SHARES
“I have very bad shortsightedness. My glasses are thick and I don’t feel good wearing it. Even with contact lenses, my vision is still not so great. My aunt just had her eye LASIK done not so long ago. She says the result is fantastic and I notice her becoming brighter and more cheerful after the treatment. However, I heard that people can go blind because of eye LASIK.” Ann, 24, who is looking forward to her LASIK appointment but anxious at the same time.
What is eye LASIK?
LASIK stands for “laser in situ keratomileusis”. It is a treatment for correcting blurred vision such as short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism (irregular eye surface). As the name suggests, this procedure uses laser to remodel (-smileusis, “carve”) the surface of the eye, called cornea (kerato-, “outer keratin-rich layer of the eye”) without affecting surrounding tissue (in situ, “locally”).
How does eye LASIK work?
Cool laser, which does not cause burn, is used for precise cutting and smoothening of the refractive surface of the eye, called cornea. This ensure that light reaching our eyes are not refracted away due to irregular eye surface (astigmatism). Also, LASIK can carve the cornea in a way to increase its curvature and converging power for treating long-sightedness. Likewise, carving our cornea in a way that flatten the curve surface can increase our eyes diverging power to treat short-sightedness.
Photo from eyedoctorophthalmologistnyc.com
How good is eye LASIK?
About 96% of people can restore their normal eyesight after LASIK and need not wear glasses. However, those with very severe myopia (>-8D) and hyperopia (>+4D) may not get perfect vision. It is important to discuss with your ophthalmologist to understand your condition and available treatment options for more informed decisions and realistic expectations.
Is LASIK’s eye effect permanent?
Yes, it is. Your doctor will usually evaluate your suitability for LASIK beforehand. It is generally not recommended for growing children or people whose lens power has been changing for the past one year. This is because LASIK treats only the eye surface and changes in your lens after the treatment will affect your vision still. Usually our lens power will become stable after 18 years old and treatment outcome for LASIK is great for young adults older than 18.
Also, as we age at 40 years and above, our eye lens can become less elastic, giving rise to long-sightedness. You may need to wear glasses for near vision activities like reading, sewing, etc.
Are there any danger for LASIK?
This is a relatively safe and fast procedure with very low complication rate (<0.1%). Computerised laser control has greatly improve precision as compared to conventional surgical technique. Hence, LASIK has very low complication rate, and patient recovers faster from the procedure with less discomfort. Infection is the most common complication. Rarely can LASIK cause blindness.
What to expect from LASIK?
Before procedure:
Your ophthalmologist will spend time to understand your issues and check your suitability for laser correction. Your doctor will also perform a thorough eye examination and pre-operative assessment. These also include a cornea surface scan (corneal topography), and thickness scan (corneal pachymetry).
If you are wearing hard contact lenses, you will need to stop wearing it 1 month before the procedure to decrease risk of infection. For soft contact lenses, stop wearing them 2 weeks before your treatment.
During the procedure:
This procedure usually takes 10-15 minutes for an eye. Both eyes can be corrected together. You will be lying throughout the procedure. The doctor will apply a few drops of anaesthetic agent to numb the touch and pain sensation in the eyes. If you are feeling uneasy and anxious, your ophthalmologist can provide you with a sedative to help you relax. Your doctor will use a retractor to open up your eyes. Then, your cornea is remodelled using computer-controlled laser. There will be no pain; minimal or no discomfort. After that, your doctor will surgically make a small cut above your cornea to create a skin flap that is used to cover up the part of your cornea receiving laser treatment.
After the procedure:
You will experience slight discomfort and dryness in your eyes when the anaesthesia is over. Avoid driving for the next 24 hours.
It is important to keep your eyes lubricated with artificial tears and never rub your eyes. This ensure good healing of your wound and prevent the skin flap from dislodging. Your vision should improve quickly in 24 hours and you can return to your daily activities the next day. However, avoid any contact sport or activity that may injure your eyes because your wound needs about two weeks to heal. Avoid eye makeup and mascara for at least a week. Your vision will become better over days and best result can be seen 3-4 months after your treatment.
Photo by Castervision on Flickr
Conclusion
Eye LASIK uses precise computerised laser control to remodel and smoothen the surface of your eyes. This technique can correct visual blurring such as short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism. It is relatively safe with very low rate of complication. Talk to your ophthalmologist today to find out more about eye LASIK.
References:
1. Common questions about the LASIK procedure [Internet]. LASIK MD. 2019. [Available from: https://www.lasikmd.com/what-to-expect/faq; last accessed on 2019 Jul 21]
2. Charles S. Lasik and PRK: frequently asked questions [Internet]. AAV Media. 2019. [Available from: https://www.allaboutvision.com/faq/lasik_prk.htm; last updated on 2017 Aug; last accessed on 2019 Jul 21].
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by Chang Xian
View all articles by Chang Xian.
