How Do I Know If Getting LASIK Is Right For Me?
Before getting LASIK, it is important to schedule a consultation with your eye doctor. This is your opportunity to talk about the procedure and to determine if LASIK surgery is right for you.
During your evaluation, you’ll go over your medical history. You’ll also receive a complete eye examination.
It is important to make sure your eyes are healthy before getting LASIK. Certain conditions may disqualify you from surgery, such as cataracts or glaucoma.
If you are a good candidate, your physician will explain the procedure to you. They’ll also go over what to expect during and after LASIK.
During your consultation, your eyes are also photographed and mapped. This is done with a corneal topopgrapher.
This will become the map your eye doctor uses during LASIK. It ensures the most precise procedure and successful results afterwards.
How Long Does LASIK Take?
On the day of your surgery, you should expect to spend around an hour in the doctor’s office. You will need someone to drive you home because your vision will be blurry after LASIK.
You are not put under general anesthesia. Instead, you will receive numbing eye drops so you won’t feel any pain. During LASIK, you will sit in a reclining chair.
The eye doctor will position your head under the laser and uses a speculum to keep your eye open.
What Happens During LASIK?
During LASIK, your doctor will create a flap in the cornea of the eye. Using the computer-controlled laser, the doctor then reshapes the cornea to improve vision.
To correct nearsightedness, the cornea gets flattened. To correct farsightedness, the cornea is instead made steeper.
For patients with astigmatism, the doctor uses the excimer laser. This is to smooth an irregular cornea into a normal shape.
The reshaping of the cornea is often completed in a minute or less. After reshaping the cornea, the flap is then put back into position. Since there are no stitches, the flap instead reattaches to the eye on its own.
What Is Recovery Like?
After the surgery, most patients report improved vision right away. This continues in the days and weeks following your procedure.
Patients may resume driving as soon as they can see well enough to drive but cannot drive on the day of surgery. Many people also return to work the day after surgery.
Doctors often recommend a patient should take 2-3 days off to rest afterwards.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Side effects are often minor after LASIK but it may include dry eyes. If you suffer from dry eye after LASIK, you can treat it with lubricating eye drops.
This will disappear over time as you recover from the surgery. Some patients experience halos or starbursts around lights, which may occur at night.
These are also temporary and disappear over time. Your eye doctor will want you to return for a follow-up visit within a day of the surgery. You’ll also need to return after a week and a month to chart your progress.
In very rare cases, patients will report a worsening of their vision after getting LASIK. In those cases, consult with your eye doctor to find the cause and determine the next course of treatment.
Will I Still Need Glasses After LASIK?
LASIK remains one of the most popular elective medical procedures in this country! Most patients report satisfaction with their vision results.
Nearly all who undergo LASIK end up with 20/20 vision and a smaller number end up with vision that is better than 20/20. Some may need glasses for certain activities after LASIK, like driving at night.
Getting LASIK Surgery in Lexington, Kentucky
There’s only one way to find out if you’re a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. Schedule your LASIK consultation at Huffman & Huffman, P.S.C. in Lexington, KY!
We’re experienced, board-certified ophthalmologists who have performed thousands of LASIK procedures. Let us help you the achieve clear vision you’ve always wanted!
