is classified as emmetrophic and ametrophic.
*Treatment options – LASIK may not be the only solution for a patient. There could be other solutions too. An eye surgeon should be cognizant of such.
*Checking the eligibility of the patient for refractive surgery. It includes checking the patient’s employment goals, stability of vision, previous eye diseases, age, thickness of the cornea, cornea shape and curvature, size of the pupil, and dry eye symptoms.
*The eye surgeon should communicate the risks of surgery although they are rare. Risks include over or under correction, requirement of glasses after surgery, non-permanent results, visual distortions, and worsening of dry eye symptoms.
How to find the right surgeon:
*The surgeon has to be experienced, ideally with hundreds of surgical procedure experiences.
*Good reputation with past clients and in the medical community.
*They must be knowledgeable and in a position to implement proven modern technologies.
*They should be available even after surgery for any emergencies.
What is conventional LASIK?
Conventional LASIK treatment is based on the patient’s glasses prescription. Most lasers have the ablation pattern for this type of treatment. It is effective for most people. There are potential disadvantages such as glare, halos and night vision problems, but these are not long-lasting.
Different types of LASIK
In ophthalmology, different types of lasers are used, but LASIK procedures are performed using an excimer laser. Further, there are a variety of laser ablation techniques as well. These include wavefront-optimized and wavefront-guided methods. Even a femtosecond laser, which is a completely different type of laser, can be used in lieu of a microkeratome when creating the flap on the cornea.
Conclusion
At Sugarland Eye & Laser Center in Houston, patients can get all of their questions answered under the aegis of experienced eye surgeons.
Source:
www.medicinenet.com
Sugarland Eye & Laser Center leads in providing premium LASIK technologies to Houston, Sugar Land, and the surrounding region. The Center’s award-winning medical director introduced revolutionary technologies such as iLASIK to the region. This technology is used by NASA astronauts, Navy SEALS and Air Force fighter pilots. At Sugarland Eye & Laser Center, you can now receive the same treatment. For more information, please call (281) 240-0478 or visit us at www.houston-lasik.com.
About the Author
Amjad Khokhar, M.D. is Chief LASIK Surgeon at Sugarland Eye & Laser Center. Add Dr. Khokhar on Google+ here.
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