30 Aug LASER EYE SURGERY: IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU?
Are you tired of wearing glasses every single day? Well then laser eye surgery may become your best option to eliminate wearing glasses on a daily basis. Here are six ways to determine if laser eye surgery might be the best option for you!
Fumbling every morning to find your glasses is a hassle on its own. The frustration of keeping glasses clean and undamaged may have lead you to fantasize about a day when you no longer needed them. In steps the ability for vision correction from a surgical procedure called laser eye surgery. The procedure involves the re-shaping of the cornea, which is what allows your eyes to focus correctly. This procedure has seen lots of success, with studies showing a 70% success rate of patients having a vision better than 20/20 after the procedure has been completed.
Although there is a high success rate, not everyone is the perfect candidate for the surgery. Here are a few factors that will help determine if laser eye surgery is right for you.
1. STABLE PRESCRIPTION & HEALTHY EYES
If you experience a fluctuation in prescription strength every couple of years, then laser eye surgery is probably not for you. Healthy eyes are of utmost importance as well. The corneal shape of your eye needs to be normal. Essentially there should be no eye conditions present that may thin out you cornea. There will be reshaping and thinning of the cornea for the procedure, there for thickness is needed.
In addition, if you are someone who suffers from dry eyes, then the procedure is not suited for you. Laser eye surgery is best suited for someone who has a good ‘tear film’. The procedure is also not suitable if you suffer from cataracts.
2. PROPER MOTIVATION
The procedure is considered an elective surgery. Best described as non-essential or cosmetic. Therefore having the proper motivation to proceed with the procedure is key. There are many factors that could affect your decision. If you are someone who enjoys playing sports, someone who prefers the way they look without glasses, or are overall annoyed with contacts, then you may have sufficient motivation to continue with the procedure.
3. HEALTHY OVERALL
It is best to be at the peak of your health when it comes to deciding if you are going to follow through with the surgery. Doctors recommend avoiding the surgery if you suffer from collagen vascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus. This is because all of these diseases affect the immune system and may add complications to the healing process.
4. THE RIGHT PRESCRIPTION
Laser eye surgery tends to have the best results for those who have myopia or near-sightedness- meaning they have stronger vision for things up close. However the procedure can also help correct hyperopia (far-sightedness) and astigmatism.
5. OTHER OPTIONS WERE UNSUCCESFUL
There are two types of laser eye surgeries being offered in Canada. LASIK ( laser-assited in situ keratomileiusis) and PRK ( photo-refractive keractectomy). Although both have been around for a few decades, LASIK has become the most popular for North America.
The difference between the surgeries is how the surgeon would go about preparing the eye, however both surgeries still use the same laser though.
6. KNOW THE RISKS
Although complications are rare, it is still important to understand what could happen. With LASIK there is a risk of inflamed corneal tissue, but can be appropriately treated with steroid drops and careful monitoring. With the PRK procedure there is a small risk of scarring, but overall, it is very rare to lose complete vision with any laser eye surgery.
It is important to remember that once you have had the eye surgery to continue to have your eyes checked on a regular basis to ensure your eyes are in their best shape. With either laser eye surgery it is important that you consult a licensed optometrist who can advise you on what’s best for your eyes.
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