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Vaginal (Home) > Health Articles > Laser Eye Surgery: No More Glasses? |
Laser Eye Surgery: No More Glasses?
Laser eye surgery is becoming more and more popular, and many different
types of people are taking advantage of this new surgery. People who have lost
their glasses for that last time. People who have had problems with their
contacts. Athletes and those in high-risk jobs who need to see but may not be
able to wear glasses or contacts. People who want to simply want to improve
their appearance, but do not want the hassle of ordering many different pairs of
glasses, or have to worry about contacts. As
laser eye surgery becomes more readily available, the demographics become
more and more diverse.
But what is
laser eye surgery?
Laser eye surgery clears vision by reshaping the cornea in a non-invasive
way-with a laser. There are two well-known types (or brands) of
laser eye surgery,
LASIK and
PRK. Both of these surgeries do the same thing, however they differ in their
approach.
The PRK procedure
removes the upper layer of the cornea by etching it off with the laser. The
LASIK surgery cuts
a flap in the eye to remove the top layer of the cornea. The end result is the
same-the cornea is reshaped and changing the way the eye interprets information.
Most of the post-operative symptoms are the same, however, there are some minor
differences.
While both
laser eye surgery procedures are considered low risk and can be done
quickly, there are always possible complications when having any surgery
performed.
Most patients will deal with some amount of pain or discomfort for a few days.
Blurred vision and sensitivity to light are also common and usually clears in
the days following surgery although some may find continued symptoms for months
and even fewer may find the symptoms are permanent. Other complications (due to
scarring) can potentially cause permanent damage to vision, although additional
surgery can sometimes correct this.
As with all surgeries there is a potential risk of infection. It is generally
advised to have each eye operated on separately instead of at the same time to
reduce the chance of infection in both eyes. Most infections can be cleared with
medication, especially if treated right away.
Even with
laser eye surgery, it is still possible to continue to need corrective
lenses, though you should be able to get by with a weaker prescription. This is
due to another complication-under- or overcorrection of vision. This happens
when the laser removes too much or not enough of the cornea to create perfect
20/20 vision. Under-corrected vision may be fixed with further surgery, but
overcorrected vision is permanent.
As with every other surgery, you need to be able to have confidence in your
surgeon. If you have any unanswered questions, do some research on your own,
speak with your doctor, and continue to ask questions until you are satisfied.
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