The first two days of Lasik surgery recovery is the most important. You can expect slight discomfort in the form of itching, burning, bloodshot eyes and mild pain. Light sensitivity is also very common. It is imperative that you steer clear from rubbing your eyes, which is an absolutely normal reflex action to relieve discomfort and pain. Rubbing would definitely not ease any of the symptoms associated with surgery and may potentially result in flap dislodgment or other serious problems that would call for more surgery or cause irreparable damage.

Infection prevention

Infection prevention is very easy to achieve, by merely using prescribed medication usually in the form of eye drops and following basic hygiene rules including washing your hands thoroughly before touching the eye area. Its important not to use make-up, oils, lotions and creams on and around the eye area, until your doctor gives you the thumbs-up. Its also recommended that artificial tears be used to keep the eye or eyes well lubricated. Water sport, swimming activities, spa’s and hot tubs must be avoided for at least two months after surgery. Baths should be taken instead of showers at least the first seven days after surgery to avoid direct water into face and more specifically the eye area.

Eye shielding and Protection

Wear the protective eyes shields prescribed or supplied by your doctor for the first seven nights after surgery. Sunglasses should always be worn, no matter what the weather is like.

Consult with your physician

Please contact your physician or surgeon immediately, if pain or discomfort increases in severity at any point after the procedure. These signs may be an indication of an underlying problem such as an infection or dislodged flap. If left untreated, it may lead to a total loss of vision.

You must consider the procedures as well with each surgery technique. Consider the disadvantages and advantages as well. Microkeratome is the blade Lasik procedures that requires of the doctor to cut thin layers of the cornea and flap the hinges in the clear surface of eye. The doctor will lift the flaps and reshape the eyes to correct your vision. The flap is replaced so that healing is quickly accomplished.

Higher energy Lasik is another technique used which involves lasers or femtosecond lasers otherwise called IntraLase. The doctor does not use blades in this procedure rather vision is corrected by using other techniques.

Some doctors say that the Microkeratome procedures are the best way to cure eye problems while other doctors will argue.

Bladeless Lasik surgery is a procedure that involves lasers, which replace the cutting tools and include Femtosecond Laser or Excimer Lasers. With Femtosecond procedures, the laser is directly producing energy to create thin layers over the hinged flaps and lift them shortly from the cornea.

Excimer surgery involves energy release from lasers that apply to the eye and expose newly surfaces whereas tissue can be removed with precision patterns that change the shape of the cornea.

When it comes to choosing Lasik surgery, it pays to compare the types of procedures and methods used to eliminate the problem. What are the results from each surgery? The goal is to reshape the cornea so that your vision is corrected and you are able to focus clearly on the light rays on the retina for vision that becomes sharper.

Effectively the surgeon makes use of this tiny little blade to create a flap in the corneal tissue. The surgeon then removes a certain amount of this tissue with an “eximer laser” and replaces the flap. There is also a newer type of bladeless Lasik in which a Femtosecond laser is used to create the flap, after which the same technique is used to remove the required amount of corneal tissue.

This surgery has been designed to assist people to see better, and many patients who have had to wear spectacles or contact lenses for years have been helped. The concept or rational for this surgery remains the same with every practitioner, however the tools they used to perform the surgery differ. For some ophthalmologists the terminology “Lasik” means all laser, while other still make use of Microkeratome Lasik in which a surgical scalpel is used.

Mayo Clinic health studies are available which compare bladeless and mechanical Lasik surgery, and these studies have found that both types of surgery have equal results. So you can rest assured that if your ophthalmologist is using a blade or a laser the results you will obtain from the surgery will be of equal quality.

Test subjects were examined six months after both these types of surgery had been completed, and no differences were found in respect of visual acuity. This particular study involved twenty patients, all of whom received surgery for astigmatism or nearsightedness.

The fact that both of these forms of surgery are available to patients who want to undergo this operation (it is elective surgery) indicates that either complete laser or Microkeratome surgery are just as good as one-another. In actual fact, in the study it was found that back-scatter was more prevalent in patients who received all-laser surgery as apposed to Microkeratome. Backscatter does not affect the quality of vision it can only be seen by the physician under testing conditions.

For people who plan to get the procedure done, it is extremely important to choose an experienced doctor. The surgery involves a laser making incisions on your eyeballs. That is something that you don’t want messed up. There are a lot of doctors out there offering great deals on the surgery, but the best deal financially, might not be the best deal overall.

It is important that you have a doctor who has experience with the up to date techniques involved in the procedure. A good doctor will be able to communicate with you the needed information before and after the surgery. Most people are required to have at six months of follow-up to make sure everything is looking okay.

Once you find the best doctor, you can focus on all of the benefits of having the procedure done. Dealing with glasses or contacts can be such a pain. You have to worry about them getting lost or broken. It takes time to put contacts in and you have to be sure to take care of them correctly. And you have to worry about prescription updates every year or so. Some people who have received LASIK have achieved better vision than they were able to get with corrective lenses.

For people who love to be active, LASIK might be especially desirable. Any time you are doing an activity, you need to worry about your glasses or contacts. You don’t want to get them broken or lose them of course. Swimming can especially be a challenge. You either have to swim with contacts in and risk losing them or damaging them, or you choose to swim without any corrective lenses and your vision is limited. This is just no good when you are trying to win a game of water polo. After you get the procedure done, none of this will be a problem anymore.

Imagine a life without the hassle of glasses or contacts. If this is the life you want, then you might want to check with your eye doctor to find out if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery. There are risks involved just like with any surgery, so only you can decide if the benefits outweigh the risks.

Less than 10 minutes later, she correctly tells the time through vision she calls “steamy,” a temporary side effect of the surgery. Twenty minutes more and she’s on her way home. “It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought,” she says. “I was expecting it to be worse.”

Leslie Holmes of Greenville, has the composure of a Buddhist monk during her surgery to correct farsightedness. “So many people I knew had had the procedure and were happy with the results,” she says afterward. “I felt a little pressure but no pain.”

Moss and Holmes are among the more than a million Americans expected to get LASIK, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, this year, reports the American Academy of Ophthalmologists. Nicknamed the “flap-and-zap” surgery, LASIK involves cutting a flap in the cornea and reshaping it with an excimer laser.

Chances are you know people who’ve had it. Certainly you’ve seen them, if only on television. Courteney Cox Arquette, Cindy Crawford, Tiger Woods and Brad Pitt all have undergone the outpatient procedure.

Most patients are enthusiastic advocates. Take John Warren of Hockessin, 37. Warren, who had moderate myopia, had worn corrective lenses since fifth grade. He had LASIK in November and now his vision is 20/10. “Sometimes I feel I can see through walls,” he jokes.

He’s not alone. By 2010, some surgeons say LASIK will offer 90 percent of patients vision that exceeds 20/20. Yet it’s not for everyone. Diabetics and sufferers of autoimmune diseases, such a rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, are poor candidates. Even with multiple surgeries, there are those who may never have 20/20 vision. And like any medical procedure, there are risks.

Experts encourage patients to get the facts. “I’m a big proponent of the physician and assistant really discussing the process,” says George Popel, M.D., who has a practice Wilmington and Newark. “Where patients get into trouble is with an assembly-line doctor who doesn’t see the patient before the surgery. They may not be aware of the patient’s problems.”

Some practices won’t see patients younger than 18. Others have a 21-or-older age limit. Pregnant or nursing women, whose vision can fluctuate, are poor candidates. As are people with a history of eye disease, such as glaucoma or cataracts.

Doctors should examine patients’ eyes as part of a comprehensive initial consultation, Barrett says. He maps the patient’s cornea to detect abnormalities and measure corneal thickness. Thin corneas may not offer enough tissue for the laser to reshape, says Jeff Blackney, spokesperson for Gary Markowitz, M.D., an ophthalmologist with office in Newark, Dover and Milford.

Contact lenses, which distort the cornea’s curvature, may affect eligibility, Barrett says. Wearers must shelve their lenses at least a month before the evaluation to see if the cornea pops back into shape.

Pupil size is another factor. Current laser machines sculpt an area no wider than 6.5 mm, Blackney says. After surgery, people whose pupils grow larger than the corrected area could see halos at night. But even people with normal-size pupils could see halos after surgery, though that could disappear over time.

Warren, however, has better night vision after LASIK. Waking up one night, he spotted the cat sitting in the bedroom window. He was thrilled to discern the cat’s whiskers, which were gleaming in the moonlight.

Ideal candidates have healthy eyes and need little vision correction, most experts agree. Yet doctors have successfully performed LASIK on patients whose correction is as high as –15 or, in the case of farsightedness, +6.

Even the best candidates may be denied, however. Celebrity spokespeople have made LASIK seem like a wonder cure, Blackney explains. Some patients want guarantees that their post-surgery vision will be perfect. But with higher corrections, that might not be possible. And 20/20 vision doesn’t translate into perfection. Patients still might have problems distinguishing shades of gray, for instance.

“There are some weeks where we will wash out more patients than we’ll do, because their expectations are too high,” Blackney says. “Ethically, it’s critical to never infer that someone will have [perfect] vision.”

Just ask Cynthia Morgan of Chadds Ford, who had refractive surgery in the early ‘90s. In those days, friends thought she was crazy. But the doctor said she’d be able to drive without glasses, and that was too good to pass up, she recalls.

On her right eye, he performed radial keratotomy, a Soviet-pioneered procedure during which doctors use scalpels to reshape the corneas of nearsighted patients. On her left eye, he did LASIK, then a new procedure. When the results weren’t satisfactory, she had LASIK again.

The doctor advised a third procedure. “It wasn’t prefaced that I [might] need to go three times,” says Morgan. Though she knows several people who’ve had successful LASIK procedures, she decided twice was enough. “You wonder what it does for your eyes.”

Today her prescription is less severe, but she still needs glasses. Her astigmatism increased and her night vision waned. On a stormy night, call a cab rather than ride in her car, she jokes.

Along with poor night vision, other complications could include post-operative infections or problems stemming from improperly made cornea flaps. Imagine seeing through wrinkled plastic wrap and you get the general idea.

Barrett encourages prospective patients to watch LASIK in action. Like most LASIK surgeons, he rents the equipment’s use. Units can cost $500,000 and more, and rapidly changing technology makes long-term investments about as savvy as sticking with a Pentium I computer.

At the First Sight Laser Center in Christiana, Barrett and his assistants wear surgical scrubs and caps. Patients also don caps. The examining table wheels under an arm attached to the laser equipment. During the procedure, the patient’s face is hidden from the audience’s sight. A television monitor displays the patient’s eye, which fills nearly the entire screen.

While the staff is getting the laser ready, the eye often zips back and forth as though a tennis match were in progress. Easy to see why some patients accept the proffered Valium. “ It puts anxiety at a level so the patient can focus without being distracted with their own fear,” Blackney says.

If Warren had the surgery to do over again, he would take the drug. He kept flinching when objects neared his eye. Holmes, however, was calm without Valium.

Once the patient is settled, Barrett bathes the eye with a liquid anesthetic, which numbs it for surgery. He uses a sterile drape, which looks like clear plastic, to pull lashes away from the eye. Then he slips a speculum under the lids to prop them open.

“There’s some discomfort from those paper clip-type things that keep the eye open,” Warren says. “You know they’re there – but there’s really nothing else to focus on.”

One patient struggled so much, the procedure was aborted, Barrett recalls. With a little more Valium, she breezed through the insertion. Moss, who had dreaded the speculum, and Holmes had no problems.

When the eyelids are open, Barrett marks the eye with a water-soluble ink. The lines will later the flap’s repositioning. A suction ring holds the eye steady. The cornea is sucked up. “It feels like a low-volume vacuum cleaner sucking on the palm of a hand,” Warren says. There’s pressure, but no pain.

Patients fixate on a red dot while Barrett uses a device called a microkeratome to slice the cornea’s outer layers. The instrument stops short, creating a hinge. Rarely, the microkeratome could cut a flap that’s too thin or a partial flap. “It’s the most disappointing complication,” says Julianne Lin, M.D., who practices with Popel. “If that happens…you put the flap back, let it heal and then come back to redo the procedure.”

A successful flap, which looks like a contact lens, is gently pulled back with forceps. Underneath, the eye has the texture of a peeled grape. During this process, vision is impaired. But patients rarely panic, Barrett says. He tells them what to expect before and during the procedure.

He uses his stocking foot to trigger the laser, which is guided by a computer program. Though you can’t see the laser’s progress, you can hear its short, rapid bursts. He stops if the patient’s attention drifts from the red dot.

The laser removes a small amount of tissue – about a quarter the thickness of a human hair – from the underlying layers. For nearsighted patients, the laser trims tissue from the cornea’s center, producing a flatter curve. For farsighted patients, the laser creates a steeper curve.

Undergoing LASIK won’t negate the need for reading glasses, a condition called presbyopia. As we age, the lens in our eye grows more rigid, affecting its ability to generate extra focusing power. A solution is monovision: one eye is corrected, while the other stays the same or is under-corrected, depending on the prescription. Patients should test it with contacts first, to see if the brain can rewire, Lin says.

The laser only fires for about a minute. Barrett gently taps the flap into place, absorbing excess moisture with a lint-free tool. Some doctors let the cornea dry back into shape, which takes from two to three minutes. Others insert an extra-large contact lens, which acts like a bandage to hold the flap in place. Patients should not rub their eyes and must use antibiotic drops to prevent infection.

Immediate results vary. “Nobody should expect perfect vision right after the procedure,” Blackney says. “The maximum healing time for LASIK is three months.”

After surgery, Warren felt as though he’d opened his eyes in a sand storm. “It was as bad as when I first wore contacts, when I was 13,” he recalls. “At 6 p.m., I was 100 percent better. I said to my wife, ‘Hey, I can see the TV.’ At 6:45, I could read the time on the VCR 15 feet away.”

Some patients see well enough to drive the next day, Barrett reports. Still, many will experience what Blackney calls the “roller-coaster effect of healing.” Vision will fluctuate for days — even months. The reason is the flap, which like any mending tissue, can swell. “Most people don’t realize it until you point it out,” Lin says. “They won’t see as clear in the afternoon as they do in the morning.”

LASIK generally is not covered by insurance. Prices vary, but typically run about $1,700 to $1,900 an eye. Some doctors offer payment plans. The price has decreased with demand and availability.

For Warren, it’s been worth every penny. “It really alters your life,” he says. “Don’t let cost get in the way. When you’re done, you won’t care.”

Article Source: http://www.ienhance.com

Each procedure varies due to differences in vision and patients. Most patients will pass a drivers test without contacts or glasses after the LASIK surgery.

AM I A CANDIDATE FOR LASIK?

Nearly everyone who wears contacts or glasses can benefit from LASIK. A prerequisite is to have stable vision for a year before the procedure. By this is meant to not have a huge loss of vision before the procedure.

LASIK patients typically show signs of far-sighted or near-sighted vision and/or have astigmatism. You must meet some medical and visual health guidelines and be in fair health in general. Age is not generally a problem. LASIK is regularly performed on people of all ages.

LASIK is right for you if you are motivated to make a change in your life, and you have realistic expectations of and understand what LASIK can do for you.

If you are pregnant or nursing LASIK is not recommended. Some medications may pose possible problems.

At Robbins Eye Center your consultation will determine your candidacy. Dr. Robbins will discuss with you whether your prognosis is optimal for the LASIK procedure. Hopefully you will be a great candidate and be able to opt for the best choice of your life – Improved Natural Vision.

BENEFITS OF LASIK

The greatest benefit of LASIK is permanent visual correction. For most people this means a life free of glasses and contacts!

LASIK is painless. LASIK conveniently corrects the vision in both of your eyes at the same time. You will be out of the Vision Center in less than two hours. You may return to work the very next day. You’ll save money on glasses and contacts and all that goes with them.

Generally patients return to driving and work the very next day. Your vision will improve gradually over the first 24 hours till the full effect of the surgery is realized.

ABOUT THE PROCEDURE

After your eye has been completely numbed using “eye drop” anesthesia, an eyelid holder will be placed between your eyelids to prevent you from blinking.

LASIK utilizes an instrument called a microkeratome to make a small “flap” in your cornea. You may feel some pressure but no pain is produced by using the microkeratome. You will be looking at a light during the procedure. The flap will be folded back in place without any need for stitches. Your eye will heal itself from this small incision.

By: Dr. Kim Robbins

Dr. Kim Robbins – Robbins Eye Center.