The LASIK eye surgery reshapes the cornea, the transparent membrane located above the eye. The surgeon cuts out using a special instrument (microcheratom) a piece like a cap to remove the affected tissue, then reapply it. Thus, people with vision problems are not obliged to wear glasses or contact lenses.
Medical doctors performing the LASIK eye surgery
Who can benefit from LASIK eye surgery?
“Patients who want to resort to LASIK eye surgery can be done only after they turned 18. It is assumed that the person has ceased to grow and visual acuity is not changed. If surgery is done before this age is possible for the patient to return later for reintervention, “said Smith Codruta ophthalmologist.
It also requires a corneal thickness appreciated by some doctors to be between 450-480 microns and 500-530 microns among others. A relative contraindication is a pupil more than 7 mm, the situation is more complicated if combined with high myopia (risk increases with halo vision at night).
For people who perform hard physical activity, it is possible that instead of a LASIK surgery to opt for PRK (keratectomie fotorefractiva). The only drawback is longer than the period of healing, because the cornea needs reepitelizare 36 hours. During this time, vision is blurred and there is a feeling of fullness.
Note before LASIK eye surgery
Ophthalmologists say there are criteria that must be remembered when we opt for LASIK surgery:
1. Your eyes must be perfectly healthy. If there are conditions that affect the healing response to surgery or later, you must wait until these issues are resolved (eg dry eyes, conjunctivitis). In some cases such as cataracts that interfere with vision, keratoconus or galucom surgery is contraindicated.
2. You need to be adult. Patients under 18 years are operated only in exceptional cases.
3. You must have stable vision. Usually stabilizes around the age of 20 years, but the doctor is one who will decide if diopters are final.
4. If you are pregnant, hormonal changes reshape the cornea, causing changes in diopters. Surgery can not be done until after endocrine normalization after birth, which can take several months. Also, medicines that have to use before and after surgery (antibiotics and steroids) can affect the baby.
5. Autoimmune or degenerative diseases. If you suffer from a disease in this category, you should know that you should not operate: Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, HIV, AIDS, virtually all diseases interfere with postoperative healing.
6. Diopters must be within certain limits. If you have high myopia, which involves removing a large part of the corneal tissue, may be contraindicated LASIK procedure and have chosen a different surgical method such as artificial lens implant.
LASIK Risks and complications
Usually, it is extremely rare procedure because of complications that lead to permanent vision loss. ”Many complications can be resolved by the eye adjusted for surgery. Choosing a good surgeon for you is probably the safest way to reduce the risks of surgery. An experienced surgeon will tell whether or not you are ready for LASIK surgery. Even if your case this procedure is not possible, you can benefit from another type of surgery “said Dr. Smith.
LASIK confidence has increased in recent years due to high success rate and technology becoming more advanced. Studies show that the number of serious complications is around 1%. Therefore, before surgery, make sure you have discussed all the details with your surgeon, for the result to live up to your astepterilor.
“There can, fortunately in small numbers, some patients may see double, to live the feeling of dry eyes or difficulty have night vision (halos around sources of light, star bright, cloudy view). Because the change often after surgery, usually for the better, many studies measured the immediate postoperative one month, three months and six months “, added the ophthalmologist.
When LASIK surgery goes wrong?
There are certain cases, usually neinvestigate enough before surgery, whose result is not satisfactory for the patient. ”Unfortunately, there are situations in which the retina is fragile and breaks or intraocular bleeding occurs. Also, the eyes are too dry to support the operation and then the quality is poor vision after surgery and dry eye becomes very painful. In some cases it took support from psychologists. They say that patients with failed LASIK operations become depressed, have insomnia, lose their autonomy and some even starts suicide, “said Dr. Smith Codruta.
Dry eyes, because after LASIK surgery, symptoms are often seen. Fortunately, in many cases disappear after several weeks of treatment with artificial tears. But this annoying sensation may persist at a fraction of patients.
However, these extreme cases when the desired result is not very rare. A study of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery which totals 32,000 patients operated on in the world in recent years show that more than 95% of patients said they were very satisfied.
To avoid unpleasant situations, before surgery, we recommend some tips to keep in mind:
- Find out more information about the surgery;
- Request a second opinion before surgery,
- Not sign the consent for surgery in a hurry, take it home, read it carefully and ask your surgeon or surgical team about what you do not clear.
- There is always a small risk in any surgical procedure, take into consideration your risk tolerance level.