LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a surgical procedure that refines the shape of the cornea using an excimer laser. The cornea is that part of your eye that lets light into your eye through its transparent center, also known as its pupil. The procedure involves creating a thin flap in your cornea so that an instrument can be inserted to reshape it with lasers while it remains attached to your eye.
However, if you are unaware of the whole procedure, it is customary to worry about the long term effects of LASIK. Read to learn more about laser eye surgery.
What is LASIK eye surgery?
It is a laser procedure performed on your eye’s cornea, the clear front part. It can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The surgery is done under local anesthesia and takes about 20 minutes per eye. The procedure does not involve sutures or stitches, so there’s no need for an overnight stay in the hospital.
After LASIK, you’ll be able to see almost immediately. It takes about 30 minutes for your vision to stabilize after the procedure. You will also be able to resume normal activities within 24 hours after LASIK without any restrictions on contact lenses or glasses.
Is the surgery painful?
This eye surgery procedure is usually painless. The most common side effect is dry eye conditions. The eye’s surface might become dry and irritated. This can cause blurred vision, discomfort, redness, and burning sensations. You may need to use soothing eye drops for several days after the surgery to help prevent this problem from occurring.
Common side effects of LASIK
The surgery has no severe side effects. However, patients feel mild issues like itching, dry eyes, and some other cases, including the following:
• Double vision (also known as diplopia) or other visual problems can occur if the cornea moves out of its proper position during healing.
• Mild pain or discomfort around your eyes.
• Difficulty seeing at night if you had PRK rather than LASIK.
• Dry eyes or sensitivity to light.
• Decreased sharpness of vision as compared with your best-corrected preoperative vision.
What to do if the side effects persist or become severe?
Some effects can occur immediately after surgery but should improve as your eyes heal within 1-2 months. If your vision doesn’t improve enough to be comfortable within these timeframes, contact your ophthalmologist immediately so that they can check on things like corneal thickness and other factors contributing to poor vision.
Remember that it takes a little time for your eyes to heal and recover from the procedure. If you have severe pain or continued discomfort after several weeks of recovery, consider seeking medical attention again.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has eradicated your doubts regarding the long term effects of LASIK. One needs to feel confident because it is painless and has minor side effects post-surgery. However, as with all surgical procedures, there is always a risk of complications and few patients undergo problems like light sensitivity, double vision, halos, etc. Therefore, it’s essential to know about the potential risks so that you can make your decision about whether this procedure is correct for you.
