Thursday, November 13, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Preparing for LASIK Surgery
Preparing for LASIK Surgery
Preparing for any type of surgery is an unenviable and tedious process. You must make sure you have everything ready and your body in tip-top shape. While preparing for LASIK eye surgery may not be quite as difficult, there are some things you need to prepare for before LASIK.
You definitely need to stop wearing your contact lenses in the weeks leading up to your consultation before LASIK. Since the surgery is dependent on the shape and measurement of your cornea you must let it regain its shape. Lenses sometimes reshape the cornea themselves, causing problems with LASIK. Here are some FDA recommendations based on your contact lenses:
• Soft contact lenses should be removed and not worn for at least two weeks prior to your LASIK evaluation.
• Rigid gas permeable lenses should be removed and not worn for at least three weeks prior to LASIK evaluation.
• Hard lenses should be removed and not worn for at least four weeks prior to LASIK evaluation.
When you meet the doctor to discuss LASIK eye surgery you should let him know a few things about yourself. Let the doctor know about any past or present medical and eye conditions as well as all medications you are taking or are allergic to. It is important that you disclose all of this to your doctor before deciding if LASIK is right for you.
After you’ve disclosed this personal information to the doctor, you should then discuss if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. Let him explain to you the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the surgery as well as what you can expect from beginning to end.
You should stop using any lotions, perfumes, or creams the day before the surgery as well as any makeup that may cause debris to get in the eye. The doctor may even request that you scrub and wash out your eyes for a good time before LASIK surgery to prevent the chance of any type of infection.
Finally, you should definitely arrange with a loved one for transportation to and from the LASIK surgery. Before LASIK surgery some doctors will arrange for you to take some medicine to help you relax that could impair your vision and reaction time. After LASIK surgery you may need a few days to recover your vision, hence the need to arrange for a drive home.
Preparing for any type of surgery is an unenviable and tedious process. You must make sure you have everything ready and your body in tip-top shape. While preparing for LASIK eye surgery may not be quite as difficult, there are some things you need to prepare for before LASIK.
You definitely need to stop wearing your contact lenses in the weeks leading up to your consultation before LASIK. Since the surgery is dependent on the shape and measurement of your cornea you must let it regain its shape. Lenses sometimes reshape the cornea themselves, causing problems with LASIK. Here are some FDA recommendations based on your contact lenses:
• Soft contact lenses should be removed and not worn for at least two weeks prior to your LASIK evaluation.
• Rigid gas permeable lenses should be removed and not worn for at least three weeks prior to LASIK evaluation.
• Hard lenses should be removed and not worn for at least four weeks prior to LASIK evaluation.
When you meet the doctor to discuss LASIK eye surgery you should let him know a few things about yourself. Let the doctor know about any past or present medical and eye conditions as well as all medications you are taking or are allergic to. It is important that you disclose all of this to your doctor before deciding if LASIK is right for you.
After you’ve disclosed this personal information to the doctor, you should then discuss if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. Let him explain to you the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the surgery as well as what you can expect from beginning to end.
You should stop using any lotions, perfumes, or creams the day before the surgery as well as any makeup that may cause debris to get in the eye. The doctor may even request that you scrub and wash out your eyes for a good time before LASIK surgery to prevent the chance of any type of infection.
Finally, you should definitely arrange with a loved one for transportation to and from the LASIK surgery. Before LASIK surgery some doctors will arrange for you to take some medicine to help you relax that could impair your vision and reaction time. After LASIK surgery you may need a few days to recover your vision, hence the need to arrange for a drive home.
What is Lasik Surgery?
What is Lasik Surgery?
The last few years have seen sweeping change in the medical field by way of the revolution in vision, LASIK eye surgery. Many people with vision problems get excited at the thought of corrective surgery. But just what is LASIK eye surgery?
Refractive errors in the cornea are corrected by lasers in LASIK surgery. The laser precisely controls the tearing of the corneal tissue, reshaping the cornea and changing its focus. LASIK surgery is a very simple two step process:
1. A slight, thin flap of tissue is created on the outside layer of the eye or cornea. The flap helps heal and provide comfort on the way to better vision.
2. The doctor then folds open the flap on the inner cornea to correct the vision. Finally, the flap is closed to its original position and sealed with stitches.
The word LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Sutu Keratomieusis, a process which reshapes the cornea to refract light in the lens. While LASIK surgery isn’t close to perfect, it is a very viable and increasingly safe surgery.
Improvements have been made by government regulations regarding the types of lasers allowed for LASIK surgery. A good idea for those who are considering the surgery is to research the types of lasers used by local doctors during LASIK.
As improvements are made and doctors are regulated the cost of LASIK surgery continues to drop, making it a possibility for some who could only dream of such improvement a few years back. Some surgeries are referred to as “bladeless” or “custom” LASIK, meaning they are more efficient and tailored to the individual.
LASIK surgery is an exciting prospect to anyone who has suffered from vision problems in the past. However, much like buying a car or house, it is important to do your homework first.
The last few years have seen sweeping change in the medical field by way of the revolution in vision, LASIK eye surgery. Many people with vision problems get excited at the thought of corrective surgery. But just what is LASIK eye surgery?
Refractive errors in the cornea are corrected by lasers in LASIK surgery. The laser precisely controls the tearing of the corneal tissue, reshaping the cornea and changing its focus. LASIK surgery is a very simple two step process:
1. A slight, thin flap of tissue is created on the outside layer of the eye or cornea. The flap helps heal and provide comfort on the way to better vision.
2. The doctor then folds open the flap on the inner cornea to correct the vision. Finally, the flap is closed to its original position and sealed with stitches.
The word LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Sutu Keratomieusis, a process which reshapes the cornea to refract light in the lens. While LASIK surgery isn’t close to perfect, it is a very viable and increasingly safe surgery.
Improvements have been made by government regulations regarding the types of lasers allowed for LASIK surgery. A good idea for those who are considering the surgery is to research the types of lasers used by local doctors during LASIK.
As improvements are made and doctors are regulated the cost of LASIK surgery continues to drop, making it a possibility for some who could only dream of such improvement a few years back. Some surgeries are referred to as “bladeless” or “custom” LASIK, meaning they are more efficient and tailored to the individual.
LASIK surgery is an exciting prospect to anyone who has suffered from vision problems in the past. However, much like buying a car or house, it is important to do your homework first.
What to Look for in a LASIK Surgeon
What to Look for in a LASIK Surgeon
After considering if you are the right candidate for LASIK you should then begin shopping for a LASIK surgeon. Even though the risks of LASIK are quite a bit less than normal surgeries, you should still take researching a LASIK surgeon seriously. Take the normal precautions of comparing, setting criteria, doing your homework, and understanding what will happen in the surgery.
Compare what each LASIK surgeon relies on as their procedure of choice. Do they rely on the traditional LASIK that uses a blade to make the incision or do they use “bladeless” InterLase lasers to make all of the cuts. Ask what they believe is most reliable and what they do the most.
Set forth a base of criteria that you will hold each LASIK surgeon to. Don’t base it solely on cost or on the doctor’s experience, but see if they perform what you feel most comfortable with. This decision will affect YOU for the rest of YOUR life, not the surgeon’s.
Do your homework to avoid scams related to the “20/20 vision or guaranteed money back”. Make sure you check these doctors against the consumer affairs office or better business bureau to ensure that they do good practice. Understand what your rights are when it comes to having surgery and LASIK in general.
Understand what can happen during the surgery and ask your potential LASIK surgeon how they handle a situation that could potentially end a procedure. There is a chance a mistake could lead to permanent damage to your eye without even a chance to have corrective surgery.
Ask the same questions of your LASIK surgeon in relation to how he deals with situations after surgery. Question your LASIK surgeon about how they handle migration of the flap, inflammation or infection, intensive eye drop treatments, or additional procedures after the initial surgery.
LASIK surgeons are also held to an FDA standard regarding the type of laser used during the surgery. Make sure you find out what laser your potential LASIK surgeon uses and double-check it against the FDA’s approved list.
After considering if you are the right candidate for LASIK you should then begin shopping for a LASIK surgeon. Even though the risks of LASIK are quite a bit less than normal surgeries, you should still take researching a LASIK surgeon seriously. Take the normal precautions of comparing, setting criteria, doing your homework, and understanding what will happen in the surgery.
Compare what each LASIK surgeon relies on as their procedure of choice. Do they rely on the traditional LASIK that uses a blade to make the incision or do they use “bladeless” InterLase lasers to make all of the cuts. Ask what they believe is most reliable and what they do the most.
Set forth a base of criteria that you will hold each LASIK surgeon to. Don’t base it solely on cost or on the doctor’s experience, but see if they perform what you feel most comfortable with. This decision will affect YOU for the rest of YOUR life, not the surgeon’s.
Do your homework to avoid scams related to the “20/20 vision or guaranteed money back”. Make sure you check these doctors against the consumer affairs office or better business bureau to ensure that they do good practice. Understand what your rights are when it comes to having surgery and LASIK in general.
Understand what can happen during the surgery and ask your potential LASIK surgeon how they handle a situation that could potentially end a procedure. There is a chance a mistake could lead to permanent damage to your eye without even a chance to have corrective surgery.
Ask the same questions of your LASIK surgeon in relation to how he deals with situations after surgery. Question your LASIK surgeon about how they handle migration of the flap, inflammation or infection, intensive eye drop treatments, or additional procedures after the initial surgery.
LASIK surgeons are also held to an FDA standard regarding the type of laser used during the surgery. Make sure you find out what laser your potential LASIK surgeon uses and double-check it against the FDA’s approved list.
Who Qualifies for LASIK Surgery?
Who Qualifies for LASIK Surgery?
The possibility of complications or imperfect vision after LASIK vision correction can be greatly reduced if you simply find out if you are a good prospect for the surgery. Not everyone who wants LASIK vision correction is necessarily a good candidate to have the surgery. You should consider a few things before you settle on LASIK:
• If you don’t like to take a chance every now and then, you probably shouldn’t have LASIK vision correction. There are possibilities of complications as a result of LASIK that you should research before having the procedure done.
• If having LASIK vision correction could affect your career or is not covered by your insurance you should think of another alternative. The cost of LASIK is getting cheaper, but is still quite expensive and you’ll want to make sure it isn’t prohibited by your employer.
• You must be an adult with refractive stability to be accepted for LASIK vision correction. Refractive instability is determined by patients who are 20 or younger with fluctuating hormones due to such things as diabetes or someone who is pregnant or breastfeeding or taking medications that cause fluctuation in vision.
• If you regularly engage in contact sports or suffer from a condition or disease may affect wound healing you should consider an alternative to LASIK vision correction.
There are a number of other situations you should discuss with your doctor prior to LASIK vision correction. If you have herpes or shingles involving the eye area you should disclose that information. Also, any glaucoma, ocular hypertension, eye diseases, eye injuries, previous eye surgeries, or keratoconus should be discussed.
You should also ask your doctor to screen you for the following conditions prior to LASIK vision correction:
• Blepharitis
• Large pupils
• Thin corneas
• Previous refractive surgeries
• Dry eyes
Once you have researched all of these conditions or discussed them with a LASIK surgeon you can determine if you are a candidate for LASIK vision correction.
The possibility of complications or imperfect vision after LASIK vision correction can be greatly reduced if you simply find out if you are a good prospect for the surgery. Not everyone who wants LASIK vision correction is necessarily a good candidate to have the surgery. You should consider a few things before you settle on LASIK:
• If you don’t like to take a chance every now and then, you probably shouldn’t have LASIK vision correction. There are possibilities of complications as a result of LASIK that you should research before having the procedure done.
• If having LASIK vision correction could affect your career or is not covered by your insurance you should think of another alternative. The cost of LASIK is getting cheaper, but is still quite expensive and you’ll want to make sure it isn’t prohibited by your employer.
• You must be an adult with refractive stability to be accepted for LASIK vision correction. Refractive instability is determined by patients who are 20 or younger with fluctuating hormones due to such things as diabetes or someone who is pregnant or breastfeeding or taking medications that cause fluctuation in vision.
• If you regularly engage in contact sports or suffer from a condition or disease may affect wound healing you should consider an alternative to LASIK vision correction.
There are a number of other situations you should discuss with your doctor prior to LASIK vision correction. If you have herpes or shingles involving the eye area you should disclose that information. Also, any glaucoma, ocular hypertension, eye diseases, eye injuries, previous eye surgeries, or keratoconus should be discussed.
You should also ask your doctor to screen you for the following conditions prior to LASIK vision correction:
• Blepharitis
• Large pupils
• Thin corneas
• Previous refractive surgeries
• Dry eyes
Once you have researched all of these conditions or discussed them with a LASIK surgeon you can determine if you are a candidate for LASIK vision correction.
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