cascadeeyeskin.com

Photorefractive keratectomy or PRK is a treatment used worldwide to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. This surgery is performed through the combination of a tool called an Excimer laser and today’s computer technology.

All surgeries have risks and benefits that are associated with them. LASIK surgery is no exception. Although it is an elective surgery you should speak with a surgeon to fully understand what you will be getting yourself into.

So you’re a candidate for LASIK surgery and your procedure is coming up. What happens next? Or during? After? If you’re wondering what the LASIK eye surgery procedure is going to be like, the following will let you know what to expect at different stages of LASIK treatment.

Before the LASIK Surgery Procedure

You optometrist will give you a thorough eye exam to ensure you eyes are healthy and you are a suitable candidate for laser vision correction. The optometrist will check for glaucoma, cataracts, and other disqualifying conditions. A machine called a corneal topographer will be used on your eyes to take photographs and electronic map of your eye. The surgeon to plan your surgery for the most precise results possible will use this map.

The Day of LASIK Surgery

Custom LASIK is an outpatient procedure, which means you will spend about one hour in the doctor’s office and you will leave. You will have to have someone drive you home because your vision might be blurry immediately following the procedure. In preparation for the procedure you will sit in a reclining chair. The LASIK eye surgeon will then place anesthetic eye drops into your eyes. Your head will be positioned under the laser and an eyelid speculum will be placed on your eye to hold the eyelid open. With LASIK, the surgeon creates a thin flap in the top of the cornea, folds it back where it remains out of the way, uses the laser to reshape the cornea by removing or steepening the tissue of the cornea. Then the flap is placed back to cover and act as a natural band aid for the opening.

After LASIK Surgery

Following the LASIK procedure the surgeon will place eye drop or ointment in your eye. You will be allowed to relax for a little bit, then you will be instructed to go home and rest. You may notice clearer vision immediately, or it may improve as the weeks pass.

When can I drive again?

As soon as you are able to see well enough, you can begin driving.  This does not include the day of the procedure.

Can I go back to work right away?

A few people return to work the next day, but your surgeon will recommended two or three days of rest before returning to work.

How many checkups are required following the procedure?

You will more than likely go in for a checkup the day after the procedure, then one week later, then one month later, and then three months later. This time schedule will depend on the surgeon, and your surgeon will let you know if any more checkups are required.

What if my vision is not improved and plenty of time has passed?

A small number of patients see well after the procedure and then they will experience a regression in their vision. If this should happen to you, you will want to consult with your surgeon for to determine the cause and to see if retreatment is appropriate. To learn more about LASIK as well as CK (conductive keratoplasty), PRK, and other eye care options, it is important to visit our laser vision correction office near Tacoma and Gig Harbor.

If you have questions about LASIK and what it involves, there are answers available you should know. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about LASIK eye surgery.

What is LASIK?

LASIK is a surgical vision correction procedure that utilizes a beam of light to gently reshape the cornea, which is the surface of the eye to correct vision that would usually be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. The laser removes microscopic amounts of tissue to flatten the cornea for the correction of myopia or nearsightedness. For the correction of hyperopia or farsightedness the laser is used make the cornea steeper. For the correction of astigmatism the laser is used to smooth out irregularities in the cornea. The use of a laser to reshape the cornea makes the eye focus on images better for sharper vision. LASIK is just one of the laser vision correction procedures available to create these changes in the eye and vision.

Is LASIK safe?

The FDA has approved LASIK and the FDA recognizes LASIK to be a proven, safe, and effective procedure for correcting eye anomalies. The laser used in the vision correction procedure is a cool [not thermal] beam of light that is computer controlled, and can be turned on and off by the surgeon. There are numerous safeguards in place to reduce the risk of error. There are some risks however, associated with the surgical procedure. Studies suggest that minor difficulties such as dry eyes and nighttime glare is around 3 to 5 percent. The risk of the serious nature, such as loss of vision is thought to be less than 1 percent. To date there are no know cases of blindness caused by LASIK.

Can I have the procedure performed on both eyes at the same time?

The majority of LASIK eye surgeons perform the procedure on both eyes at the same time

Does laser vision correction hurt?

Your surgeon will place anesthetic drops into your eyes, which will prevent you from feeling any pain during the procedure. Following the procedure the surgeon my prescribe medication if you should feel any pain or discomfort associated with the procedure. A number of LASIK patients have stated there was nothing more than mild discomfort for a day or so. Many times there is an itchy feeling, as if sand were in the eye.

How long does the LASIK surgery last?

The laser treatment takes less than a minute, while the entire process takes around 15 minutes per eye. To learn more about LASIK as well as PRK, CK (conductive keratoplasty), glaucoma treatment, and cataract surgery, it is important to visit our laser vision correction office near Tacoma and Gig Harbor.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that puts an abnormally amount of pressure on the eye, causing damage to the optic nerve. Unfortunately, for many, glaucoma eventually leads to blindness, especially if detected too late. There are many questions that those who are recently diagnosed or have a loved one that suffers for glaucoma. Here are a few of these frequently asked questions.

Does glaucoma only affect the elderly?

No, there are many types of glaucoma. Even small children can have glaucoma.

What are the warning signs of glaucoma?

There are several early warning signs such as slight pain, blurry vision, and the appearance of halos. However, most people who are diagnosed with glaucoma experienced no symptoms at all until it was too late.

Is glaucoma permanent?

Once glaucoma is diagnosed it cannot be healed. If you catch it early you may be able to stop the damage. However, once the damage is done it cannot be reversed.

How is glaucoma treated?

If you are diagnosed with glaucoma your ophthalmologist will give you eye drops that will help to lower the pressure in your eyes. With less pressure against the optic nerve, damage can be limited but not reversed.

How can I prevent myself from getting glaucoma?

There are no medicines to stop you from getting glaucoma. The best remedy is to catch the disease before it causes too much damage. The best way to do that is to have frequent eye exams to detect the disease as early as possible.

How often should I get my eyes examined?

The standard for getting an eye exam is once a year. However, if you have a family history of glaucoma, as you age you should increase your eye exams to every six months. This is also true if you have diabetes. If you have diabetes you are particularly prone for glaucoma. By controlling your diabetes through proper diet and testing you can reduce your risk greatly. To learn more about glaucoma as well as cataracts and cataract surgery, LASIK eye surgery, PRK, and other eye care options, it is important to visit a laser vision correction office outside Seattle.

Lots of people have questions about cataract surgery, and hopefully we can clear them up. This procedure has been around for many years, but many people believe the procedure is the same as it was many years ago. There are many misconceptions about cataract surgery that should be cleared up. Cataract surgery has come a long way in recent years, and one of the most innovated techniques used in this procedure is the use of topical anesthesia, and the use of multi focal intraocular lenses. With the new topical anesthesia doctors no longer have to use painful injections. This allows patients to go home quickly. Although cataract surgery has been around for many years, there have been technical advancements that allow the procedure to be faster, safer, and achieve much better results. When cataract surgery first began, the doctor only removed the cloudy film from the eye but now intraocular lenses can also be introduced. These lenses are placed in front of the eye and replace the lens that is removed. The intraocular lens is placed behind the iris and thus eliminates the vibrations that other lenses had which in turn damaged the cornea. For many years these lenses have had several changes they have become smaller, flexible, so that they could be implanted with minute incisions. This puts to rest many of the misconceptions about cataract surgery, because it proves that the surgery is easy and quick. The problem that the medical field has been trying to remedy is as follows: even after the operation, people could see distant objects, but they still needed glasses to read. To get rid of the problem, multi focal intraocular lenses were created. These lenses give the user full vision, from near too far, without having to wear glasses. But probably the most significant change in cataract surgery has been the use of topical anesthesia. When cataract surgery first began, a patient had to be injected in the eye, which was, to say the least, very painful and risky. Now with the topical anesthesia cataract surgery can be done in as little as 15 minutes. It’s important that if you fear you might have cataracts, that you have it checked out by a doctor. Cataracts can be treated with better prescription glasses and medication, but the most effective treatment is cataract surgery, which is now almost painless and quick. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor about cataract surgery. For more information about cataract surgery, glaucoma treatment, LASIK, and other eye care options, it is important to visit our laser vision correction office outside Seattle.