What Does Laser Eye Surgery Entail?

Are you squinting to read this? Wishing that you had 20/20 vision again? For people with impaired vision it seems to be that there are two options for correcting and improving the vision. These options include eyeglasses or contact lenses. Both of these options though, seem to get in the way of our daily routines.

Eyeglasses can only be described as a burden for your face to carry. Many people run out of the house forgetting their eye glasses at home, hence not being able to see for the rest of the day. Other people put their glasses down and are constantly forgetting where they misplaced the eyeglasses. When you wear eyeglasses it has to become like a second skin for you. In order to see and be able to continue on with your day effectively, you must always have those eyeglasses on your face.

For people who do not want to worry about misplacing eyeglasses or maybe do not even like the way they look in glasses, they can opt for contacts. Contacts carry their own baggage as well. Contacts need to be sterilized before being placed in your eyes. They need to be handled delicately and they can be misplaced as well. Haven’t we all heard the line, “I dropped a contact.” Contacts are definitely not for those who can’t stand being poked in the eye…imagine doing that several times a day?

Then there are those people who consider buying glasses and contacts. They wear glasses one day and contacts the next. They figure they have the best of both worlds. Is there a third option to improved or maybe even perfect vision? Laser eye surgery has been taking the world by storm and has not only been by celebrities but by everyday people as well.

Laser eye surgery is exactly what is sounds like…surgery. Laser eye surgery has helped many people to improve their vision and even gain 20/20 vision back. During laser eye surgery the cornea is reshaped so that the focusing power is altered. The cornea is the clear part of the eye, like a transparent film, which covers the front of the eye. The cornea is responsible for 2/3 of the focusing power in the eye.

There are two major laser eye surgery procedures which can be done to reshape the cornea including:
* Lasik Eye Surgery: Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis entails cutting then folding over a thin flap of the eye, in order to reach and reshape the cornea with the help of a laser.
* PRK: PhotoRefractive Keratectomy entails scraping away the outer layer of the cornea and then the reshaping of the cornea.

The surgery takes approximately half an hour, with ten to fifteen minutes spent on each eye. The doctor may prescribe painkillers or medication to help ease the pain. While your vision will be fuzzy the first day, it should be as good as new the following day.

Who Is A Good Candidate For Laser Eye Surgery? To be a good candidate for laser eye surgery you must meet requirements which include:

* 18 years of age or older
* Shows no signs of refraction in the past year
* Doctor must determine if you are medically healthy-some factors which may deem you medically unfit would be glaucoma, diabetes, herpes of the eye, or cataracts
* Doctor must determine if the Laser Eye Surgery will help meet your vision needs
* You want to be free of the hassle of eyeglasses and/ or contacts
* You have realistic expectations regarding the surgery

This is a just a general overview of what may be required for candidates. Individuals considering the laser eye surgery should determine with their physician if they are good candidates.

What Are The Benefits?
The most obvious benefit would be vision improvement. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) stated that seven out of ten patients who undergo Laser Eye Surgery have 20/20 vision results. Although, they also have stated that 20/20 vision does not always mean perfect vision.Patients who achieve 20/20 visions may not have to carry around those bothersome eyeglasses anymore nor would they have to soak their contacts in solution. New vision would mean a new lifestyle as well. Imagine driving without having to switch from sunglasses to eyeglasses? Some more adventurous opportunities can include sky diving, horseback riding and bungee jumping. Who really wants their eyeglasses to fall from their face as they are trying to enjoy the fall from the sky?

Laser Eye Surgery helps to improve self esteem of many people. People who feel their faces are hidden behind glasses feel a new sense of confidence as they can show off their “new beauty”.

Are There Any Risks?
As with any surgery there are risks involved. FDA has stated that complications have occurred with one to five percent of the individuals who have had Laser Eye Surgery. These complications included:

* Infections
* Flap Wrinkles
* Central Corneal Islands
* Epithelial Ingrowths
* Corneal Ecstasia
* Astigmatism
* Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis (DLK)
* Vision may actually be lost instead of gained

Above all Laser Eye Surgery is for those who are willing to take a risk in order to stray away from their everyday eyeglasses and contacts. However, if your current visual situation is not so bothersome, then perhaps the surgery is really not worth the risk.