To Lasik or not to Lasik?

To Lasik or not to Lasik?

Eye surgery can be daunting; many people are reluctant to ask about the necessary steps to getting there. Not much is explained about Lasik procedures in general and fear of the unknown is what gets people worried about the surgery. We discuss this irrational fear and help people come to terms with what is out there and what has been experienced by other Lasik patients in the past.

Pain is first and foremost on the list of any consideration of a surgery, whether it is pain before, during or after the surgery. It would be undiscerning in this case, to not see a potential patient’s point of view on this subject, since the patient would be operated on while conscious… he has every right to be worried about the possibility of pain. Not to fret, numbing drops are applied to the eyes before the operation commences. This is apart from the sedative that is administered to the patient in the aim of relaxing the patient and making sure that their comfort is tended to. Slight pressure is felt during the operation but it is a pain free process nonetheless.

The procedure entails using a laser to reshape the cornea of the eye during the Lasik operation. Worries about the laser’s adverse effects are another expressed concern. Questions like: What if it is shun directly into my eye? And what if I look away and the laser hits an inappropriate spot and permanently damages my eye? What are the Lasik laser’s beam effects? These questions are all answered with the fact of the matter that there is a tracking system making sure that the laser beam is only active while the eye is in the right position, and then only for fifteen seconds for each eye.

“The Scalpel” is another dreaded fear when thinking about undergoing any medical procedure. Any of the many Lasik procedures will only use a very tiny “Microkeratome” blade applied to the eye directly. More recent Lasik procedures even use the laser itself to implement a flat and so, do not use a hard substance at all. Rest assured, the scalpel is not used by Lasik physicians.

Urban legends of visits to a Lasik center going seriously wrong are just what those are… myths. The truth is, serious consequences that are feared by some, such as blindness, are according to government surveys taken by the FDA, non-existent. The risk of any serious complication due to the surgery is less than 1 percent. Also the risk of less serious problems such as light halos is 3 percent or less. So basically, it is very rare not to have improved vision as the result of a Lasik operation.

Again here, we would like to remind you that even though you will be fully awake during the operation, you will be given a sedative that will comfort you during the operation Also, eye numbing drops will be given that will ensure no pain is felt in the eyes during the operation. If it is the apprehension of someone else touching your eye that sends a shiver down your spine, rest assured that that eye will be blacked out for ten to fifteen seconds due to the drops applied while the deed is done to that eye.

Hopefully, you now have the knowledge (and the courage) to go through with the operation and all the common fears have been addressed. If you feel that you have something to gain from Lasik, namely sight! Then visit your local Lasik centre and have a sit down with the professional, find out what you might be missing.