Lasik Laser Eye Surgery

Lasik eye surgery is still relatively new and while thousands of people have enjoyed the benefits from this type of surgery, it still remains a mystery to many. Questions such as how do I qualify? Is it safe; and what techniques are employed are often asked.

This article will provide a brief overview of what lasik eye surgery technique is and what you need to do to qualify for it. It’s not just a matter of presenting yourself to a surgeon and saying…”I want lasik!” While lasik is an extremely safe procedure, it is surgery nevertheless and your surgeon will need to determine several things about you and your eyes before accepting you as patient.

The Qualification Process

First of all, you will need to consult your doctor. Discuss with him/her your situation and the problems you are experiencing and an analysis will be made of your situation. Remember, not everyone will be suitable for lasik eye surgery. some of the reasons you may be rejected include:

- being under the age of 18.
- being pregnant
- eyes must be in a healthy condition

At a young age, peoples eyes are still in the evolving stage and any complications which may exist could improve over time. Young people are encouraged to give it a little extra time before considering lasik treatment.

With pregnancy, lasik is discouraged because of the refraction or bending of light due to hormonal changes. Surgery response may be a little skewed for pregnant woman and this also applies to women during the nursing stage.

If you have been having ongoing problems with your eyes and they are not in a healthy or stable condition then lasik may not be an option for you. Your doctor will determine this and be extremely forthright about it. Rejection in this instance is usually a precautionary measure.

Lasik Eye Surgery Techniques

Lasik eye surgery is a relatively safe and painless procedure. Lasik surgery techniques are such that the procedure is quick and is usually performed within 10-20 minutes. Local anaesthethic is used.

It involves a laser cut flap on the eye cornea and lifting it and is then followed by a laser re-shaping of the tissue underneath it. When completed the flap is then replaced. No stitching is required and the healing process begins. Protection is placed over the eye so the cornea isn’t subject to outside damage.

The healing process is usually very quick, in fact, in some cases, people have been able to resume work duties the following day however, most patients are advised to take a few days off. Side effects aren’t immediately noticeable although some mild irritation may be felt in the form of slight burning or itching. Depending on the level of discomfort, medication may be prescribed.

techniques are amazingly effective and once you qualify, the decision will be yours on whether to have the surgery. The success rate is extremely high and the benefits certainly outweigh the negatives. Ultimately, it will be your decision on whether it is worth the slight risk involved.

Lasik eye surgery will help with your vision, but what can you expect after it is over? Your surgeon will do the surgery and it may take a few minutes, depending if they are doing one eye or both eyes. A slight cut will be made on your cornea and will be lifted out of the way (otherwise known as the flap) so a laser can reshape your eye. Once that is completed, the flap will be returned and will heal itself, so no stitches will be needed. There will be some sort of shield placed above the eye so it can heal quickly. You will have blurry vision for a little bit, so make sure you have someone pick you up and take you home.

Read more about the lasik eye surgery procedure…

Traditional lasik laser eye surgery achieves a simple correction of focusing power by reshaping the cornea with the aid of a laser.Wavefront lasik eye surgery is a variation of that conventional procedure and accomplishes a spatially varying correction based on readings from a wavefront sensor. In essence, a wavefront sensor measures the eye itself. It detects any aberrations by directing a weak laser source into the eye, and by sampling and processing the reflection off the retina.

Wavefront lasik laser eye measurements reveal the irregularities of the lens, which cause optical aberrations (any deviation from a desired perfect planar wavefront). Wavefront custom sculpts the cornea to accomplish corrected vision. In many ways, Wavefront lasik laser eye surgery offers better results than traditional LASIK eye surgery. The procedure is carried out by an ophthalmologist, with the aid of sophisticated computer-controlled equipment.

Lasik has certain potential side effects including halos or glare, which are caused due to induced spherical aberration. Wavefront has helped reduce instances of such cases where patients complain of post-operative halos or glares. A drop in such complaints is owing to the precise measurements provided by the wavefront sensor. Thus Wavefront can help achieve a more optically perfect eye, since the corneal tissue area to be carved is measured more precisely using advanced technology and tools. But, wavefront aberrations are not the sole cause for all types of vision impairments. Therefore,Wavefront LASIK laser eye surgery should not be treated as a panacea for all kinds of vision defects. However, eye surgeons claim that a great deal of success has been accomplished in patient satisfaction, relative to earlier refractive surgery procedures.

Though wavefront technology has been used for years by astronomers who require adjusting their telescope optics, its application to human vision has been discovered only recently. It’s true that Wavefront is a superior procedure, but it’s certainly not required by or suitable for everyone. It is imperative that you go through an elaborate wavefront diagnostic to determine if you are a potential candidate for it.

Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news, views and information about custom wavefront LASIK at Your Lasik Information. The LASIK Surgeons Directory will help you find a LASIK doctor. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved.

This article courtesy ofLasik Laser Eye Surgery and Lasik Eye Surgery

Source:
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/LASIK/lasers.htm