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Laser Eye Surgery - Say No To Contact Lenses

Eyeglasses, spectacles, frames or lenses you may name it. They have been with us since the thirteen century. Fortunately, we have an alternative: corrective laser eye surgery. This procedure has revolutionized the world offering us a different option to wearing metal and glass around our head or inserting those pesky contact lenses into our eyes.

Of course, the procedure has advantages and disadvantages. But what is laser eye surgery? Let's check out.

In simple terms, it's a surgical procedure that uses a laser beam to correct vision. The first experimental procedures were done in the 1970's but it wasn't until the decade of 1990 that it became mainstream, making the cost of the procedure affordable to a wide spectrum of people, especially in the first world.

Today, laser eye surgery is a common procedure. Each year it's applied to millions of patients around the world

Is Laser Eye Surgery The Right Choice For You?

That depends on some factors. For example, age. If you are forty years old, or more, then it's probable that you will still require reading lenses. And, as time passes, you may need another surgery for correcting further deterioration of your eye. Surgery corrects the problem but not its source.

Medications are a more serious matter. You should tell your doctor every medicament you are ingesting. He will be the one to evaluate if you are a candidate for eye surgery or not.

How Many Types of Laser Refractive Surgery Exists?

Right now, there are three types of laser eye surgery procedures available in the market. They are:

Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

This is a form of laser eye surgery that changes, permanently, the shape of the cornea. Making use of a microkeratome (a surgical instrument), the surgeon cuts a piece of the cornea (also known as flap) and folds it aside. Afterwards, the doctor makes use of a laser to remove certain parts of the cornea underneath, reshaping it. Once he is finished, he puts the flap back to its place.

Laser-Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy (LASEK)

This operation is a variation of LASIK. Instead of making a flap in the cornea, the surgeon makes a flap in the epithelium, a layer of cells that covers the cornea. This piece of tissue is placed aside during the course of the procedure. Once the surgeon finishes, it places it back.

Photorefractive Keratomy (PRK)

PRK is very similar to LASEK. The main difference is that the doctor removes the epithelium and doesn't place it back. As in LASEK, it is expected that healthy cells cure the injured section of the epithelium after the operation.

Things to Consider For the Surgery

First of all, find a good surgeon. Remember, they are your eyes, so don't go cheap in this issue. Although corrective laser eye surgery is a common procedure, there are some risks involved which we will explore later.

Once you find a doctor, you must be completely sincere on your medical condition. That means your past and present status. If you don't have a medical record, then take your time and make a list of any situation that you may have suffered or are still suffering from.

If you are going to go for the LASIK procedure and you use soft contact lenses, then you should stop wearing them one week or more before the operation. But, if you wear hard contact lenses, consult your doctor for more information.