| LASIK as Eye Surgery Procedure |
| Written by John Taylor | |
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LASIK for Vision Correction Are you thinking of getting your eyes corrected with laser surgery? That can be a really good option for people who are sick of their glasses or contacts. After all, glasses cost a lot of money. You will end up saving money in the long run if you get laser surgery because you will never have to buy expensive glasses or contacts again. That is reason enough to go through with the corrective laser eye surgery. Before you make the decision though, you should learn about more about what actually goes on with this popular surgery. The most popular kind of laser eye surgery is called LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. Although there are other forms of the surgery, this is the most popular because of the cost and the success rate. Once you hear a bit more about this procedure, you may be scared off from doing it though. LASIK eye surgery only takes about a half an hour to complete, although that half hour may seem very long when you consider what will be happening during that time. for one, you will need to be awake for this surgery. Not only that, but you will be watching it happen since it will be done on your actual eyes. This can definitely creep out a lot of people and prevent them from going through with it. it is best to know about this ahead of time so that you know what to expect. When you get into the doctor's office for the surgery, you will be seated in a reclining chair, much like what you would find at a dentist's office. They will then keep your eyelids open with a clamp device. They put a drop of liquid on the eye to numb it so that you don't feel any pain. This is the only anesthetic that they use in this corrective laser eye surgery. Once your eye is sufficiently numb, it is time to start the procedure. They will first cut open your cornea with a microkeratome machine or a laser keratome. The cornea is the clear part of the eye. It acts like the lens of the camera and is the part that helps you in or out of focus. They cut this cornea in almost a full circle, leaving enough intact to create a hinge. They then fold back this flap to have access to the middle part of the cornea, called the stroma. From there, they use a computer-guided laser to vaporize the stroma inside your cornea. This is the procedure that actually fixes your vision. They don't vaporize the entire stroma. Instead, they just do portions enough so that, when the flap is replaced, your vision will be perfect. There! The surgery is done. How do you feel? Keep in mind that they won't be able to sew the flap back in place. While it will be folded back to where it was, it will still have an open seem. It will take a while for this to heal, so your doctor will give you eye shields to wear at night. These shields will prevent you from rubbing or scratching at your eyes while you sleep. They tend to request that you wear it for at least four weeks. Be sure to take your doctor's suggestion. Now that you know a bit more about what really goes on in LASIK eye surgery, you probably have a better idea of whether or not it is right for you. Some people hear this and are fine with it, while others are grossed out. It's really up to you. |
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