What is LASIK Surgery?

Eyes are the mirrors of our souls. They are also the most important sensory organs that a human being can possess. Yet as we look around us we can see that the number of persons struggling with weak eyesight is increasing by leaps and bounds. Artificial artifacts like corrective lenses and contact lenses are commonly used to improve the vision but sometimes such aids become cumbersome and dissatisfactory. Such people can opt for different types of corrective surgeries. LASIK is a laser aided refractive surgery for correcting all different types of vision abnormalities namely myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism.

Procedure: The surgical method involves creating a small flap in the eye which is then folded and the tissue beneath is manipulated with the help of a laser. The flap is then put into position and the eye is left to heal. No anesthetic is used during the surgery and the patient is given a mild sedative and some anesthetic eye drops. A more sophisticated option of this surgery is the Wavefront-guided LASIK where the laser is guided by measurements received from a wavefront sensor. However, this surgery may give arise to complications in aged patients.

Age of  LASIK Patients: The FDA recommends 18 years as the minimum age for undergoing such a surgery. People in their late 40s or early 50s can successfully reverse their visual impairment with the LASIK procedure. Senior patients can correct their refractive problems by undergoing cataract operation and do not need to have the LASIK surgery.

Success and complications of LASIK: More than 90% patients who have undergone the LASIK procedure have been happy with the results. Some patients complain of dry eyes after the surgery but this condition really points to the insufficient pre and post operative care rather than the actual process of the surgery itself. Apart from dry eyes, corneal ectasia and deposition of floaters within the eye are some of the common complications. As a precautionary measure, patients are advised to stop using contact lenses for days or months before undergoing LASIK surgery.