Lasik Continued
Finding a doctor to perform LASIK Surgery
Once a possible candidate has undergone basic questioning to determine if LASIK is a possibility, they must find a good doctor to whom they can entrust their eyesight. Doctors should be experienced, with FDA-approved laser equipment and a highly informative manner. While cost is always a factor, the cheapest doctor is not always the best choice, as inferior results could require extremely expensive repair surgeries – or even cause permanent damage.
The LASIK Procedure
Candidates for LASIK Surgery will have to undergo extensive exams before the actual procedure in order to correctly measure the changes that will be made to the cornea. Contact lenses must be avoided for up to four weeks before the baseline exam, since they can change the shape of the cornea and result in inaccurate measurements leading to unsatisfactory surgery.
The day of the LASIK Surgery, no lotions, creams, makeup, or perfumes should be used. The actual surgery will take less than thirty minutes, and will be minimally uncomfortable. Suction is used to hold the cornea in place while a flap is cut into it, after which it is folded back and a laser will vaporize microscopic amounts of corneal tissue at a time. Completely computerized, this part of the procedure is painless and over quickly. Once the laser is finished, the flap is put back into place and an eye shield is put over the eye.
After the surgery, there may be some discomfort of the eye, but care must be taken to avoid anything touching the eye for at least several days after the procedure. Since there are no stitches to protect the corneal flap while it is healing, the eye shield must be worn for at least four weeks at night and swimming, contact sports, and other dangerous activities should be avoided as well.
By Kira Lee
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