The Pros and Cons of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK eye surgery is a popular procedure that can correct vision problems and reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses. Learn about its potential risks & benefits before making a decision.

The Pros and Cons of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK eye surgery is a popular procedure that can correct vision problems and reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses. However, it is important to understand the potential risks and benefits of this procedure before making a decision. Complications that cause vision loss are very rare, but common side effects such as dry eyes and temporary visual problems, such as glare, can occur. These symptoms usually go away after a few weeks or months, and very few people consider them to be a long-term problem.

The stabilization period usually lasts 3 months when the eyes adapt; after this period, the LASIK result is permanent. Patients may need to undergo follow-up procedures due to normal vision loss caused by disease and aging. With modern techniques, it is quite possible that this procedure will last a lifetime. After surgery, some patients may experience dry eyes and require intensive droplet therapy to reduce discomfort.

It is important to note that the procedure is not reversible and any condition that causes dry eyes, such as high blood pressure and hormonal imbalances, can cause postoperative pain and delay healing times. The combination of wavefront and femtosecond laser technology has increased the success rates of LASIK procedures and reduced complications. Initially, eye surgeons used an excimer laser and a microkeratome as the primary tools to create corneal flaps during LASIK surgery. The eyes blink on average once every six seconds to keep them comfortable and moist.

Dry eye syndrome is usually treated with eye drops, but anti-inflammatory medications are also sometimes recommended. An autoimmune disorder will most likely make a person ineligible for laser eye surgery for this reason. When deciding if the advantages and disadvantages of laser eye surgery make it worthwhile, patients should research how much the procedure will benefit them, how much it will cost (and what their payment options are), who is the best doctor to perform the surgery, and what changes they can realistically expect in the short and long term. This means that patients stay awake while corneal surgery is being performed, but anesthetic agents (usually tetracaine or proparacaine) are very effective at preventing nerve endings in the eye from feeling pain.

Using a laser specially designed for laser eye surgery, the surgeon will remove part of this tissue to correct vision problems. Even if you sneeze or do something that causes your body to move suddenly, the laser will automatically deactivate to avoid damaging any tissue in the eye. When considering LASIK eye surgery, it is important to weigh both the potential risks and benefits of this procedure before making a decision. Complications that cause vision loss are very rare, but common side effects such as dry eyes and temporary visual problems can occur.

Patients should research how much the procedure will benefit them, how much it will cost (and what their payment options are), who is the best doctor to perform the surgery, and what changes they can realistically expect in the short and long term.