Guide To Understanding LASIK Eye Surgery
Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery is a type of surgery that corrects certain vision errors. Within the eye, the cornea helps focus light until an image is created on the retina. However, if the cornea or lens of the eye is irregularly shaped, the light will be focused directly in front of or behind the retina. This can lead to nearsightedness and farsightedness. The imperfections in the eye are referred to as refractive errors.
Many patients will wear eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct vision problems. They are good treatments for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and similar refractive errors that affect an individual's vision. Many patients also wear prescription glasses for lazy eyes. However, it is worth noting that eye correction can come in the form of eye surgery, include LASIK surgery. Patients may look for affordable LASIK eye surgery or other LASIK deals. Of course, individuals must understand this surgery thoroughly first.
Preparing For The Surgery
There are several important steps patients need to take when preparing for LASIK surgery. After patients have been determined to be a candidate for the surgery, their doctor will go over everything they need to do. Individuals should inform their doctor about their medical history, including any medications they take regularly or reactions they have had to medications in the past. One to two days before the surgery, patients should stop wearing makeup. Instead, they need to keep the area around their eyes clean. If debris is left in the eyelashes during the surgery, there is a higher risk of infection.
Each day for the two or three days leading up to the surgery, patients need to make sure they thoroughly and gently wash their eyes to remove makeup and other potential debris. If a patient wears soft contact lenses, they must stop wearing them at least a week before surgery and use glasses instead. Patients should also stop wearing hard contact lenses three to four weeks before the surgery. This is because contacts can cause their measurements to be imprecise, which leads to less accurate results.
Discover the details regarding the eye evaluation before LASIK surgery next.
Evaluation Before The Procedure
Patients will need to have an eye evaluation before their LASIK surgery. This is when the doctor will review the patient's medical history, including past surgeries. They will also conduct a complete eye examination and ensure that the patient is ready for the surgery. In addition to evaluating the patient's vision, doctors will also look for eye inflammation, dry eyes, eye infections, high eye pressure, and large pupils.
The doctor doing the evaluation will take time to measure the patient's cornea as well. Points of note include the shape of the cornea, as well as its thickness, contour, and if there are any other irregularities. They will also determine exactly what parts of the cornea need reshaping and how much tissue needs to be removed. Ultimately, the eye evaluation gives doctors detailed measurements and other key information about the patient's eye so that the surgery has a higher rate of success and accuracy.
Learn about how the procedure itself works next.
