Lasik or Laser In-situ Keratomileusis is relatively a new type of medical procedure for the eyes. Even though the potential for Lasik was acknowledged by Japanese Doctors way back in the 1930s, it was only during the 1970s that it was actually physically tested. Commercial use of Lasik started in 1987, and since then millions of people have undergone this amazing procedure.
The fact that it is not well understood and is still a new science causes people to be wary of Lasik surgery, which is extremely safe and without any harmful effects.
Refractive surgery or any surgery which corrects vision has been in practice for decades, but it did not involve the use of lasers. By performing this surgery with Lasers, the risks associated with any medical procedure have dropped sharply, making Lasik a miraculous discovery.
Lasers are very precise and highly accurate; this makes Lasik a very competent method of correcting vision, with negligible risks. Lasik is one of the safest and most efficient methods for correcting one’s vision.
As compared to the use of contact lenses, the risk of undergoing Lasik surgery is minute. With Lasik, you face risk just once, as you would with any surgery. But by wearing Contact lenses, you face risk of infection on a daily basis.
Over the years with advances in technology, surgery has seen great improvement and today Lasik conducting Surgeons are regulated by Medical Boards. The risk of complications arising due to Lasik is a meager 0.1%, meaning that out of 1000 lasik surgeries, 1 could result in problems. But you should keep in mind that this complication usually occurs due to inherent health problems in the patient and can be easily rectified with Laser enhancements. Every individual heals differently and has different reactions to any surgery.
Some people suffer from Regression, which is a tendency of the eye to move back to its original refraction. With an Enhancement, this problem can be easily solved. In rare cases some people suffer from “irregular astigmatism” post Lasik surgery. This causes a person to have double vision, due to the corneal surface not being correctly centered on the eye. But this can be easily rectified with further treatment.
Night glare and dry eyes are two other problems, associated with Lasik. In actual fact, people already having dry eye problems find that Lasik can aggravate this, but this gets resolved within 3 months of the procedure.
Lubricating drops may be prescribed to reduce this symptom. Night glare is a common problem, but this sensitivity to light also disappears within 3 months or so. A few people complain of loss in sharpness of vision. This is failure on the part of the Surgeon to inform the patient, that this usually happens and corrects itself within 6 months. Another concern is Post operative healing haze.
Almost all people develop a haze of collagen protein on the surface of the eye after the operation, but this minute haze does not affect the vision. Post Lasik surgery, there is an expected degree of Overcorrection, but once the Cornea gets stabilized, this regresses. Overcorrection or undercorrection; both can be rectified with enhancements. As with any surgery there is always a risk of infection, but as mentioned before this is extremely rare and to date no one has ever lost their vision due to Lasik surgery.
Investigations by large organizations, such as NASA and the US Navy show that Lasik is extremely safe and reliable. Many well known personalities and Celebrities have opted for Lasik, to correct their vision, as this helps them perform at optimum levels.
All in all, Lasik surgery has been extremely positive for most and never has there been a case of loss of vision. It is important to note that each individual reacts differently and possess unique physiological characteristics, which determine rate of healing and negative fall outs, if any. It is therefore vital to find yourself a Surgeon you are comfortable with, who can assess you and check before performing Lasik surgery. In most cases disappointment occurs due to lack of information and ignorance about the process.
For example, someone who has severely affected vision, may experience regression and heal slower, post Lasik surgery. It is therefore extremely important to find the right professional, who can give you an accurate assessment about how Lasik can affect and help you.
Author Bio : Shamala is a media blogger and writes on Lasik Eye Surgery. She is highly fascinated by Lasik surgery technology, which is now getting common in Asian Countries.
