LASIK eye surgery is one of the best and most popular ways to correct a person’s vision. This surgery treats various eye diseases, primarily correcting blurred vision. It is an excellent alternative to glasses and contact lenses, allowing individuals to see without the aid of lenses and glasses.
Laser eye surgery has undergone significant innovations recently with the introduction of Wavefront Blade Free Lasik surgery. These processes have made the surgery more safe and precise. In this blog, you can understand LASIK surgery in detail, including the expectations to keep before, during, and after your surgery.
A] Understanding LASIK Surgery
LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a refractive eye surgery. This surgery changes the cornea’s shape with a special cutting laser.
The cornea of the eye refracts light onto the retina and enables clear vision of the surroundings. However, when an individual suffers from myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, the light doesn’t refract correctly on the retina onto the back of the eye. This causes blurred vision.
Laser eye treatment is usually painless and restores your vision. This treatment has a significantly high success rate with most patients achieving 20/40 vision or better.
The recovery time after the treatment is minimal, usually a week or 10 days. Usually, the discomfort is only a few hours after the surgery. After that, patients will feel normal and experience the long-lasting results of the surgery.
B] Before LASIK Surgery
When a patient decides to get LASIK, they will have to go through the following stages:
1. Initial Consultation
Prior to the surgery, it’s important to let your doctor test your eyes. These tests will determine if you can be operated on.
Since Lasik surgery is of different types, your doctor will tell you the most suitable one after running the tests. Also, in the consultation stage, they will discuss the dos and don’ts before and after LASIK eye surgery.
2. Preparing for Surgery
Your doctor will tell you about things to avoid on or before the day of the scheduled surgery. For instance, you must not use eye makeup on the day of surgery. Similarly, you shouldn’t be wearing lenses 3- 4 weeks before the surgery because lenses create minute changes in your eye’s structures.
Additionally, your doctor will discuss the laser eye surgery cost and the transportation options you need to arrange beforehand.
3. Understanding the Procedure
The doctor will share the details of the LASIK eye surgery process. They will determine how much tissue needs to be removed by getting your eye and cornea measurements. You will know how things will go on the day of surgery and the laser technology that will be used for the same.
C] During LASIK Surgery
Here’s an overview of the day and experience of LASIK surgery:
1. Procedure Overview
On the day your surgery is scheduled, your doctor will provide a step-by-step breakdown of the process. First, they will use LASIK eye drops to numb your eyes. Then, the doctor will clean your eyes with betadine or other solutions to ensure no infection occurs. You can’t touch your face with your hands after this.
Then, you’ll be taken to the laser suite for operation. The eye surgeon will create a corneal flap, and then use the excimer laser to reshape the cornea according to your specific needs. The flap will then be repositioned, and the natural healing process will commence.
2. Duration
The LASIK eye surgery procedure takes 10- 15 minutes per eye. Your complete time from entering the surgery room to the existing one takes about 30-40 minutes.
However, it’s important to note that the operation and requirements for every patient vary depending on their requirements. Therefore, the exact duration may also differ for all.
3. Patient Experience
During the procedure, you will be asked to focus on a point of light. When you stare at the light, your eye will remain stable. This will help the laser reshape the cornea without hassle. There may be a distinct odor during this process which may smell like burning hair.
During the flap creation process, there may be a slight pressure on your eye and you may experience a dimmed vision for a few seconds. The blurred vision remains for a few seconds only. You need to stay patient throughout the process and follow your surgeon’s instructions calmly.
D] After LASIK Surgery
Once the laser eye correction process is done, here are the things to expect:
1. Immediate Aftercare
After the surgery, your doctor will instruct you about aftercare. It will include some eye drops that you’ll have to take consistently. They’ll ask you to not rub your eyes at all because it may cause the flap to detach.
Within 24 to 48 hours of your surgery, you must go see your doctor. Thereafter, you must see them at regular intervals of 6 months. These follow-up appointments are important to attend because the doctor will ensure how the post-operation recovery is going.
2. Recovery Time
LASIK eye surgery recovery time is anywhere between a few days to a month. Usually, after the surgery, the first 3 to 4 hours is when you feel the discomfort. After that, you will be able to open your eyes and see. Your do
