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eLearning Series:
Lasik Eye Surgery Questions & Answers
( 50 articles
in this series )
Post-Op Your
Lasik Eye Surgery
One
critical factor after your Lasik procedure is the healing of
the hinged corneal flap that is created to allow the laser
to reshape the inner corneal surface. What is required is
the eventual healing and re-bonding of the flap to the outer
surface of the cornea. This is a great area of concern for
most patients as they picture their corneal flap 'flapping
in the breeze.' It's comforting to realize, however that
even complete corneal transplants ultimately heal, such is
the healing power of the eye.
The
normal healing period for the post-Lasik patient is six-months, by that time, in the vast majority of cases, any problems you
were having with your vision will have disappeared or dissipated
to the nearly unnoticeable stage. Some things do take longer
however. Complete healing of the corneal flap may take up to
two-years, but the fact that it is not completely healed should
not be a concern nor should it cause a vision problem.
After your Lasik procedure you will most likely be scheduled
for a minimum of five follow-up visits -- the first one will
be within 24-hours of your surgery. It is very important that
you make it to all of these appointments so that your healing
process can be monitored and any adjustments can be made to
your post-op treatment.
You will, in most cases be required
to use eye drops for the first two-to-four weeks after your procedure. These will help
alleviate any discomfort you feel in your eyes during this
initial healing period. Some discomfort (not pain) is normal
as are:
- Watery eyes and a runny nose
- Sensitivity to bright light
- Redness and minor swelling of the eye
- A dry feeling in your eyes
- Slightly blurred vision
Other post-op tips are:
- You might need to take an OTC medicine that does NOT contain
aspirin, like Tylenol or Advil, for minor discomfort.
- Make an effort to protect your eyes from bright light or sunlight
(sunglasses) and water.
- Rest your eyes as much as possible and try to get some extra
sleep for at least the first two or three days after your procedure.
- You will be given a mask (an eye shield) to wear -- use it
for the first two-hours after your procedure and then while
you sleep for the next three-or-four days.
- Avoid all water sports and water related activities (hot tubs,
whirlpools, swimming, etc.) for the first two weeks.
- Don't go scuba diving for at least six weeks.
Complications. Your risk of complications after Lasik surgery
and the possible need for touch-up surgery depends on a number
of factors. One such factor is the state of your pre-operative
vision; the worse your eyes were going into a Lasik procedure
that greater the chance that a) you will not be completely
satisfied with the results and b) your surgery will result
in some complications. As an example, if you needed reading
glasses before your surgery, you may still need them post-op
and if you had a small amount of astigmatism before your results
might not seem be satisfactory. Touch-up surgery is not highly
unusual and it is usually covered by the cost of the Lasik
treatment program but it's still an additional surgery that
it would be nice not to have.
One
guarantee about surgery is that there are no guarantees. Fact of the matter is everyone heals differently, some of us
are lucky enough to have amazing healing powers while some
of us are rather slow getting our health back after a sickness
or a surgery.
A thorough pre-op evaluation and complete honesty between
the perspective patient and the Lasik counselor can eliminate
problems for both parties. Not everyone should have Lasik!
Some of the determining factors that should eliminate a perspective
Lasik patient are:
- Refractive instability indicated by requiring a new vision
prescription within the year prior to your evaluation.
- Age! Someone who is between 19 and 24 years old is a bad risk
for a trouble-free Lasik procedure.
- If you are pregnant or breast feeding any unnecessary surgery
is unwise.
- If you have a disease such as HIV, herpes, diabetes eye surgery
could lead to disastrous results.
- Eye conditions such as large pupils and thin corneas also
spell trouble.
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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