Little Known Facts About Lasik Eye Surgery

Some people are back in to their original prescription or in glasses within three to five years- How typical is this type of regression?

The majority of the cases of regression occur with reading vision. This is a normal part of getting older. On the other hand, becoming more nearsighted is very rare, roughly 5%. Of those 5% of nearsighted cases many of them can undergo enhancement procedures to correct the problem. These cases are much less common then they used to be due to the new way corneas are shaped.

It is highly unlikely to revert completely to original prescription. If this does occur it means something else is going on with the eye…maybe cataracts. What is the most common cause of regression? Dry eyes. If you allow dry eyes to go untreated you may experience regression or loss of effect from the surgery.

Can Lasik eye surgery fix extreme nearsightedness? I heard it can’t fully repair the problem.

The solution that most people with extreme nearsightedness use is a phakic intraocular lens implant. Basically a lens is put inside the eye. That way you don’t have to worry about the lens getting too thin as you age. The major risk with putting a lens inside the eye is infection. If infection occurs you could loose your sight. This has never happened in clinical studies but it is still a risk.

What are the most important factors to be a candidate of Lasik surgery?
The thickness, shape, and strength of your cornea are the most important factors. Above all the thickness of your cornea will be the determining factor.

What are the major side effects of Lasik eye surgery?
The most common side effect is dry eyes. It usually only lasts three to six months and can be treated with medicated eye drops or oral Bio Tears treatments. Dry eyes are more common in women then men and affects postmenopausal women more acutely then other women. The other side effects occur in vision at night with halos or glares of light. These are most common in cases of extreme correction and are becoming more rare with new Lasik technology.

How likely is it that I will need corrective or enhancing surgery later on?
Only ten percent of patients need enhancing surgery after their initial correction. This is determined within three to six months after the first surgery. As a rule of thumb, corrections are more common in those that had higher corrections to start with. With wave-based Lasik the one-time surgery rates are much higher.

What can I do to make sure everything goes smoothly with my surgery?
Doing your homework and selecting a clinic that focuses on the patient, as opposed to volume of surgeries, will be very important. You may be tempted to go to a place that does 40 or 50 surgeries a day but this isn’t in your best interest. The lasers need to be calibrated regularly, sometimes after each surgery. The more procedures that occur in one day the more likely mistakes can happen. If you are wearing contacts make sure to leave them out for the recommended time before the surgery. This can be anywhere from one to several weeks depending on the type of contacts. On the day of the surgery don’t wear eye make-up, perfume, or cologne.