Considering Laser Eye Surgery And Its Effects

Laser eye surgery, sometimes called LASIK surgery, is a procedure that either diminishes one's dependence on glasses or contacts or completely removes the need for them all together. The idea of having a laser taken to one's eyes may not sound entirely enjoyable, and there are some risks associated with laser eye surgery, but many patients are also pleased with the results.

Before going through with this type of operation, one has to carefully weigh the benefits and risks and talk to a doctor.

How Does Laser Eye Surgery Work?

The surgery is exactly as the title suggests: a laser is exposed to a person's eyes, hopefully correcting the vision for him/her. First, a knife called a microkeratome cuts a flap in the cornea. At this point the stroma, the middle part of the cornea, is now exposed. The laser is then exposed to the eye, destroying some of the stroma and changing the overall shape of the cornea. The flap is obviously replaced and the surgery is over. There are now many techniques which allow for people to choose a particular preference, but this is the most common and general way of going about it.

What Can I Expect During And After The Surgery?

A patient is giving a numbing drop before the actual laser eye surgery takes place. Because the person getting the surgery is obviously still awake when receiving the laser, he/she will be asked to stare at a light or object. Being able to fix one's eyes on a particular object is essential to the success of this operation because it allows the doctor to work easily and it can prevent certain complications and discomfort later on.

The patient will be exposed to new sights (or lack thereof, as many people experience blurred or hazy vision during the entire process), smells, and sounds, mostly from the laser. After the laser is done performing its work, a protective shield should be placed over the patient's eye so he/she does not scratch it. The new flap that protects the cornea is not held in place by anything and if the patient rubs it the wrong way, it could become dislodged and cause some major problems.

For as long as eight weeks after the laser eye surgery, a patient will not be able to participate in swimming activities, and that includes sitting in a hot tub. In that times span, one will also not be able to take part in contact sports or wear eye make-up. For about four weeks after the surgery, one will also have to wear a protective shield to bed as well, allowing the flap to fully integrate itself with its new surroundings. Again, and this cannot be stressed enough, scratching the eye after surgery is not a good idea at all.

Laser eye surgery takes plenty of patience and self-control, and one has to get over the mental block that an actual laser is literally burning off part of one's eye. However, once the risks and benefits (which are usually not mentioned as much as the risks, but the idea of never wearing contacts or glasses again is enticing to many people) are weighed, a person should be ready to go through with the procedure.

More Laser Eye Surgery Articles