If you are tired of wearing contacts or eyeglasses, you may be a good match for LASIK surgery. This procedure can help many people improve their vision, and many people may achieve 20/20 vision or better! Our skilled team of eye care specialists can help make your dream of clear vision a reality!
What is LASIK?
LASIK eye surgery is the most commonly performed laser refractive surgery performed today. It is done to correct vision problems and can be an alternative to contact lenses or glasses. This procedure may be an option for correcting one of the following vision problems:
· Nearsightedness: This occurs when your eyeball is longer than normal or when the cornea curves too sharply. Light rays will then focus in front of the retina and blur distant vision.
· Farsightedness: Occurs when you have an eyeball that is shorter than average or a cornea that is too flat. This causes light to focus behind the retina instead of on it, leading to blurry vision when looking at things nearby.
· Astigmatism: This occurs when the cornea is shaped more like a softball than a basketball. This disrupts the focus of both near and distant vision.
This procedure offers improved vision, so patients no longer have to worry about wearing glasses or contact lenses. Most people have a very good chance of reaching 20/25 vision after LASIK. However, your results will depend on your specific refractive error, as well as other factors.
The LASIK Procedure
During the LASIK procedure, you will lie in a reclining chair, and medication can be given to help you relax. Numbing drops will be placed in the eye, and an instrument will be placed to hold your eyelids open. A suction ring will then be placed on the eye, and a corneal flap will be created. Folding back this flap allows your surgeon to access the area of the cornea that needs to be reshaped. Then, a programmed laser will be used to reshape areas of the cornea, and the corneal flap will be put back in place. During surgery, you will be asked to focus on a point of light, which helps to keep your eye fixed while the laser is reshaping the cornea. The entire procedure may take about 30 minutes, but the actual laser treatment is about a minute or less.
Following the LASIK procedure, patients may experience itchy, burning, or watery eyes, and their vision may be blurry. These symptoms will dissipate as your eyes heal. Pain medication or eye drops may be prescribed, and you may also be asked to wear a shield over your eyes while you sleep for a while. It usually takes about 2-3 months after surgery before the eyes completely heal but most patients see well enough to drive and work the day after LASIK. Patients will have a follow-up appointment with their doctor after surgery, and several in the first few months
Candidates for LASIK
Healthy individuals who wish to improve their vision because they do not wish to live with the hassle of glasses and contacts can often benefit from LASIK surgery. However, those with autoimmune diseases, a weakened immune system, persistent dry eyes, or inflammation of the cornea should not undergo this procedure. The best way to determine if this treatment is right for you is to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our eye care professionals.
Contact Us to Learn More
If you would like to learn more about improving your vision with LASIK, contact Eye Care Physicians of New Jersey today! We will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.