Is Lasik Right For You? Laser eye surgery, or Lasik is an increasingly popular procedure which allows an individual to improve, sometimes significantly, the quality of their eyesight. Frequently, the procedure enables patients to eliminate the need for corrective eyewear completely. Any surgery is a risk and you should do your own research and consult with a trusted professional before undergoing any surgery. Take some time to read online resources and definitely consult with your eye doctor and a Lasik specialist so that you can understand all the pros and cons and make an educated decision. While you do this, here are some things you should know.
What is Lasik? The procedure is a type of refractive surgery. A surgeon will cut your eye, opening a flap in the cornea. Using a laser, the surgeon will then reshape your cornea thereby correcting vision and focusing problems in your eye. Ideal candidates for this procedure are individuals with farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism. Farsightedness, or hyperopia, means that you can focus on distant items while those close up are blurry. Nearsightedness, or myopia, is the opposite, where closer items are focused while distant items are blurry. Astigmatism is a condition of overall blurriness in your vision.
Am I a Good Candidate for Lasik? Several factors should be considered as you move toward surgery. Your specialist should sit down with you and discuss your current corrective prescription and the target vision goals. Keep in mind that it may be completely unrealistic to move from an extreme visual deficit to 20/20 vision. As you look into this procedure, keep an open mind. Take all the suggestions of the professionals under serious consideration and avoid making the call based on emotionally based desires. The last thing you want is to have the surgery go wrong because you’re determined to ignore suggestions to get what you think should be possible.
Risks and Side Effects Because Lasik is a surgery, there are some risks and unpleasant side effects that can occur. Immediately after the procedure patients may experience dry eye. Lasik can decrease tear production on a temporary basis, leaving your eye feeling dry. You may also notice that a reduction in night vision or ‘disturbances’ in your vision like halos around light sources, etc. On the more serious side of things, the corneal flap that is created during surgery may become irritated, infected, or swell up depending on your eye’s reaction to the procedure. This surgery is performed with a laser and any miscalculations or mistakes may result in under or over correction of your eye and it does run the risk of causing Astigmatism.
How Much Does it Cost? While the cost will vary from place to place and office to office, it can cost up to $3000 per eye. Lasik is becoming more affordable as the technology improves and advances in the field are made. Check with your vision insurance provider to see if Lasik is a procedure that they cover and you may be able to reduce the cost of surgery even more. Photo Credit: icekitty37 ,