Are you tired of depending on glasses and contact lenses? Do you want better vision? If you’re ready for a more permanent solution, LASIK may be a good choice for you.
The experts at 20/20 Eye Physicians of Indiana are here to help you achieve visual freedom.
What is LASIK?
Laser-assisted in-situ Keratomileusis, known as LASIK, is a quick and minimally invasive procedure that can help you achieve clear vision without the use of visual aids like glasses or contacts. It corrects refractive errors in your eyes, like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
Refractive errors occur when your cornea is misshapen, or you have an eye that is too long or too short. This results in blurry vision because your eye is unable to bend light properly to focus on the retina.
Luckily, LASIK has made it possible to correct these refractive errors using a simple procedure. When you undergo LASIK, your LASIK surgeon will use a specialized laser to reshape your cornea so that light can focus directly on the retina, giving you clear vision.
Who is a Good Candidate for LASIK?
There are many factors to consider when determining whether you are a good candidate for LASIK, such as:
What Happens During the LASIK Procedure?
On the day of your procedure, you will arrive at your LASIK surgeon’s office or an outpatient facility to undergo LASIK. Your LASIK surgeon will administer numbing eye drops to your eyes so you don’t feel any pain during the procedure.
Using a femtosecond laser, your LASIK surgeon will make a thin flap in your cornea and fold it back to access the inner layers of the cornea. At this point, you will be asked to stare at a light while an excimer laser reshapes this layer of your cornea, called the stroma.
Once the cornea is reshaped, the flap is folded back down and repositioned, and it begins naturally healing on its own within minutes. The flap acts as a natural bandage, meaning you won’t need stitches or sutures.
The entire procedure usually takes less than half an hour.
What is Recovery Like after LASIK?
Recovery from LASIK is typically very short. Some people see better right after the procedure, while others may need a few days or weeks for their vision to reach peak clarity. Many people can return to normal activities like working and driving within a week or two of their procedure.
After your procedure, it is recommended that you go home and take a nap or relax. Your eye doctor will provide you with a shield to protect your eyes while sleeping to prevent you from accidentally rubbing them.
Your eyes might feel scratchy for a few hours after the procedure, but this is normal. Your eye doctor will prescribe eye drops to reduce inflammation and prevent infection. Over-the-counter eye drops can also be taken at the same time to aid dry eye.
Post-operative follow-up visits are required to assess your eyes after the procedure and ensure they are healing correctly. Your eye doctor will test your vision and review any post-operative care instructions with you.
It’s important to follow any and all instructions your eye doctor gives you during recovery to prevent any complications.
Will LASIK Give Me 20/20 Vision?
Most patients end up with 20/20 vision or better after LASIK. This means most people no longer have to rely on glasses or contact lenses to see clearly.
However, some people will not reach this level of correction. Most people can expect to greatly reduce their dependence on visual aids after the procedure.
While LASIK surgery cannot prevent future vision changes from cataracts or age-related nearsightedness, it can provide the visual freedom you’ve been searching for in a procedure that takes less than thirty minutes.
What Can I Do if I’m Not a Good Candidate for LASIK?
Although LASIK is the most popular refractive surgery for many reasons, if your corneas are too thin to undergo the procedure, PRK may be the better choice for you.
PRK provides patients with the same visual freedom as LASIK. Like LASIK, a laser reshapes the cornea to ensure light can adequately reach the retina.
PRK is different from LASIK in that no corneal flap is created, and instead, the outer layer of the cornea is completely removed. There is a longer recovery time of a few weeks to a month; however, PRK allows people with thinner corneas or dry eyes to enjoy the crisp, clear vision that LASIK can provide.
Schedule a LASIK consultation with your eye doctor at 20/20 Eye Physicians of Indiana in Indianapolis, IN, today to determine whether you’re a good candidate for LASIK and what clearer vision could do for you!