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Lasik Eye Surgery Patients, the success rates

The Lasik operation can be a wonderful, life-changing option for many people whose vision is less than perfect.  There are several different types of Lasik operations now available, from the original and well documented procedure to Lasik procedures done with three dimensional wavefronts, or done entirely with lasers.  Each of these variations of the Lasik procedure should be discussed with the physician that is to perform the operation.
Like any surgery, Lasik does have the potential for side effects.

Sometimes reading the horror stories of the outcomes of a Lasik procedure can deter people from seriously considering such a choice.  It is also true that the vast numbers of people who have a successful, trouble-free Lasik surgery tend not to report a long and detailed story of their experience, unlike those that have experienced trouble afterward.

However, it is good to know what the possible side effects of the Lasik procedure are, and also the likelihood that one of these side effects will occur for a particular patient.  Just like any medicine we take, each has a possible number of side effects, but we generally assume that the likelihood of a serious side effect is small, and we take the medicine anyway.  This article will hopefully put concerns of the prospective Lasik patient into perspective so that they can calmly and thoughtfully ponder having a Lasik procedure done in the future.

More than one million Lasik eye surgery procedures are done in the US every year, according to the FDA.  This arm of the national government has accumulated the following statistics for the most common side effects of the Lasik procedure.  These statistics will also vary by the physician performing the surgery, so make sure to get as much information on the prospective Lasik physician as possible.

After Lasik surgery, 1.7 percent of patients experience some glare or sensitivity to light after the operation.   This varies by patient, but this sensitivity is especially noticeable when looking at a bright light, such as a streetlight when walking at night, or other strong light and dark contrast.  Another light related side effect is a halo around a light, and this occurs in 3.5 percent of Lasik patients.

The new, corrected vision can be noticed quickly by some Lasik patients, in as little as a few hours after surgery.  Most patients that have undergone the Lasik procedure find the change is permanent within a few days.  In 2.6 percent of clients that have had a Lasik procedure done, there is persistent visual fluctuation within at least a part of their sphere of vision.

Finally, some patients do not get a fully corrected sphere of vision after their Lasik procedure.  This happens with a small number of clients, and the FDA statistics are that only 3 percent of patients have this effect.  In all or nearly all cases, the physician in charge will perform an additional Lasik procedure to improve this.

This detailing of the major permanent side effects of the Lasik eye surgery procedure should put any personal horror stories into perspective.  Notice that none of the percentages are above 3 percent, and this should bring comfort to most prospective Lasik clients.  However, it should also motivate them to look carefully at the Lasik physician’s personal record.

What is involved in effective Post-Op Lasik Care

One of the most marvelous advancements using modern technology is the Lasik vision correction procedure, where in the space of fifteen minutes many people can reduce or eliminate their reliance on glasses or contact lenses.  There is very little preparation for the surgery on the Lasik patient’s side, and the Lasik procedure itself takes less than twenty minutes.

With current technology and an excellent Lasik physician, there is a very high success rate for nearly all Lasik surgeries.  Though not all patients get or keep exactly 20/20 vision, there is a vast improvement in the Lasik client’s vision and dependence on corrective eyewear.  The two most important factors under the patient’s control is the choice of the physician and good post-operative care.

After visiting a few physicians or clinics that perform Lasik procedures, the client should have a very good idea of how they will be treated as a patient of that doctor.  It is important to find a Lasik physician whose staff is responsive to questions and worries, and who are willing to see a post-operative Lasik client who is having a problem with their care.

This is one of the more common complaints of those folks that undergo a Lasik procedure: insufficient information about post-operative Lasik side effects, or a staff that simply says “Lots of people experience that, no problem,” when the patient actually should be seen by a member of the staff.  A visit where the prospective Lasik patient talks with both the physician and one or two members of the staff will get an idea of how well a patient is welcomed once the Lasik procedure is completed.

During this initial investigative visit, the client should ask the Lasik staff for a list of common, temporary side effects that can be experienced after a Lasik procedure.  The staff member should describe any cases where the patient should make a point of contacting the Lasik center, rather than just enduring the side effect.  Cases of pain, intense itching, or seriously blurred vision may indicate an infection or other serious problem, and should be seen promptly.  It is truly very rare that any of these complications exist after a Lasik procedure, but make sure that the center is willing to see the patient if they think something is more than mildly wrong.

One of the more common side effects after a Lasik operation is some form of dry eye, which often occurs during the nighttime while asleep.  Not only is this uncomfortable, but if the eyelid sticks even slightly to the eye itself, it may dislodge the surgical flap done in the Lasik procedure, and delay healing of the eye.  If this occurs, the Lasik center has several different viscosities, or thicknesses, of eye drops to alleviate this problem.  The staff should be promptly notified so this problem can be addressed immediately.

A good, responsive staff surrounding an excellent Lasik physician is the most important component in how to select a doctor.  Interviewing the physician and staff about all aspects of the Lasik procedure, both the procedure itself and post-operative care, is the best way to make an excellent choice.

Guide to choosing a laser eye surgeon

Improving your vision with a Lasik procedure could be one of the greatest gifts you could get for yourself.  However, as my mother used to say, “Your eyes are precious.”  It is important to entrust the Lasik operation to a doctor that you trust and have confidence in.

Let’s begin with three factors that should NOT be the sole reason you select a doctor for the Lasik procedure.  The location of the office is not particularly important, and a number of people travel long distances to have the Lasik procedure done, for a truly professional doctor will only need to be visited two or three times.  Also, cost or the type of Lasik technology used should not be the sole factor.  The range in surgical skill for a Lasik operation does vary, and there is the old saying “you get what you pay for.”  Further, though the newer types of Lasik procedures do have their benefits; many eye doctors in a large metropolitan area often offer two or three Lasik variants.

There are several ways to determine which is the best doctor for you in your area.  One of the qualities to look for in a good Lasik physician is someone who can accurately assess your situation, and advise you if Lasik is even a good choice for you and your lifestyle.  A physician that takes the time to discuss your own physical condition and situation with you is a good indicator that this is a Lasik physician that you can rely on.

Look for a Lasik doctor which has a solid reputation in the area, and has a good track record.  A physician that advertises in a magazine is not a sufficient recommendation to put your trust in that doctor, and needs more investigation before agreeing to have him do your Lasik procedure.  Sometimes a Lasik surgery center with a large advertising campaign and discounted prices may be indicating that the quality of the surgery is not excellent, and this could be a red flag to avoid that center.

A good Lasik doctor should be involved in the entire Lasik process.  As mentioned above, he should take time to assess your particular case and discuss it with you.  Not only should he do the exam, but he should also perform most or all of the preoperative exam, and also should meet with you personally to monitor the success of the procedure at the dates for checkup.  There are stories from some Lasik centers of the patients never seeing the physician again after the operation until they complained strenuously of some particular problem.

Make sure the physician is honest in their assessment of the general Lasik procedure, and his track record in particular.  Ask for individual examples of patients that the physician dissuaded from having the Lasik operation, and why.  Ask how many Lasik procedures the doctor has done in total, and how many in the last two years.  An experienced laser eye surgeon should have performed in the neighborhood of 1000 Lasik procedures, with at least 500 of those in the last two years.

Use these questions as a starting point to investigate the Lasik centers in your area, and even the highly recommended ones in nearby major metropolitan areas.  It will be time well invested, and the first step to a clearer future.

The differences between Lasik eye surgery and ICL

A number of people who are considering the Lasik procedure to correct their nearsightedness or farsightedness have of some potential problems of Lasik, and are wondering if there are other options.  Though more than 95 percent of the Lasik patients have a very successful procedure without any major side effects, there are choices for people who wish to improve their vision.  Let’s compare two, and discuss these choices with a reputable ophthalmologist.

Traditional Lasik eye surgery uses a scalpel to create a small flap in the eye, and then a laser reshapes the eye in order to focus accurately.  There are two more recent forms of Lasik, one that entirely uses a laser and does away with the scalpel.  Another variation uses a three dimension waveform for people with unusual eye shapes, and both of these are worth discussing with your ophthalmologist.

Those people with very thin corneas or other issues that make Lasik not a good candidate for their particular case can consider implantable contact lens surgery.  This is known as ICL in the eye surgeon’s lingo, and is a good alternative to Lasik to permanently correct vision.  These lenses function in exactly the same way as removable lenses, except that they remain permanently in the eye.  Like Lasik, they reshape the eye in order for it to focus accurately.  The patient will not feel the lens once the operation has been performed.

Lasik and ICL are similar in several ways.  Lasik can improve vision affected by nearsightedness and astigmatism, and ICL can improve these vision deficiencies also.  Both Lasik and ICL also have some of the same risks, one of these being that the correction is not accurate after the first operation is done.  Lasik is a much more frequently performed procedure, and less than 3 percent (according to the FDA) of these patients need to undergo additional surgery to further correct vision after the first Lasik procedure is done.

Like any operation, there is a chance of infection in either a Lasik procedure or an ICL operation.  Good post-operative care by the patient will minimize this and regular checkups at the Lasik or eye care center will nearly always clear this up without further complication.  In a small percentage of the cases, either Lasik or ICL patients may not achieve perfect vision and may need to continue to wear corrective eyewear, though usually not at the same strength as the original eyewear.

One advantage of ICL over Lasik is that ICL is a reversible procedure, where the implanted lens can be removed later if that becomes necessary.  Lasik involves the reshaping of the cornea to bring objects accurately into focus, and is permanent.  However, for a typical, healthy patient either Lasik or ICL will generally bring about the desired improvement in vision.

Lasik is generally a less invasive procedure, and this is reflected in the current cost of the operation.  The current price for a Lasik procedure is between $500 and $2500 per eye, depending on the type of procedure and the presiding physician.  A typical price for ICL is between $1500 and $3000 per eye.  Do some investigation into the options offered, and select the eye procedure that is best for your personal case.

Lasik Eye Surgery Explained.

Lasik eye surgery is a procedure that can correct your vision by altering the physical properties of your eye. Unlike traditional surgical procedures that depend upon the skills and steadiness of the surgeon’s hand, LASIK eye surgery is computer controlled.

The more progressive LASIK surgery centers perform in-depth analysis of your eyes as an evaluation procedure to determine if you’re a good candidate for the LASIK procedure. The evaluation process, which is largely controlled by computer itself, maps the overall physical makeup of each eye. A traditional eye exam determines your visual abilities and then an exhaustive computer analysis determines if your eyes can be enhanced by the LASIK procedure.

In addition to determining whether or not you’re a good candidate for LASIK, the procedure also records quite a bit of data that’s specific to your eyes. If you choose to proceed with the LASIK eye surgery, this data is used to program the computer controlled LASIK equipment to insure that your eyes are modified exactly in the proper manner so as to provide maximum benefit.

How Your Eyes Work

The cornea of the eye is responsible for projecting light onto the retina in order to produce an image. When the cornea is not shaped properly, distortion of the image will occur. This is called a refractive error. LASIK eye surgery can correct refractive errors.

There are three primary types of refractive errors -

1) Myopia is a refractive error in which a person has trouble seeing things at a distance, but they can see things that are close up.

2) Hyperopia is when a person will be able to see things clearly at a distance but cannot see things that are close to them.

3) Astigmatism is the distortion of images caused by irregularities in the shape of the cornea.

LASIK eye surgery is also called refractive surgery because it will reshape the cornea, therefore improving the ability to focus clearly.

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. To be a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, you have to be willing to accepts the risks that go along with this type of surgery. Your eyesight should be stable, meaning that it hasn’t changed appreciably over the past several years. Also, you shouldn’t have any existing health conditions that would put you at risk while having LASIK eye surgery.

Risks of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK eye surgery does carry some risks, such as loss of vision. In some extremely rare cases, the patient may lose vision due to equipment malfunction, scarring or healing related complications.

One common risk of LASIK eye surgery is that any dry eye condition that is experienced right after surgery may hamper the healing process. Signs of dryness are burning, redness and decreased vision. If this dry eye condition persists, you may have to medicate to improve tear duct function and use artificial tears to maintain the proper level of moisture. You must keep your eyes moist after LASIK surgery in order to promote healing.

Things to do Before LASIK Surgery

If you wear contact lenses, either soft contacts or rigid contacts, you should stop wearing your contacts at least three weeks before your initial evaluation by the doctor. On the day of surgery, you shouldn’t wear makeup or perfumes. Also, don’t wear any fuzzy clothing that is likely to disperse lint.

Make sure that someone goes with you on the day of surgery, since you’ll need someone to drive you home after the LASIK procedure. Before the surgery, the doctor may give you medicine to relax you and your vision may be a little blurry immediately following surgery. Also, special eye drops are administered prior to the procedure which can cause additional, but temporary blurriness.

LASIK eye surgery is relatively safe and it can free you from glasses and contacts. Before you commit to LASIK surgery, make sure that you consider all the advantages and disadvantages of having the procedure. Ask the doctor lots of questions so that you can make an informed decision about whether LASIK eye surgery is the right choice for you.