LASIK or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis is the most popularly performed eye procedure that treats different eye conditions which includes myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia, or even farsightedness, and astigmatism. It reshapes one’s cornea to enable the light that is entering a patient’s eye to be properly focused onto the retina, achieving clearer vision. LASIK eye surgery can be completed in just 30 minutes for both eyes. It is also pain free, making it a popular choice to most patients. What’s more is that the results can be felt and seen within twenty-four hours.
It is important to check with a reliable eye specialist before deciding to undergo eye surgery, as not all patients are a good candidate for the LASIK procedure. If you are not a good fit for the procedure, you may be advised to a various vision correction surgery available. Your doctor may suggest PRK Photorefractive Keratectomy, LASEK Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis , Small Incision Lenticule Extraction ReLex SMILE eye surgery or  phakic IOL implant surgery. The eye doctor will determine if any of the mentioned procedures is suitable for your eye condition.
How does LASIK surgery work?
During LASIK eye surgery, your eye specialist will use either a mechanical surgical tool called microkeratome or a femtosecond laser in order to create a thin, circular flap in the cornea. The flap is fold back at the hinge to get the stroma or the underlying cornea. The excimer laser is a very specialized laser that uses a cool ultraviolet light beam is applied to ablate or eradicate microscopic amounts of tissue from the cornea. This will help reshape the cornea so it can accurately focus light on the retina and improve your vision. The aim for nearsighted person is to flatten the cornea and for far sighted patients is to steepen the cornea.
Aside from correcting for near as well as farsightedness excimer lasers can correct astigmatism. It works by smoothening the irregular cornea back to its regular shape. Once the laser has reshaped the cornea, the flap is then laid back in place to let the cornea to heal naturally.
What to do after the surgery
When you doctor has already completed the LASIK surgery, he or she will ask you to rest for 30 minutes or so. This is because you may still feel a temporary stinging or burning sensation in your eyes following the operation. Your doctor will also conduct a brief post-operative examination. Do raise any problems to your doctor before being discharged for the day.
After the operation, you will still see blurry vision or haziness. The clarity of your vision should improve by the following morning. It should continue to improve and stabilize within a couple of days to weeks following the operation. In different cases, it may still take several weeks or even longer for the patient to see the results.
While most patient experience good vision the following day, most eye surgeon may still advise you to rest for a few of days before returning to work. Your doctor will schedule a post op examination the next day after the surgery to observe your recovery. Bear in mind that you also need to avoid any strenuous exercise for at least a week, as such activity can traumatize the eye and disrupt the recovery process.
For any LASIK eye surgery questions, don’t hesitate to contact Atlas Eye. Visit their site to learn more about their services.
