LASIK Surgery: The Easy Guide To Deal With It
LASIK is a heavily advertised name today, and it stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It is a prevalent eye surgery because it helps people get rid of glasses and contact lenses. Mostly performed as an outpatient surgical procedure, it rectifies refractive vision errors by reshaping the cornea, the clear front part of the eye. The surgery usually takes 30 minutes, and the patient can get back to routine within a day or two after the operation. LASIK eye surgery cost varies depending on numerous factors and may also be influenced by the surgeon’s expertise.
Are you planning to get LASIK surgery to be free from your glasses? Here is an ultimate guide to LASIK that would help you understand the procedure and the post-surgery care:
Before LASIK:
Your ophthalmologist (eye specialist) will assess your eyes with an initial physical examination. Before surgeons operate on your eyes, they will conduct the following tests:
- measuring corneal thickness refraction,
- corneal mapping,
- eye pressure, and
- pupil dilation
After the eye surgeon declares you fit for surgery and fixes the date of the operation. All you need to do is stop wearing your contacts just three days before the surgery.
The Surgery Day:
As it is an outpatient procedure, you need not get admitted to the hospital. Just eat a light meal and arrive at the doctor’s clinic before the appointed time. It would be better to wear no makeup or chunky accessories when you go to the clinic.
The Actual Procedure:
LASIK eye surgery is short; here is how the process goes:
- LASIK surgery is performed under local anesthesia, so your LASIK surgeon will administer anesthetic eye drops to numb the surface of your eyes.
- Then, with the help of a microkeratome or femtosecond laser, the surgeon will create a thin flap-like opening in your cornea.
- After that, the surgeon will peel your corneal flap and reshape your cornea with the help of another laser beam.
- The reshaping of the cornea enables the light to focus onto the retina properly.
- After the doctor is satisfied with the placement, the flap of the cornea is carefully placed back in its original position.
After LASIK:
Opening your eyes after the surgery for the first time might be an uncomfortable feeling, but don’t worry, it’s just temporary. Your eyes would feel foggy, while you might have a burning sensation because of excessively dry eyes. You might have a strong urge to rub your eyes but refraining from it would be the best idea. However, all of this is just momentary, and you will be out of it quickly.
Here is a general recovery guideline that would lead you to a speedy recovery:
- As much as possible, avoid reading fine prints and watching television. Try to stay away from smartphones, video games, and computers. This might be a challenge for many of us, but it is just for the first 12 to 24 hours.
- Try to stay indoors to avoid exposure. Intense light can be disturbing for your newly operated eyes. To keep yourself comfortable, it is a good idea to remain dark glasses at all times.
- Take your first shower at least a day after the surgery and keep the shampoo and soapy water away from your eyes.
- Wait for your vision to get clear before you drive again.
- Keep away from excessive heat, so avoid spas and saunas.
- Go easy on the exercise front and avoid taking part in any vigorous physical activities like swimming, boxing, or jogging for an initial couple of days.
As more weeks keep passing by, you will notice that your vision will stabilize after LASIK, and most people attain at least a 20/20 vision after the procedure, which gives them freedom from glasses.
