LASIK

Laser Eye Correction Surgery

If you're tired of wearing your ugly glasses or uncomfortable contact lenses, you may be considering Laser eye correction surgery. This procedure is of the newest procedures to correct vision problems. Before a patient jumps into the surgery, he should get a clear picture of what to expect.

Some basic facts about Laser eye correction surgery or Lasik are that Lasik is surgery is preformed on very delicate part of the eye. Hundreds of thousands of people have had Laser eye correction surgery, most with a very successfully outcome. A patient should be aware that as with any surgery, there are risks and possible complications. Laser eye correction surgery may not give a patient perfect vision. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) reports that seven out of 10 patients achieve 20/20 vision, but 20/20 does not always mean perfect vision. If you have Lasik or Laser eye correction surgery to correct your distance vision, you'll still need reading glasses as you get older. Laser eye correction surgery is really too new to know if there are any long-term ill effects beyond five years after surgery. Lasik surgery cannot be reversed but additional surgeries can be preformed to do corrections. Most insurance companies will not cover the surgery and a patient may need additional surgery - called "enhancements" - to get the best possible vision after Lasik.

A patient must also be a good candidate for Laser eye correction surgery and not everyone will qualify. A patient must be at least 18 years old (21 for some lasers), since the vision of people younger than 18 usually continues to change as they age. A patient should not be pregnant or nursing as these conditions might change the measured refraction of the eye. To receive Laser eye correction surgery a patient should not be taking certain prescription drugs, such as Accutane or oral prednisone. The patients eyes must be healthy and the prescription stable. To be a good candidate for Laser eye correction surgery a patient must be in good general health. Lasik may be denied for patients with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, glaucoma, herpes infections of the eye, or cataracts. Any of these conditions should be discussed this with your surgeon.

When considering Laser eye correction surgery, weigh the risks and rewards. If it is not a bother to wear contacts or glasses, a patient may elect to forego the surgery. Understand your expectations from the Laser eye correction surgery. Are they realistic? Speak to your surgeon to find out if you're a candidate for monovision - correcting one eye for distance vision and the other eye for near vision.

The most important factor in Laser eye correction surgery is for the patient to find a competent surgeon. Having a skilled doctor will aid in having a positive result when having Laser eye correction surgery.