Answers to Your LASIK Questions
March 29th, 2017
Although LASIK has been popular for the last 15 years, it is still considered a relatively new procedure. Because of that, many people have questions regarding LASIK treatment. Check out some common questions and answers so that you will have a better understanding of how LASIK works and whether it is right for you.
What does LASIK treat?
There is a myth that LASIK only treats nearsightedness, when it actually treats farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. It is important to understand that it does not cure presbyopia. Instead, the eye surgeon will correct one eye for distance and the other for near vision. Your brain will become accustomed to relying on different eyes to see near and far away.
What happens during the procedure?
The idea of eye surgery makes some people nervous, but it is actually an easy process. The doctor will give you something to calm you down before starting the procedure. Once you are relaxed, numbing drops are placed in your eyes so that you will not feel anything. Then, the doctor will make a flap in your eye. The doctor will guide a laser through the flap., reshaping the corneal tissue. When finished, the flap is put back over the cornea.
What are the side effects?
LASIK eye surgery does not have many side effects. However, those considered the most common include glare, halos, and dry eyes. Side effects often go away over time, although a small number of people report experiencing side effects long term. It is a good idea to go over potential risks with your Huntsville, Alabama eye surgeon before agreeing to LASIK.
What is the recovery time?
Most people do not have days or weeks to recover from eye surgery. They need to get back into the swing of things as quickly as possible, which is not a problem with LASIK. Although you will need to rest the day of surgery, you can resume your normal activities the following day. In addition, you will need to bring some eye drops with you wherever you go to keep your eyes lubricated for the first few weeks. Other than that, you are free to do what you want.
When will my vision improve?
Because you are getting the surgery to improve your vision, this is probably the most important question you have. Your vision will improve immediately, although it will likely be a little blurry at first. By the following day, you will notice a vast improvement. You vision will continue to improve for about six months, before finally leveling out.
At that point, you will know how much you benefited from the surgery. With LASIK, most people no longer need to wear glasses, although some do. If you still have to wear glasses, you might be a good candidate for a touchup. The surgeon can perform an additional procedure, to fine tune the correction.
If you are ready for LASIK eye surgery, contact a Decatur, Alabama eye surgeon. Schedule a consultation so that you can make sure that you are a good candidate for this procedure. If you are, you will be ready to move forward with LASIK and before long, have your vision back.
