LASIK eye surgery is one of the most requested laser refractive surgeries in Orange County and is used to correct vision issues, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
If you are thinking about getting the best laser eye surgery, you may be curious about what to expect from the procedure. Below, the LASIK eye surgery professionals explain how LASIK surgery works and what patients can expect from their experience.
How LASIK Eye Surgery Works
Vision problems usually occur because of an error in how our eyes refract light. During the vision process, light rays go through various structures of the eye. This consists of the cornea, which is the transparent, dome-shaped structure covering the front of the eye, and then the crystalline lens, which is the natural lens that gets light rays refracted by the cornea and focuses light into an image on the retina that lines the back of the eye. Still, if the light is bent improperly, laser eye doctors say that it prevents an exact image from forming, resulting in blurred or weakened vision.
As LASIK professionals emphasize, eyeglasses and contact lenses are just a temporary fix to improve vision. It allows the eye to focus light in the correct spot on the retina, which produces the clearest image whenever possible. Nevertheless, LASIK eye surgery is devised to offer a long-term solution by reshaping the cornea itself to repair the refraction. LASIK is an abbreviation for Laser in Situ Keratomileusis, and as its name implies, it uses a laser to change the cornea’s shape.
During the operation, the surgeon will usually use an instrument known as a microkeratome to make a flap in the cornea, which can be pulled back to reveal the underlying corneal tissue. If that turns you off from doing the procedure, there are also bladeless forms of LASIK that use a high-energy laser to produce the same flap. At that point, the surgeon uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea to correct the patient’s vision.
However, in the back of your mind, you may be wondering how the surgeon knows the correct shape to reshape the cornea into. Before the procedure, the surgeon creates a pre-specified cornea pattern. This is carried out using advanced diagnostic technology and numerous extensive pre-operative tests to measure the thickness and shape of the cornea. This provides a three-dimensional map of the cornea’s structures.
This helps the surgeon to determine beforehand what shape the cornea should be to correct the patient’s vision issues.
What to Expect Before, During, And After LASIK
You don’t have to worry about experiencing a lot of downtime after your LASIK procedure. It provides the quickest and easiest recovery periods, especially when you compare it to other types of procedures. The majority of people return to their normal routines within 24 hours.
Nonetheless, you have to keep in mind that LASIK is a process. To ensure that the best results are possible, LASIK patients can expect to go through the following experiences that lead up to and after their surgery.
BEFORE THE PROCEDURE
If you are interested in a LASIK procedure, you have to attend a pre-operative consultation to find out of you are eligible for LASIK or any other vision correction procedure. During your consultation, an eye doctor takes a look at your vision and eye health. An experienced optometric physician can explain the procedures and answer any questions or address any concerns you may have.
The first consultation usually involves several painless tests to determine whether or not you are a suitable candidate. Depending on your prescription, the patient’s pupils may require dilation.
DURING THE PROCEDURE
On the day of the surgery, your doctor will verify your eye prescription again, and your pupils are measured to ascertain the best results. The surgeon will also let you know what to expect during the procedure, review post-operative care instructions, and fill out the remaining paperwork. If you wear contact lenses, which can change the cornea’s shape, you have probably been already told to stop wearing them for a specific amount of time before the surgery.
Generally speaking, you will most likely be at the clinic for about 3 to 4 hours on the day of the procedure. LASIK eye surgery only lasts about 15 minutes, and the laser is used for less than 10 seconds on each eye. You will be asked to take a seat and given numbing eye drops. The surgeon uses an instrument to keep your eyes open, a suction ring is placed over your eye before they cut the corneal flap. The patient may feel pressure or dimness in their vision.
When the flap is created, the surgeon folds it back to get to the area of the cornea that needs reshaping. Using a laser, the surgeon starts the reshaping process. The patient will be asked to focus on the point of light, which keeps their eye fixed while the laser reshapes the cornea. Each laser pulse removes a part of the corneal tissue. Then the surgeon lays the flap back into place when the corneal shape is acceptable; the flap heals on its own.
AFTER THE PROCEDURE
Normally, patients experience some form of irritation after the procedure. The eyes may feel itchy, burning, or watery. Also, a person’s vision will probably be blurry. Overall, LASIK eye surgery is a painless procedure.
LASIK eye surgery is one of the safest and most convenient elective surgeries around. It offers a long-term solution to vision issues and can transform the quality of life for so many people. If you want to learn more about LASIK eye surgery and other correction options, book a free consultation at any of Excel Laser Vision Institute’s clinics in Orange County or Los Angeles or call (888) 957-3255, or visit our website to get more details: https://www.exceleye.com/.
