LASIK Eye Surgery Questions

Question: How long does a LASIK eye surgery take?

Answer: The LASIK eye surgery is normally done in your eye surgeon’s office. This procedure takes 10-20 minutes for both eyes.

Question: Are the effects of laser eye surgery permanent?

Answer: Yes. After the healing process of 2 to 3 months the effects of the surgery will be permanent. However, you should still see your eye doctor regularly.

Q: Will I need reading glasses after the treatment?

A: You shouldn’t need reading glasses after the procedure if you are under the age of 40. However, if you are under 40 you may need reading glasses because the procedure will weaken your near-sight.

Q: How soon can I take a bath or shower?

A: Each doctor will tell patients a different time based off of their unique surgery. However, the standard time is usually the same week you got the procedure done.

Q: How many times do I need to be seen after treatment?

A: Most doctors will ask to see you 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the procedure is done. Remember that most eye surgeons can be reached at other times if you are having problems in your eyes after having the surgery.

Q: How long will it be until I can swim after treatment?

A: Stay out of treated swimming pools for three weeks. You should stay out of the ocean, lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds for a good month after treatment.

Q: When can I drive after the procedure?

A: You shouldn’t drive the day of the procedure. You can start driving as soon as your eye sight returns to normal. Don’t drive if you eye sight is blurry or if you are having double vision.

Q: How soon can I use makeup on my eyes?

A: You can start using eye makeup almost two weeks after you have surgery. You should also throw out mascara, and eyeliners to prevent getting an infection.

Q: Can you have both eyes treated at the same time?

A: Yes. IT is actually better to have both eyes done at the same time (if you need both eyes done. This is because you won’t be nearsighted in one eye between treatments. However, you can choose to have one eye done at a time.

Q: Will I be in pain after the eye surgery?

A: Most patients feel a burning or scratching pain in their eye. However, this should only last 2-3 hours after the procedure is done. IF it lasts longer you should call your doctor.

Cosmetic Eye Surgery FAQ

Q: What is Cosmetic Eye Surgery?

A: Any eye surgery or procedure done to your eye for a better physical eye appearance. This is normally a surgery done to reverse the look of age. These types of surgeries are often done on your eyelids including the tissue surrounding the eye.

Q: What is Asian Eyelid Surgery?

A: This is a cosmetic operation done to give your eyelid the crease that an Asian person would have. It pulls the eyes up into that Asian look as well.

Q: What is the most common cosmetic eye surgery?

A: Blepharoplasty is the most common as of January 2010.

Q: What is a blepharoplasty?

A: It is a surgery commonly known as an eye-lift. It often makes eyes look younger, and it is supposed to remove wrinkles.

Q: How long is the impact of blepharoplasty?

A: It can last up to 10 years.

Q: How much does a blepharoplasty normally cost?

A: A blepharoplasty in January 2010 had the average price of 2,219 dollars.

Q: What questions should I ask my doctor before the surgery?

A:  There are many questions that have to be answered such as:

• How experienced is the doctor with this type of surgery?
• What is the policy of revisions?
• How much will this procedure cost?
• What are the risks of this particular surgery?
• How long will the recovery process be?

Q: Will my insurance cover the bill of a blepharoplasty or other cosmetic eye surgery?

A: No. Most insurance will not pay for something that is not beneficial to your health. IF droopy eyelids are affecting your ability to see, however, then that is a medical reason for the surgery and your insurance may pay.

Q: What other types of cosmetic eye surgeries are available?

A: There are many cosmetic eye surgeries that someone can have done. The most popular are:

• Brightening of the whites of your eyes.
• Removing under eye fat
• Reducing puffy eyed appearance
• Fixing droopy eyelids
• Removing wrinkles
• Removing growths from eyelids

These FAQ’s have hopefully aided you in your decision of laser eye surgery. Different kinds of surgery are available, and can be performed by tour local eye surgeon. Contact your doctor for any medical questions.

One in four people in theUnited States suffer with farsightedness, meaning that they can see things far away, but not nearby, like the print on a newspaper or in a magazine.  Those with hyperopia tend to also suffer with regular headaches, haziness when looking at things at a close range and an overall inability to focus when reading.  This can be a real hassle for many people, prompting them to get glasses to help correct their vision problems.

The Cause of Farsightedness

Farsightedness may be common, but do you know what causes it? In most people it is due to one of these factors:

• an eye that it too short form front to back
• or whose natural lenses is too far back in the cornea.

In both of these instances, the vision tries to focus too far form the retina, causing blurriness. Since long distance sight requires this type of longer focusing, the patient with hyperopia can easily see things at a greater distance than when trying to focus on objects closer to the eye.

Treating Farsightedness

While corrective eye glasses or contacts have been the norm in treating hyperopia in the past, many people today are opting for a more permanent solution to their fuzzy vision – Lasik laser eye surgery.

Using an Excimer laser, Lasik laser eye surgery can actually reshape the cornea and readjust the eye’s refractive tendencies.  This can help to clear up any vision problems when focusing both far away objects as well as those closer to the patient’s eye.

Are There Any Dangers to Lasik Eye Surgery?

Considered nearly risk-0free, Lasik eye surgery ahs improved tremendously over the years, offering a 95% success rate. Still, complications can occur, especially in older patients over the age of 60. The most common risks and side effects include:

• dry eyes
• infection
• halos or blurry vision
• headaches

In time, most of these side effects go away on their own, but a few patients must repeat the procedure in order to attain the results they seek.

What is The Cost of Lasik Eye Surgery for Farsightedness?

While highly effective, Lasik eye surgery is not cheap. with the cost ranging form $1,500 to $2,800 per eye, depending on the surgeon’s experience and the region in which the patient has the procedure done.  In addition, many insurance companies either do not cover the procedure at all, or will only pay a  small fraction of the final surgical costs.

Who Qualifies for Lasik Eye Surgery?

If you are one of thousands ready to throw out your eyeglasses or contacts for good and want to permanently change your vision forever (and for the better), than you are a good candidate for this type of procedure.  In most cases age does not mater, with children, teens and older adults having the procedure done.  However, most surgeons do require that a patient’s lens prescription remain stable for about two years before opting for this surgical procedure. This helps to minimize the need to redo the surgery later on should your eyesight fluctuate again.  Plus, a good health assessment should be made to determine that you are not at risk for other side effects when undergoing the procedure.

Regardless of your age or sight status, it is always best to meet with a qualified Lasik eye surgeon to discuss all of the pros and cons of the procedure befor  scheduling a surgical appointment.

Lasik eye surgery can be a wonderful way to permanently improve your eyesight, but it should only be performed on those who best qualify for the procedure to ensure success.

What Is Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery can be used to correct your vision and decrease your dependency on glasses or contact lenses.  The most popular procedure is LASIK the second most popular being PRK, and a surgery called LASEK that is for those who can not have LASIK. These surgeries reshape your cornea and refocus it. It takes about 15-20 minutes for both eyes. The cost is normally between $1,800 and $2,600. However, a cosmetic eye surgery can cost up to $3,219.

What is LASIK?

LASIK surgery is used to correct refractive problems such as astigmatism, or Myopia. In this surgery your surgeon will use one of two lasers to create a flap with the outer tissue of your cornea. Then he or she will perform the procedure on the flap as well as the soft tissue under the flap. This surgery is currently the most popular laser eye surgery for correcting vision. However, there are many risks that come with this procedure such as the need for enhancement surgeries because of overcorrection. Other risks might also be the risk of a protective coating growing over the cornea. This is actually a cell growth that can be easily scraped away, but requires another surgery. LASIK often costs between $1,800 and $2,800 per eye, and possibly another $500 for the surgeon and $300 for the Anesthesia. Overall this is a costly and possibly risky surgery.

What is LASEK?

LASEK eye surgery is a surgery similar to LASIK. However, this procedure is often done on people who have very thin cornea or would have problems with the LASIK surgery. This is because the laser makes the flap with a thinner layer of cornea unlike thicker flap made by a LASIK laser. It also doesn’t go very deep into the tissue to perform the surgery which makes it safer than many other laser eye surgeries. However, you may need to go back in as little as three years for another surgery, and this procedure has a long uncomfortable recovery time. LASEK costs about $1,700 to $2,360 per eye. Add the surgeon and the Anesthesia and it comes up to be a little cheaper than most other eye surgeries; however it still costs a lot of money.

What Are The Differences Between LASEK and LASIK?

LASIK and LASEK surgeries may sound similar but they have a few differences that you need to know about.

1. LASEK is safer- The laser doesn’t go as deep into the tissue of the cornea unlike LASIK. Therefore LASEK surgery can be safer.
2. LASIK has a more comfortable recovery- LASEK surgery can have a very uncomfortable recovery time.
3. LASEK is better for those with thinner corneas- LASEK surgery only takes a very thin layer of cornea to create the flap, therefore making it ideal for those who may have thin corneas and can not have much of their cornea taken to create the flap.
4. LASEK is Cheaper- LASEK could be a few hundred dollars cheaper than LASIK. For some people this is a big decision decider for them.
5. LASIK has Enhancement surgeries- Because of overcorrection you might need to go back to your surgeon for Enhancement surgeries. Those who do not want to do more surgeries tend to consider LASEK.

Side-effects of LASIK and LASEK

The side-effects of LASIK and LASEK can also help you decide which surgery would better suit your situation. The side-effects of LASIK include:

• Night Glare
• Dry Eye
• Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis-An inflammation condition that is sight threatening and needs to be dealt with immediately
• Haze
• Halos
• A Protective Covering Developing on the Cornea

The side-effects of LASEK:

• Cloudy or Hazy Vision for about 6 or 9 months
• Dry Eye for about 6 months
• The Sensation of Having Something in your Eye for about 4 to 6 days
• Loss of Vision for up to 12 months

In the end knowing the difference between LASIK and LASEK laser eye surgery can be a deciding factor for which surgery you get. You are the patient and it is your job to know what the surgery options are available for your condition, and help decide what procedure is best for you. Remember to always be an informed patient, and talk to your surgeon about the risks and benefits of any surgery.

What is Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser is a medical procedure that is done by an eye surgeon. This kind of procedure is often used so someone doesn’t have to wear glasses or contact lenses. Laser eye surgery reshapes your cornea, and the front part of your eye. This makes your eye refocus, hopefully giving you vision that is less dependant on glasses or contact lenses. There are currently two very popular laser eye surgery procedures: LASIK (Laser-assisted in Sitsu keratomileusis) and PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy).

What is PRK Laser Eye Surgery?

PRK is the second most popular laser eye surgery available. This surgery reshapes the cornea of your eye with the help of an Excimer laser. In this procedure, the surgeon will remove the outer most layer of the cornea, and then the surgery is preformed on the tissue underneath. The laser used in this procedure (Excimer) is a small ultra-violet laser light. This laser is cool to the touch, and reshapes the cornea with accuracy. When you reshape the cornea you should hopefully have better vision. Most patients that come out of PRK surgery don’t have 20/20 vision. This is however, a good way to regain eye sight that has been lost because of age or problems with your cornea.

What is LASIK Eye Surgery?

The LASIK eye surgery procedure is the first most popular laser eye surgery available. This procedure also reshapes your cornea with the help of the laser you and your surgeon choose. There are exactly two lasers that can be used with LASIK surgery which are both labeled LASIK A and LASIK B. In this procedure the thin outer layer of the cornea is lightly lifted up, and the surgery is performed on both parts of the tissue of the cornea. Most people who come out of LASIK surgery don’t have 20/20 vision, because this surgery is only supposed to help you be able to see clearer without a very strong prescription for glasses or contacts.

What is the Main Difference between PRK and LASIK?

The main difference between LASIK and PRK eye surgery is how the cornea is re-shaped. When you have LASIK surgery they create a small flap with the outside layer of your cornea, and do the procedure on that tissue as well as the tissue underneath the small flap. In PRK laser eye surgery a thin layer of cornea is scraped away and the procedure is done on the tissue underneath that thin layer of cornea.

What Are the Risks of LASIK?

Like any surgery a laser eye surgery has its own unique list of risks. This list of risks that are involved with LASIK eye surgery should help you decide which type of procedure you want done on your eyes. Risks include:

• Infection
• Refractive Problems
• Night Glare
• Problems or infections in the cornea
• Pain
• Protective growth on your cornea flap
• Prolonged healing process
• The need for reading glasses or bifocals on people over the age of forty

What are the Risks of PRK?

The PRK laser eye surgery has its own set of risks that come along with it. No surgery especially on something as delicate as your eye is 100% effective or safe. Risks of PRK eye surgery include:

• Infection
• Glare
• Seeing Halos
• Dry Eyes
• Seeing Badly in Dim Light or at Night
• Long time Halos around images

How do you Decide What Laser Eye Surgery is Right For You?

Once you have decided with your doctor that your sight can be repaired with laser eye surgery you have to discuss which surgery is the right one for you. First you need to discuss the risks and benefits of each surgery with you eye doctor and the surgeon performing the procedure. They are the expert, and they know what they’re doing. Next, you should ask the advice of your eye doctor. The doctor can tell you which surgery h or she thinks is best based on your medical history. Remember; also take time with your decision. Unless you need an eye surgery done right away it is a good idea to sit and think about each surgery option. Don’t rush the decision, this is your health and you need to not be pressured into making a decision too early. Some facts to help make your decision are listed below:

The LASIK eye surgery is the procedure with the most to date technology with the PRK procedure just a year or two behind. Truthful both surgeries should do the same job, but the LASIK surgery has a better success rate.

• The PRK surgery is a cheaper option, and some insurance won’t pay for LASIK.
• LASIK has a few long-term side-effects that could damage the health of someone with diabetes or heart problems.
• PRK also has long-term side effects such as not being able to see well in dim lighting or the dark. This could be a problem for people who must drive very late at night or early in the morning.

Hopefully you can make the correct decision about your eye surgery. Both LASIK and PRK surgeries are FDA approved, and almost any eye surgeon can perform at least one of the procedures. Both surgeries will also hopefully help you lose some of the dependence for thick glasses or contact lenses.

Big Side Effects or Risks

There are many small side-effects that can be caused by your eye surgery. However, laser eye surgery also has a few big side-effects that could permanently damage your health. Some of these side-effects include:

• Possible Blindness
• Glare at night, and the possibility of not being able to drive at night or in dim light.
•  Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis (DLK)
• Protective Cornea Coating

Possible Blindness

In some patients there is a possibility that you will be blinded by laser eye surgery. At least 10 out of 10,000 people who have cosmetic eye surgery go blind and only 1 out of 10,000 go blind if they have a LASIK or PRK procedure done. It is more common for those over 35 to go blind as well as those having unneeded cosmetic eye surgeries.

Glare at Night

Because of the procedure people who wear glasses or contacts will often experience a night glare after laser eye surgery. This is because the pupil’s dilate in dark or dim light, and rays of light will shoot off of lenses causing a glare.

Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis

DLK is a condition that can occur after LASIK eye surgery and sometime s after a PRK surgery. This is an inflammation condition also known by the name Sands of theSahara. It is characterized as white grains appearing in your sight a few days after a LASIK or other laser eye surgery. This is a sight-threatening condition and needs to be dealt with efficiently and immediately. Your doctor or surgeon cans prescript a topical steroid for the condition.

Protective Cornea Coating

This growth is caused when certain cells get trapped under the corneal flap formed during LASIK surgery. These growths can be easily scraped away by your surgeon.

Common and Minor Side-Effects

There are many minor side effects that often occur after any type of laser eye surgery. These are things you may want to be aware of, and adjust your home and life to fit these side-effects for the recovery time. These side-effects include:

• Loss of Crisp Vision
• Dry Eye
• Halos
• Starbursts
• Overcorrection

Loss of Crisp Vision

This is often described as the loss of sharp vision. A few weeks after surgery you may not be able to see things as defined as you would like to. For a few weeks you may not be able to see things such as fine print, hanging food menus, the guide on your TV, and small details. This often disappears about three weeks into recovery. For older patient it may be up to six weeks.

Dry Eye

Dry eye is one of the most common side-effects that people will experience after laser eye surgery. This will more than likely go away about six weeks into recovery. However, you can buy artificial tears or lubricating eye drops to keep your eyes moist. Dry eye mostly causes discomfort but is not fatal to your sight in any way. However, some older patients may need to use lubricating eye drops for a few months after surgery to ensure that the dry eye doesn’t return.

Halos

Halos are described as rings of light or circles of light that you see around objects. These will normally disappear about two weeks into recovery. However, they may not disappear at night for about six weeks. If halos do not disappear you may want to see your surgeon or eye doctor, and they will check your eyes.

Starbursts

Starburst are almost identical to halos except they are seen only at night, and they look like light exploding around an object. These starburst normally go away about three weeks into recovery. However, some people will experience mild starbursts around bright lights or LED lights at night for a few months after their eye surgery.

Overcorrection

Some nearsighted and farsighted people will experience overcorrection. Sometimes this is done intentionally to compensate for swelling in your eye during the surgery. This can be corrected by resetting the laser to another setting and simply going back in for another surgery. This is not an uncommon side-effect, and is experienced mostly by farsighted people.

It is a surgeon’s job to perform your laser eye surgery. It is your job as a patient to know the side-effects of that surgery. If you know what the side-effects will be of you procedure the more likely you will be comfortable during your recovery time. Remember to see your eye surgeon for follow up appointment and listen to his or her advice about Enhancement surgeries. They are the experts. However, it is good to inform yourself in the best way that you can.

Risks of PRK

PRK is one of the most popular laser eye surgeries available. Although it is not as advanced as LASIK it gets the job done. However, this procedure has both long and short-term risks involved. Some of these risks include:

• Potential browning of the cornea with age
• Halos around objects
• Dry-eye
• Flattening of cornea
• Glare in dim light
• Scars

Risks of LASIK

LASIK eye surgery is the most popular laser eye surgery for fixing sight. It is the most advanced procedure to date, and has a high success rate. This procedure still has its own set of risks to consider though,  including:

• Under or overcorrection
• Enhancement procedures
• Astigmatism that has been increased
• Haze
• Dry-Eye
• Night glare
• Halos
• Protective Coating Developing on cornea
• Scars

Risks of Cosmetic Eye Surgery

Cosmetic eye surgeries are often the choice of the patients. These surgeries are usually not paid for by insurance, but the patient themselves. These types of eye procedures often enhance the physical appearance. A lot of risks are included with these procedures because there is nothing wrong with the eye, and you could actually damage it with unneeded procedures. Some risks include:

• A pain in the back of the eye
• Double vision
• Milia
• Trouble closing your eye
• Blindness or vision loss
• Blurry vision
• Scars

Dry Eye

After surgery you can have a sandy or even gritty feeling in your eye.  This symptom will often stay around for about three months, however buying artificial tears, or lubricating eye drops can help speed up the recovery of this symptom.

Halos

Halos are small rings of blurry light that are seen around objects. Halos can be both a long and short term side effect. They can hurt your vision, and make it hard to drive in harsh light, or very dim light. It is also a distraction.

Night Glare or Glare n Dim light

Often people who wear contact lenses or glasses will experience night glare or glare in dim light. This is because when the pupil dilates in dim light rays of light in your peripheral vision will scatter causing a glare.

Protective Coating on Cornea

These growths are often called an epithelium growth. This happens when epithelium cells get trapped beneath the flap created for LASIK surgery. To protect the cells the cornea will form a hard protective covering around them. This will often give you blurry vision. These protective coatings can be easily scrapped away by your doctor.

Haze

After any eye surgery you can often have a haze that doesn’t affect your vision. This haze is actually a cell growth. It is often aggravated in ultra-violet light which will cause it to itch and sting.

Blindness of Vision Loss

Blindness often occurs with patients that have cosmetic eye surgery done. This is because the procedure is not actually needed and causes problems in your eye. 10 out of 1,000 people who had cosmetic surgery on their eyes go blind; while only 1 out of 1,000 go blind after having LASIK or PRK done on their eyes. The main cause is weather the surgery is needed or if it is just for beauty reasons.

Enhancement Procedures

Enhancement procedures are surgeries that are done by your eye surgeon based on the success of the original surgery. However, these surgeries are NOT the patients’ choice! They are chosen by your doctor after you sign the agreement form. If you are not comfortable with not being able to make your own decisions you should check over your agreement form carefully before signing.

Under or Over Correction

Under correction and over correction happen when the laser in LASIK surgery is set wrong. Both can be fixed with other surgeries. Under correction is ore common than over correction.

Milia

This often happens after cosmetic eye surgery. Skin cysts that are small form on the scar line. This is normally temporary and can be corrected by your body. However, it is sometimes necessary to remove them with surgery.

Trouble Closing Your Eye

This is often a temporary side effect. Sometimes it requires corrective surgery. However, this is rare.

Scars

Scars are normal with any surgery. However the incision for any eye surgery (that isn’t on eye lids or for wrinkles) is in the eye. These are not normally noticeable even if they scar.

Sometimes, if the risks outweigh the benefits eye surgery is not something you want to consider. However, if you need the surgery and you feel that the benefits outweigh the risks you should go for it. Eye surgeries can be painful and risky but if it is needed you can make your eye sight amazingly clear.

What Is Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery is done so that you don’t need to depend on glasses or contact lenses. This surgery reshapes the cornea to change it focus power. There are mainly two forms of corrective laser eye surgery. They are called LASIK and PRK. Most people who go through with LASIK will end up with 20/20 vision if they do the enhancement procedures recommended by the surgeon.

There is a second type of laser eye surgery known as Cosmetic eye surgery. This surgery includes any laser surgery used to correct your physical appearance. These types of surgeries can be used to get rid of wrinkles, whiten the whites of your eye, and lift your eye lids. These are surgeries that most insurance won’t pay for.

What Is LASIK?

LASIK surgery known as laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. This surgery uses two lasers that can be programmed by your surgeon for your needs. This is the most popular laser eye surgery. Most people who have this surgery don’t come out with 20/20 vision after the first procedure. However, if you have the enhancement surgeries you can end up with 20/20 vision. In this surgery a flap is created with the thin top layer of your cornea, and the procedure is done to both parts of the tissue. This is a great way to regain the sight you have lost, or help you end up with perfect vision.

What Is PRK?

PRK is the second most popular laser eye surgery. This surgery uses an ultra-violet laser. The laser is cool to the touch, and is used to reshape the cornea.  This surgery doesn’t use enhancement procedure which means that if you don’t come out of that surgery with 20/20 vision you probably won’t. In this surgery the outer layer of the cornea, and the procedure is done on the under layer tissue. This surgery is a good way to regain the sight that you have lost because of age, or something happening to your cornea. There is a high chance that if you choose PRK that you will need to wear bi-focal if you are over 40.

What Kinds Of Cosmetic Surgeries Are There?

As I mentioned before Cosmetic Surgeries are procedures used to correct or enhance your physical appearance. There are many different kinds of cosmetic surgeries that you can have done. Some of these surgeries include:

• Asian Eyelid Surgery
• Blepharoplasty
• Brightening of the Whites of your Eyes
• Removing Wrinkles
• Removing Growths
• Fixing Droopy Eyelids
• Removing Under eye fat

Blepharoplasty

A Blepharoplasty (the generic name being eye lift) is the most common cosmetic surgery as of January 2011. It can cost over 2,219 dollars for the supplies and procedure. This procedure often is done to make the eyes appear younger. It also removes and smoothes wrinkles. While a surgeon gives you an eye lift he can easily fix droopy eye lids as well. Most insurance doesn’t pay for an eye lift, because it is only for your physical appearance and is not needed. 3 out of 1,000 go blind from Blepharoplasty. You shouldn’t consider this surgery unless having droopy eyes is affecting your sight.

Asian Eyelid Surgery

Asian Eyelid Surgery is the second most popular cosmetic laser eye surgery. This procedure is done to give you the slight crease in your upper eyelid that Asian woman have. This surgery pulls the skin around your eye into a crease, and makes the eyes appear younger. Most people believe that an Asian woman’s eye is beautiful and with new technology it is possible for anyone to have that shape for their eye. However, this surgery is not reversible. If you don’t like the look of your eyes the surgeon won’t be able to undo what he’s done.

Side-effects of Laser Eye Surgery

Each type of laser eye surgery has its own set of side-effects and risks. It is your job as a patient to know about the side-effects of the surgery you are thinking about. This information can help you decide which eye surgery you want or just aide the healing process. The Cosmetic eye surgery probably has the most die-effects of any laser eye surgery. Some of these side-effects include:

•  Back of the eye pain for 3-5 days after surgery
• Double Vision
• Blindness or Loss of Vision (10 out of every 1,000 cosmetic eye surgery patient experience this)
• Milia (cysts on scar line)
• Retrobulbar hematoma (A pocket of blood that forms behind the eyeball. However, this is rare)
• Dry Eye
• Difficulty Closing Eyes
• Blurry Vision

Some side-effects of LASIK eye surgery include:

• Glare at Night
• Halos or Starburst
• Dry Eye
• Haze
• Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis- An inflammation condition that is sight threatening and needs to be dealt with immediately.
• Protective Cornea Covering
• Increased Astigmatism
• Under or Overcorrection
• Scars

The side-effects of PRK include:

• Halos
• Night Glare
• Dry Eye
• Loss of Crisp Vision
• Scars
• Browning of Cornea with Age
• Flattening of Cornea
• Double Vision

Important Tips for Recovery

For your recovery process to be comfortable you need to know how to take care of yourself. Here are some tips that will make your recovery time comfortable and fast:

• Don’t watch TV for a good two weeks
• Try not to read small print
• No swimming in pools for at least two weeks
• No swimming in lakes, streams, ponds, rivers, and oceans for about one month after your surgery
• Sleep on your side
• If you are allowed patch your eye
• Don’t stay out in the sun too long
• Don’t do anything that can hurt your eye
• Get a lot of sleep
• To help with dry eye use lubricating eye drops about 1 week after surgery
• Try no to play sports for about a month after your surgery
• Avoid a shower or bath for about 1 week

It is important for you to understand all of the information about laser eye surgery. Knowing the correct information so that you can make informed decisions when it comes to your surgery. Remember, this is your health and sight and you need to know what’s going on.

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optical nerve. It steals sight drastically and without warning. If left untreated it can cause you to go blind. In the early stages there are no symptoms. Over the half of those who have Glaucoma might not even know that they have it until they show symptoms. However, by then it may be too late to save the sight that you have lost.

Symptoms of Glaucoma

Glaucoma has no symptoms in its early stages. However, once you know you have this disease you should start watching for these symptoms:

• Severer Pain
• Vomiting because of Eye Pain
• Reddening of Eyes
• Halos around Light
• Blurred Vision
• Sudden Disturbance In your Vision (Happens often in dim light or darkness)
• Rainbow looking Halos

When to See a Doctor?

You shouldn’t wait to see a doctor until you have a loss of vision. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, don’t delay and visit your eye doctor or the emergency room. Make an appointment if you are experiencing two or more of the above symptoms. However, having regular eye exams is the best way to catch Glaucoma in its early stages.

Most eye doctors will say that you need to have an eye exam every three to five years if you are under 40. Once you reach age 60 you should be checked every year. If you are checked regularly you should be able to know if you have Glaucoma and treat it before it takes too much of your vision from you.

Treatments for Glaucoma

There are a few different treatments that you can consider for your Glaucoma. There are drugs, surgeries, and test drugs that you can think about using. Some include:

• Namenda
• Dipivefrin
• Betatoxol
• Methazolamide
• Pilocarpine
• Travoprost
• Trabeculectomy
• Goniotomy

Namenda

This drug was first released to help Alzheimer’s patients. However, experts found that it helped Alzheimer patients with their Glaucoma. It took abut two years, but the drug was eventually approved for use by Glaucoma patients. Another drug similar to Namenda is currently being analyzed in labs. Hopefully it will be released soon.

Dipivefrin

This is a drug considered an Alpha adrenergic agonist. These drugs increase the calcium flow within the Optic Nerve. Some side-effects to these kinds of drugs include dry mouth, fatigue, raised blood pressure, headaches, blurred vision, and even redness around your eyes.

Betatoxol

This drug is considered s Beta blocker. These kinds of drugs are used to lower your eye pressure so that fluid can correctly flow to your eye. The side-effects include double vision, depression, irregular heartbeat, and drowsiness.

Methazolamide

This drug is considered a Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. These kinds of drugs are used to help reduce fluid in the eye. The side effects of these kinds of drugs are drowsiness, upset stomach, weight loss, rashes, and sometimes eye redness.

Pilocarpine

This is known as a Miotic. These drugs increase the fluid drainage in your eyes. Some of the side-effects are headaches, blurry vision, cloudy vision, and redness of the eye. This is one of the drugs that is the safest and has the least side effects.

Travoprost

This is known as a Prostaglandin analog. This kind of drug reduces the pressure in your eye to allow the fluid in your eye to flow correctly. Some side effects include thickening of eyelashes, flu-like symptoms, and change in eye color.

Combinations

Some combinations of drugs can be used to treat your Glaucoma. The side-effects remain the same per drug. One combination is Brimonidine and Timolol.

Trabeculectomy

This is a surgery that can be used to treat your Glaucoma, but it won’t cure it. This surgery is done by cutting an opening into the whites of your eyes. The surgeon will then remove the tube-like structures in the white. This will create an opening for fluid to flow through.

Goniotomy

This is another surgery that can be used to help treat your Glaucoma. In this surgery a tube-like structure is put in behind your eye. This allows fluid to naturally flow in and out of your eyes. This surgery is normally used on children and young infants. This surgery is only ever needed to be done once, unlike others that might heal up and have to be repeated.

 In the end it is important to know about your Glaucoma and all of the treatments that are available for it. It is also important for you to know all about the disease and what can happen to your sight. For other information or to be checked for Glaucoma you need to talk to your eye doctor.

Photorefractive Keratectomy

Photorefractive Keratectomy was one of the first procedures using a laser in eye surgery. With this procedure the cool ultraviolet laser reshapes the cornea through ablation (removal) of minute membrane layers from the cornea’s surface. Reshaping the cornea improves vision by allowing light to hit the retina in a more accurate way.

LASIK Surgery

Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis is a newer form of refractive surgery that is utilized to correct the cornea’s contour. As mentioned above, when the cornea is even slightly misshapen, light cannot focus as directly on the retina (light sensitive cells on the back of the eye), and the images are blurry. With a LASIK procedure, the cornea membrane is gently cut, using a blade called a microkeratome. This creates a little flap where the doctor can assess and utilize a computer controlled laser to reshape the cornea. Once the surgery is finished this small piece of membrane is reattached.

Recovery

While initial recovery takes only a few days, it can take up to six months before you have reached the maximum in vision improvement. Your ophthalmologist will schedule several follow-up appointments during that time to check your vision improvement and to make sure your eye is healing correctly.

Most patients are happy with the results of both PRK and LASIK surgery. However, it is important to be a good fit for the surgery and to carefully weigh the risk and benefits of such a procedure before proceeding.

Laser Eye Surgery is Not for Everyone

For one thing you have to be at least eighteen years old to have laser eye surgery. The use of some types of lasers will require you to be twenty-one years old. This is because until you are eighteen your vision will still be evolving.

You also can not have laser eye surgery if you are:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding – these conditions can change eye refraction measurements.

• Taking Accutane or oral Prednisone – or certain other drugs.
• Suffering from diseases such as cataracts, diabetes, glaucoma, herpes infections in or around the eye, lupus, retinal disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Suffering from Dry Eye – is a condition that may prevent you from getting laser eye surgery. You will need to talk to your doctor about how dry eye can impact laser surgery if you have this issue.

To have laser eye surgery you must be:

• Healthy – This includes your eyes, and other physical and mental health. It is also important that your eye prescription be well-established. If you are nearsighted, you should postpone surgery until your refraction has stabilized, because nearsightedness may continue to increase in some patients until their mid- to late 20s.
• Prepared – Which means you have to weigh the risks and rewards, consider surgery versus your level of ease with glasses or contacts, and have realistic expectations of the results. This can mean that you may need more than one surgery to get the results you desire.

Risks

Although rare, some people lose vision after surgery. This loss of vision may uncorrectable even with glasses, contact lenses, or further surgery. When contemplating this risk, many people are happy to stay with contact lenses or glasses.

A small percentage of people notice unusual vision complications after surgery, including a halo effect, glare, and/or double vision. These complications can all seriously impair vision, especially at night. After having these procedures, some patients do not see as well in situations of low light and contrast. This might be helped with corrective lenses, and may or may not diminish over time.

Severe dry eye syndrome can be another side effect of laser eye surgery. When the eye cannot produce enough tears to keep it moist and comfortable, it can be an acutely uncomfortable symptom, causing intermittent blurring and other visual problems. This condition can be permanent and may require the use of intensive drop therapy and further surgical procedures to correct the problem.

Results Differ from Person to Person

Although many people achieve 20/20 vision after surgery without glasses or contacts, not everyone does. Additional treatment may be required to achieve better vision, but it may not be recommended. Others experience improved vision but still need to wear corrective lenses. It is also likely that if you used reading glasses before surgery, you will still need them after surgery.

Summary

Most people experience better vision with laser eye surgery, but as there are always risks to surgery, it is wise to discuss the risks thoroughly with your eye doctor. People who should not have laser eye surgery include those with certain health problems, if you are under the age of 18, if you are pregnant or nursing. Some serious complications can include irregular healing that may lead to a misshapen cornea, infection of the cornea, improper reattachment of the flap (requiring additional surgery), and uncomfortable severe dry eyes.

After undergoing a complete eye examination, the doctor will give you his or her opinion about whether the surgery will be effective for your vision problem. Now is the time to have a discussion about the risks and possible complications of the procedure. This article touches on both the surgery and potential risks, but is not all inclusive. Have that talk with your eye surgeon before committing to having LASIK.

LASIK Surgery

LASIK, which stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is a type of refractive surgery that corrects the shape of the cornea (the clear covering on the eye). Simply put, when the cornea is slightly misshapen, light cannot focus properly on the retina (light sensitive cells on the back of the eye), and the images are blurry.

With a LASIK procedure, the cornea is gently pulled back, using either a laser or blade to make the incision, and a hinge is left in one end. This flap is folded, revealing the middle section of the cornea, called the stroma. A computer-controlled laser removes a portion of the stroma to reshape the cornea and the flap is reattached.

While recovery from initial discomfort takes only a few days, it can take up to six months before the patient has reached the maximum level in vision improvement. Your eye doctor will want to have several follow-up appointments during that time to ensure healing is going well and to check the level of correction in your vision.

Most patients are happy with the results of the LASIK surgery. It is important to carefully weigh the risk and benefits of such a procedure, considering your expectations, age, health, and comfort with wearing glasses or contact lenses.

Risks of Surgery

To start with the worst, although rare, some people lose vision in the eye after surgery. This loss of vision may not be able to be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or further surgery. When contemplating this risk, many people are happy to stay with the inconvenience of wearing their contact lenses or glasses.

After surgery, some people notice unusual vision complications, such as a halo effect, glare, and/or double vision. These can all seriously compromise vision, especially at night. After LASIK, some patients do not see as well in situations of low light and contrast, such as on foggy days. These all require wearing corrective lenses, and may or may not diminish over time.

Another side effect of LASIK surgery is the possibility of developing severe dry eye syndrome. This is a condition that develops after surgery where the eye doesn’t produce enough moisture and it feels dry and scratchy. This very uncomfortable symptom can also cause your vision to blur occasionally, and it could also cause other issues with your vision. This condition can be permanent and requires the use of intensive drop therapy, and may lead to further procedures to correct the problem.

Many people achieve 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts, but not all. You may require additional treatment to achieve better visual acuity, but further treatment may not be recommended. While vision may be improved, the possibility of still needing to wear corrective lenses is a possibility. If you used reading glasses before surgery, you may still need them after surgery.

People with farsightedness, even if it is corrected through LASIK surgery, may experience a diminishing of results with age. Make sure to discuss this possibility with your doctor before deciding to have surgery.

Other Complications of Surgery

• Corneal infection – First treatment would be antibiotics, topically or internally.
• Decrease in visual crispness or contrast sensitivity – This means that objects may appear fuzzy or grayish, even though you may have 20/20 vision. This is referred to as Lasik 20/20, or 20/40.
• Flap Issues– After surgery one complication might be a distorted cornea. This occurs when the flap heals unevenly. This problem can only be fixed with a corneal transplant. Other issues can include the growth of extra cells under the flap, having the flap be incomplete or lopsided. These issues may need extra surgeries.
• Loss of visual acuity – You would not be able to see as well after surgery, even with glasses or contacts, as you did with glasses or contacts before surgery.
• Over- or under-correction – These problems often can be improved with glasses, contact lenses or another surgery.

Possible Side Effects

Side effects of LASIK typically last for a few days or weeks. Rarely one or more of the side effects can be permanent. Typical side effects include:

• Blurry or hazy vision
• Dry eye
• Glare
• Light sensitivity
• Night driving issues, seeing a starburst or halo, you may need glasses to correct this issue
• Pain or discomfort
• Red or pink areas on the white of the eye
• Scratchy Eyes

Summary

Most people experience better vision with LASIK surgery, but there are always risks to any surgery, as well as experiencing possible complications, so it is wise to discuss these thoroughly with your eye doctor. Some serious complications include irregular healing that may lead to a misshapen cornea, infection of the cornea and improper reattachment of the flap, leading to more surgery.