Laser assisted in situ keratomileusis or LASIK is an outpatient surgical procedure used to correct refractive errors like myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. With micro-surgical equipments and laser, the cornea is reshaped so that the rays of the light are focused on the retina. Lasik reduces the dependence on glasses and contact lenses and offers true spectacle freedom. It is an outpatient surgical procedure done under topical anaesthesia. The entire procedure takes about 7 to 8 minutes per eye.
Can Lasik Be Done On Everyone?
Anyone who is over 18 years of age and has had a stable glasses prescription for over 12 months can undergo LASIK. The eye should not have any eye disease or eye injury and its complications. One should have realistic expectations.
There are however some very stringent patient selection criteria that one has to adhere to, in-order to give good results. The doctor is the best judge to select the patient for this procedure.
There are however some very stringent patient selection criteria that one has to adhere to, in-order to give good results. The doctor is the best judge to select the patient for this procedure.
What Are The Special Eye Tests Required?
Corneal Topography & Aberrometry:
This test evaluates the corneal curvature or shape of the cornea and other refractive parameters of the eye. People with conical cornea are not fit for LASIK.
Corneal Pachymetry:
An optimal corneal thickness measured in microns is important fro LASIK as very thin sufficient tissue available to reshape the cornea and eliminate the eye power during surgery. Also very thin cornea can have problems after the surgery.
Retina:
Patient with retinal disease might need to get the disease treated before surgery. Several people with high minus powers have retinal weakness and fraying of peripheral retina which can be darned before Lasik.
Others:
Patients with dry eyes and squint and those who have poor color contrast might require additional management apart from LASIK to get best visual outcome.
Types of Lasik
- Conventional LASIK or Blade LASIK in which a flap is created be an instrument called microkeratome then lifted and the bed below the flap is lasered. This type of LASIK is suitable in almost 90% of eyes.
- Femto second LASIK is the bladeless Lasik; the flap is created by the laser itself.
- Sometimes a Lenticule is cut out in the stroma of the cornea by the laser and sliped out of a small opening this is called Relex Smile. The advantage here is that eyes with thinner cornea can undergo this procedure and healing time is shorter.
Side Effects
Side effects are few, but people may experience discomfort or pain, blurry vision, dryness, glare and haloes around lights. There may be a red patch on the white of the eye, which may persist for a few days. Fluctuation in vision and the quality of vision may vary for some time. Vision may take up to 3 months to stabilize in some cases. Flap related complication and infection are rare.
FAQs
Does LASIK hurt?
LASIK is a painless procedure done under eye drop anaesthesia. One may fell slight pressure on the eye during the flap creation.
How long does it take to do a LASIK?
The actual procedure takes about 10 minutes; the laser itself takes only 20-50 seconds to correct the vision.
When can one resume normal activities?
Visual recovery takes from one day to a week. Majority of patients resume normal activities one to two days after surgery. Complete stabilization can take up to 2-3 months.
When should one stop wearing contact lenses?
Contact lens wearer should discontinue lenses at least a week before the procedure to allow the cornea to take its normal shape before the surgery for the best surgical outcome.
What is vision like after LASIK?
It is important to have realistic expectations. Over 98% of people achieve 6/6 to 6/9 vision without glasses or contact lenses. LASIK corrected vision is permanent however if refractive error is under corrected the result can be fine tuned by a second surgery called enhancement. People beyond 40 years of age can also undergo LASIK for distance vision but will need glasses for reading after surgery.
Those patients who are keen to be spectacle free but unfortunately do not qualify for LASIK can opt for other surgical procedure like Implantable Collamer Lens / Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) or Refractive Lens Exchange surgeries. Kindly contact us to know more about these procedures.
Those patients who are keen to be spectacle free but unfortunately do not qualify for LASIK can opt for other surgical procedure like Implantable Collamer Lens / Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) or Refractive Lens Exchange surgeries. Kindly contact us to know more about these procedures.
Doctors in Krishna Eye Centre Provides high quality treatment for all eye problems like cataract surgery / cataract treatment, glaucoma, refractive errors, diabetic retinopathy, squint, lazy eye etc.
For getting Spectacle Free Vision without pain, Contact US.
Email : krishnaeyecenter@gmail.com
Site : www.krishnaeyecentre.com
