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eLearning Series:
Lasik Eye Surgery Questions & Answers
( 50 articles
in this series )
Big
Expectations with Lasik Eye Surgery
Lasik surgery ads often promote cleared and
improved vision. A lot of people go into Lasik thinking they
will never have a need for eyeglasses or contacts again. While
most people do experience an improvement in eyesight after
having the Lasik procedure, some do not. It is not
unusual for Lasik patients to still need eyeglasses or contacts
after
Lasik. Some with a bad out come, actually have worse vision
than before the surgery. Before you head to the Lasik surgery
center, you should adjust you high expectations of Lasik.
Lasik surgery can help many people. Most of the time, patients
who undergo Lasik surgery enjoy an improved vision of at least
20/40. This is not however, always the case. Before having
a Lasik procedure, it is important that you thoroughly research
Lasik, ask lots of questions and have realistic expectations.
There
are good statistics about Lasik surgery results. One
study reports that 94 percent of all Lasik patients are satisfied
with their results and have at least 20/20 vision following
surgery. Of those who have Lasik, the study shows that nearly
all Lasik patients would recommend the surgery to a friend.
Also, it was found that about 25 percent of the patients, who
experienced problems with the surgery, could have been resolved
with more patient education prior to the operation. One report
of dissatisfaction with the surgery is that Lasik does not
correct far or near sightedness in people over the age of forty.
Twenty five percent of those who reported dissatisfaction with
the surgery reported problems with night vision, but this often
resolves itself in a few months.
While Lasik is a relatively easy surgery and is performed
on many people, there are some immediate expectations
you should realize before having surgery. Often, Lasik patients go into
surgery thinking that recovery time is only a couple of hours.
The healing time with Lasik is fast, however, you will not
be ready to drive in a couple of hours. Expect your doctor
to inform you that driving is forbidden for at least a week
after surgery. Also, expect to be out of work following surgery
for about four days. While Lasik is generally a pain-free procedure,
some patients do report a scratchy feeling on the eye for a
couple of days after the surgery.
In addition, Lasik
surgery does require that you take good care of yourself
post-operatively. That means that you must
make and keep your appointments with your eye care professional
for post-operative care and evaluation. If you are given any
medications to take after surgery, such as eye drops, it is
important that these are taken on a regular basis to get the
best possible outcome after surgery. You can also expect your
doctor to give you specific instructions regarding the use
of make up, which may be limited for a couple of days, and
returning to vigorous activities such as sports. These may
also be off-limits for several days following the Lasik procedure.
It
is recommended that if you do not completely understand
the risks or have adequate expectations of Lasik surgery, you
should not have the procedure. Also, when thinking about Lasik,
carefully consider whether or not Lasik is right for you. Many
people who have poor outcomes are not good candidates for the
surgery in the first place. It is crucial to give your eye
care professional detailed information about your health and
eye history. This could make the difference in having a good
Lasik outcome and having a poor experience.
There
are reasons why some people should not consider having
the Lasik procedure. There are several pre-existing conditions
that would give you a poor outcome with Lasik surgery. For
example, women who are pregnant or nursing when the surgery
is performed can be at an increased risk for a poor outcome.
There are many hormone fluctuations during pregnancy and nursing
that can affect the eye. Lasik surgery should never be performed
under these circumstances. Also, if you have certain health
issues, such as diabetes or hepatitis, it is usually not recommended
that you have Lasik.
Many people can benefit from the Lasik eye correction surgery.
As with any surgery or procedures, it is very important to
have realistic expectations before surgery. It is not a miracle
surgery to correct all vision problems. Lasik is designed to
help improve poor vision. If you are considering Lasik, you
should consult your eye care professional to see if you are
a good candidate for the surgery.
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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