laser eye surgery
All about laser eye surgery
What is eye LASIK?
LASIK eye surgery is a type of eye surgery, in which vision problems are solved with the help of a laser. Eye LASIK is one of the newest eye procedures. In this surgery, a laser is used to make a precise cut on the cornea of the eye. In eyes that do not have vision problems, the cornea refracts the light and transmits it directly onto the retina at the back of the eye. But in eyes with nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, the light is not focused in the right place and the vision is blurred.
Most people are satisfied with the results of laser eye surgery. Side effects such as dry eyes are common in this procedure. The result of the operation depends on eye defects and other factors. People with mild myopia have the most success in this surgery
Procedures for performing LASIK eye surgery
At first, the doctor will coordinate an examination session with you. In this session, the ophthalmologist examines the size of the cornea and its thickness and determines the exact amount of tissue that should be removed from the eye. Doctors generally use waveguide technology for accurate assessment. In this test, the scanner provides a detailed chart similar to topography. The more accurate the measurements, the better the surgeon can remove the corneal tissue.
Eye LASIK usually takes 30 minutes or less. An anesthetic drop is poured into the eye. Then the doctor uses a device to hold the eyelids open. Using a small blade or laser, the surgeon removes the flap on the eye. After that, the doctor accesses a part of the cornea to change its shape.
The surgeon uses a laser to reshape parts of the cornea. A small amount of corneal tissue is removed with each laser beam pulse. After reshaping the cornea, the surgeon returns the flap to its previous position. The flap usually heals without sutures. During the procedure you will be asked to focus on a point of light. In this case, you keep your eyes steady. You may feel an odor during the procedure. Some people compare this smell to the smell of burnt hair.
Important points before eye LASIK surgery
Be sure to have a consultation with an eye surgeon before eye LASIK surgery. Some factors can increase the complications and damage of eye LASIK. Also, the result may not be ideal for the person. If you have any of the following problems, it is possible that your doctor will not recommend eye surgery for you. Keep in mind that people who are carefully examined before surgery generally get the best results from laser eye surgery.
Autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis
Weakness of the immune system due to the use of immunosuppressive drugs or HIV disease
Persistent dry eyes
Changes in vision due to medication use, hormonal changes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or aging
Corneal inflammation, eye injuries or diseases
Simple herpes that affects the eye area.
Cataracts or cataracts
important points:
On the day before and on the day of eye laser surgery, avoid eye make-up and use creams and perfumes.
If you wear contact lenses, you should replace them with glasses a few weeks before the procedure.
Depending on the duration of lens use, the doctor will provide specific instructions. During the initial examination, the doctor will ask about your medical records and check for symptoms such as infection, inflammation, and dry eyes.
Care after eye LASIK operation
Immediately after the procedure, you may feel itching or burning. Your vision will probably be a little blurry and you will experience some pain. The doctor prescribes painkillers and eye drops. Some doctors ask the patient to wear eye protection during the first few nights of sleep.
After surgery, it takes some time for vision to return to normal. Two to three months after the operation, it is completely recovered and vision is stabilized. Usually, 2 days after the surgery, the doctor arranges an examination to observe the healing process and complications of the operation. In the first 6 months after surgery, you will have appointments with an ophthalmologist.
In the first few weeks, you should not use cosmetics around the eyes. You should wait a few weeks for sports like swimming. Be sure to take the doctor’s recommendations seriously during this time and follow them all.
After LASIK eye surgery, it takes some time for vision to return to normal. In the first 6 months, you should see an eye doctor regularly.
Advantages of eye LASIK
Eye LASIK is one of the most popular methods to fix eye defects. Many people do this every year. The benefits of laser eye surgery are many. Some of these benefits include:
Rapid improvement of vision
Relatively painless
High patient satisfaction in the long term
There are no bandages or stitches.
Low complication rate
Affordable
Disadvantages and possible side effects of eye LASIK
Complications such as loss of vision in laser eye surgery are very rare. But side effects such as dry eyes and temporary vision problems are relatively common. These side effects usually go away after a few weeks or months. Very few people have these problems permanently. The risks and side effects of LASIK are:
Dry eye: Laser eye surgery temporarily reduces tear production. In the first 6 months after surgery, this complication may exist. Dry eye can affect the quality of vision. Usually, the ophthalmologist prescribes eye drops for dry eyes.
Light sensitivity and double vision: You may have trouble seeing at night for a few days to a few weeks after surgery. Increased sensitivity to light and creating a halo around the lights, double vision is also created during this period.
Incorrect corrections: This condition occurs mostly in myopic people. This complication occurs when the laser removes too little tissue from the eyes. In this case, it may be necessary to operate again.
Overcorrection: In this case, the laser removes too much tissue from the eye. In this case, it is very difficult to solve the problem.
Flap problems: Removing the flap from the front of the eye during surgery can cause complications such as infection and excessive tears. The outermost layer of corneal tissue may grow abnormally under the flap during healing.
Return to the previous state: sometimes, vision may return to the state before the operation. Of course, this complication is not very common.
Loss of vision: The probability of developing this complication is very low. But sometimes, a person may lose his sight or not see the past clearly.
Due to the possibility of such complications in laser eye surgery, you must choose a licensed and experienced eye surgeon. High experience in eye LASIK operation can minimize its complications.
Your frequently asked questions
If you are planning to have laser eye surgery, you probably have questions and concerns about the surgery. In the following, we have listed some frequently asked questions of people before eye surgery and provided their answers. For more information about the types of eye surgery, it is better to have a consultation with an experienced eye surgeon.
1- Which people are suitable candidates for LASIK eye surgery?
The doctor asks him questions to ensure that this method is suitable for the patient. Many things make a person a suitable candidate for this method. Some basic conditions for LASIK surgery are:
The person is over 18 years old.
A person’s vision has not changed in the past few years.
During surgery, the person is not pregnant or breastfeeding.
If a person is nearsighted, the eye problem is not severe.
In the dark room, the average pupil size is about 6 mm.
2- What people are not suitable for eye LASIK?
Ophthalmologists usually do not recommend laser eye surgery for people with the following problems.
An eye disease that causes thinning or bulging of the cornea. (Even if it’s just a family history.)
It has a relatively good overview.
Has severe myopia.
It has very large pupils or a thin cornea.
There are changes in vision with age.
Performs sports activities, where there is a possibility of hitting the face.
If you are considering LASIK eye surgery, consult with your doctor about your questions and concerns. The doctor will provide full explanations about whether you are a suitable candidate for this procedure or similar procedures.
Which vision problems can be corrected with LASIK?
People with various vision problems can use eye LASIK. Laser eye surgery is a suitable option to correct one of the following problems.
Astigmatism eye LASIK operation: When the cornea is unevenly bent or even flat, it creates the problem of astigmatism. In this case, vision is disturbed in the far and near state.
Myopic eye LASIK operation: When the eyeball is larger than normal or the curvature of the lens is high, the light rays meet in front of the retina. In this case, the vision becomes blurred in the distance. In myopia, close objects are seen without any problems.
Camera eye LASIK operation: When the eyeball is smaller than normal or the cornea is too flat, light is focused behind the retina. This condition causes near vision and sometimes distant vision to become blurred.
3- What is the cost of LASIK eye surgery?
The cost of eye LASIK depends on various factors. Doctors offer different prices according to the level of experience and the team of assistants. In addition to the cost of the surgery and the salary of the surgeon’s assistants, you should consider other costs such as the cost of the eye examination and evaluation session and estimate the price of eye laser according to these items.
Eye laser operation is not a necessary operation and people only use this method to get rid of glasses or lenses. Therefore, health insurance usually does not cover its cost. You should keep this in mind when calculating the cost of surgery.
4-Is it possible to use medical lenses before eye LASIK?
Depending on how long you have been using the lenses, your doctor will give you recommendations. It is usually necessary to stop using contact lenses a few weeks before the operation and use glasses instead. Lenses change the natural shape of the cornea. This can lead to incorrect measurement of the cornea and unfavorable surgical outcome.
5- Is the result of eye LASIK satisfactory?
All over the world, about 96% of people have been satisfied with the results of eye LASIK. The side effects of this operation are very few and after about 3 months, it is completely recovered. In very rare cases, a person’s vision may return to the state before the operation.
6- What age is suitable for eye LASIK?
Eye LASIK should be performed in people over 18 years old. For example, myopia changes in teenagers. These people should change the number of their glasses or lenses every time. In general, people under 40 years old are good candidates for laser eye surgery.
7- Does the LASIK operation cause eye pain?
After the eye laser operation, you may feel a little burning or itching in the eyes. But in general, this method has relatively little pain and pain can be minimized by taking painkillers.
8- Is it possible to perform nose surgery at the same time as eye LASIK?
After the LASIK eye surgery, you should avoid strong light for a few weeks. In this situation, the doctor suggests using tinted glasses. In rhinoplasty, the use of glasses is prohibited for several months due to the weight on the nose. For this reason, doing these two actions at the same time can cause problems. If you intend to perform two eye and nose surgeries at the same time, be sure to consult with both specialist doctors and act according to their opinion.
image
9- How to find the best eye surgeon for LASIK eye surgery?
Most people are not familiar with doctors when choosing the best eye LASIK doctor. When choosing an eye specialist, you should ask about previous patients or your friends. Probably, the eye surgeon performs eye surgery with a team of assistants. These people help the doctor in the initial assessment and measurement. But the final responsibility lies with the surgeon. Also, the surgeon must determine whether you are a suitable candidate for laser eye surgery or not.
Be sure to discuss your concerns with the ophthalmologist during the consultation session and ask him all the questions. An experienced surgeon, along with the benefits of eye LASIK, will inform you of the complications and limitations of this method. Another important thing is to check surgical licenses. Having a license indicates that the surgeon has received the necessary training and is skilled in this operation. When choosing a surgeon, do not consider only the cost of the surgery and pay attention to the mentioned items.
But unfortunately, in general, some of the weight of about 30% of patients returns as a result of lack of exercise and improper diet.
6. Can I eat again like before?
Yes, after the first few months you can eat normal foods (but your portions will be smaller) and your obesity-related medical problems will improve, as will your energy and overall health.
7. Will everyone notice my bariatric surgery?
Most weight loss occurs in the first 6 to 12 months after surgery, so people may notice a change in your appearance, but it’s your choice whether or not to share your decision about bariatric surgery.
Telling your friends, acquaintances, colleagues and others is your decision, but we recommend that you definitely have some supporters in this way; Because bariatric surgery and weight loss are difficult. Having a supportive friend or family member on your weight loss journey can be helpful.
8. Will I have sagging skin after losing weight?
Most patients do not experience skin sagging after bariatric surgery. But some people may want to do cosmetic procedures to treat sagging skin! Several factors that can affect sagging skin; Age, genetics and hydration. Additionally, it is recommended that you begin exercising approximately 6 weeks after surgery to prevent skin sagging and build lean muscle.
Types of treatment methods for sagging skin after severe weight loss:
Sport
Cosmetic surgeries such as abdominoplasty and panniculectomy
laser therapy
Use of collagen creams
9. Can I get pregnant after bariatric surgery?
Yes, you can still get pregnant after bariatric surgery, and some patients actually find it easier to get pregnant after losing the weight they gain from bariatric surgery. We recommend that you wait at least 18 to 24 months after surgery before trying to get pregnant. It is important to tell your OB/GYN that you have had bariatric surgery and to stay in touch with your surgeon to ensure a safe pregnancy.