Examination for Laser Eye Surgery
Laser eye surgery implies a procedure performed by eye surgeons using laser beam to correct various eye conditions.
This surgery is done to correct eye problems like astigmatism or short sightedness and other such defects. Laser eye surgery is also done to correct vision problems for cosmetic purposes in image conscious patients and generally, this is the most popular use of lasers at present.
Is laser Eye Surgery Safe?
It is relatively safe to use laser’s for eye operations and the majority of these operations are successful. That said, there are some side-effects of laser eye surgery. Some of these procedures are used so that the patient need not wear spectacles or contact lenses. This means that you can get rid of those horrible looking glasses!
What is the exact procedure in Laser Eye Surgery?
Laser eye surgery, in a nutshell, is a procedure where a thin flap is created on the eye surface (called the cornea) and folded so that the surgeon can remodel the tissue below it with the help of laser. Then the flap is put back in position and allowed to heal.This is done with the help of a computer and flap angles are measured to give the correct vision. This is very precise surgery, as you can well imagine. Complications of laser eye surgery are rare, but you need to be aware of them.
What kind of Anesthetic is given for Laser Eye Surgery?
Normally the patient is just given a local anesthesia or some anesthetic eye drops when the surgery is done and he can walk out (with adequate protection of the operated eye) soon without any need of hospitalization. This is called a day case procedure, where the patient goes home on the same day.
What is LASIK?
Laser eye surgery is also called LASIK, which stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. The first laser assisted eye operation was performed around 1950 by a Spanish ophthalmologist Jose Barraquer and since then many other doctors, ophthalmologists and surgeons round the world have improved upon his technique or discovered newer methods of corrective eye surgery using laser on thousands of patients. Laser’s used today are mostly the state of the art ones and perform way better than the old ones first used.
What is Refractive Eye Surgery?
Refractive surgery is the term used when an ophthalmologist changes a patient’s eye measurements by a surgical procedure.This is usually done for cosmetic reasons, when someone wants to get rid of spectacles or contact lenses etc.
Laser eye surgery has become very popular because it is quick, safe and one can see the improvement immediately. Also there is less pain and discomfort when this method is used. Over the years the technique has improved greatly.
Before the surgery patients wearing lens are asked to stop using them from a few days earlier. This period depends upon how long the patient has been using the lens. The cornea is thoroughly examined to calculate and measure it for surgical correction. The patient may be asked to take antibiotics to prevent infection after the operation.
Read about how to take care after laser eye surgery and see the cost of laser eye surgery in UK and alternatives to laser eye surgery.
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