LASIK; what you need to know before leaping

Are you tired of wearing glasses and contact lenses for a long time? If yes, you may wonder if you should go for LASIK surgery. LASIK refers to Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, a type of refractive eye surgery. It’s a painless procedure that turns less than 20/20 vision to almost perfect. After the surgery, some people get 20/25 vision but, some still need to use glasses to do things like driving in the night or reading a book in dim light.

LASIK Benefits:

● It’s been around for more than 2 decades. 96% of people who go through this surgery get good results. Technological advancement can help this number grow even more.

● It’s painless.

● No stitches or bandages after the surgery.

● If you face changes in your vision as you get older, your doctor can adjust it.

● There’s a high chance that you probably won’t have to use glasses or contact lenses after the surgery.

LASIK risks: 

● Surgery is still a complex process and you can’t consider it 100% risk-free. It has complex procedures. There’s a rare chance that it can permanently affect your vision. Always consult an experienced doctor.

● You may not get your best correctable vision, to the degree that you had while wearing lenses, after surgery.

● It’s expensive and most of the health insurances don’t cover LASIK.

Side effects:

● It may affect your night time vision; you may see halos or starbursts while driving at night

● Dry eyes

● You may need reading glasses due to natural aging

● Eye flap – manipulated during surgery

● Inflammation of the cornea

● Infection

● Scratchy eyes

● Light sensitivity

● Small scrapes on eyes

Consider these final points before deciding on whether it’s the right option for you or not:

● Do thorough research.

● Choose the most qualified and experienced surgeon in the field.

● Talk to your doctor about all your worries and get every question answered.

Always look before you leap.