During a laser eye surgery consultation, an eye doctor from a premier eye clinic such as Sugarland Eye & Laser Center in Houston, conducts and eye evaluation. The doctor will assess if the eyes can be treated with LASIK surgery. After a discussion and an examination that is non-invasive, the doctor will make an evaluation.
Before Consultation
A doctor recommends to a patient to stop using contact lenses for several weeks before a consultation. Contact lenses alter the shape of the cornea. The doctor would ideally want to examine the cornea in its natural shape.
During the Consultation
The patient is taken to a private room and asked about their usage of eyeglasses and contact lenses. A consultation asks about their expectations of the type of treatment they are seeking. Most patients assume that they will never need eyeglasses after treatment, but this is generally not true. To some extent glasses might be needed, but the patient is not over-reliant on their glasses.
A consultation helps patients have realistic goals. The objective is for the patient to achieve an active lifestyle with good vision. Patients with unrealistic expectations are not considered as ideal candidates. The consulting doctor checks on the medical history of the patient and their current medications.
The patient is assessed for any underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, ocular conditions, autoimmune disease, dry eyes, ocular herpes, etc. Such conditions can potentially affect the outcome of surgery. Even medications such as migraine medicine can alter the course of healing post-surgery.
Even lifestyle factors can affect healing. People who play contact sports cannot expect to heal quickly. They either have to alter their lifestyle for the prescribed duration of time or not opt for the surgery at all. Patients should minimize using alcohol and drugs as taking these could affect the healing process as well.
Laser Eye Surgery Examination
Tests conducted such as pupil dilation offer important information. Prescription measurement procedures are carried out as well. These tests accommodate specificity to LASIK or laser treatment eye correction techniques. The dimensions of the cornea are measured precisely. The corneal thickness, curvature, and topography are measured and documented. A tear-film test is conducted to check for incidences of dry eye. All of these tests are painless. A doctor will inform the patient if a procedure will cause any discomfort. Many procedures are now nearly painless.
After the Consultation
The patient and the doctor review the results of the test and the candidacy of the patient for a type of laser eye surgery is assessed. The doctor will determine if the patient is an ideal candidate for a suggested type of surgery. Patient should ask questions. Generally, LASIK and PRK are the most common refractive error surgeries and eyesight correction procedures that are performed, but LASEK, LASAK and epi-LASIK could be recommended based on the condition of the corneal shape of the patient. Therefore, the onus lies on an open discussion with an eye doctor to discuss realistic goals that can be achieved through eye surgery.
Reference:
www.lasik.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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