If you’re someone who relies on glasses or contact lenses to see clearly, you’re not alone. Vision problems are among the most common reasons people have to wear glasses or contact lenses in America. While glasses and contact lenses are most commonly used to treat astigmatisms or far-sightedness, wearing these types of products isn’t for everyone. Some people feel inconvenienced when wearing glasses or don’t like the way it makes them look. Additionally, the ongoing cost of contact lenses and glass prescriptions makes it hard for people to maintain getting the right help they need to achieve clear vision. For these reasons, LASIK in Los Angeles is a good option for people to take control of the eyesight they deserve.
What is LASIK?
LASIK laser eye surgery is a procedure that uses laser technology to cut an extremely thin, square-shaped flap into the outer layer of the cornea. This procedure then allows surgeons to reshape and repair the imperfections that make up the cornea, causing blurry and distorted vision. Following the corrections done on the lower layers of the cornea, the flap shaped created by the laser technology is left to heal naturally.
Here are some of the advantages to undergoing LASIK:
Improved Vision
The most apparent benefit of undergoing LASIK is achieving improved vision. While there are no guarantees of perfect vision after the procedure, almost every patient who chooses laser eye surgery at Excel Laser Vision Institute in Los Angeles achieves 20/20 vision. For those who don’t still find their vision to be drastically improved, and their dependence on eyeglasses or contact lenses is reduced.
Fast Healing
The common question from people debating getting LASIK is how fast they can expect the eye to heal after the surgery. For those who are in the same boat as others, the healing time following the procedure is about 24-36 hours, unless any complications occur during the procedure. LASIK is special because there is no need to wear any bandages, which means that you can get right back to your daily routine, going to work, and even driving.
Safety
It’s important to remember that LASIK is still a medical procedure, so the surgery itself is not entirely risk-free. However, LASIK has advanced and is safer than ever before. Nevertheless, the technique used to create the square flap does open the opportunity for complications which will be discussed in the disadvantages portion of this blog.
Here are the disadvantages of undergoing LASIK:
Flap Complications
By far, the most significant disadvantage with undergoing LASIK is the risk of the flap technique. During the procedure, after the lower layers of the cornea are reshaped, the flap will be set back over the lens of the eye. The flap itself is extremely thin, so the surgeons have to be very delicate when placing it back. Some of the complications during this part of the operation include:
- The wrinkling of the flap leading to distorted vision.
- Displacement of the flap.
- The flap breaking.
- Debris becoming trapped underneath the flap.
Any damage to the area where the flap is created could also cause the tissue of the cornea to become weaker, leading to problems in the future.
Dry Eye
The condition referred to as Dry eye is common but usually only lasts a few days, weeks, or at the worst months. This condition occurs when the sensitivity of the nerves in the cornea is reduced from the laser technology that causes your eye to lack the signs that indicate it needs to be lubricated. As a result, people experience dryness and discomfort. This condition is not permanent and can be treated very simply with eyedrops or anti-inflammatory medications.
Final Thoughts:
If you’re currently struggling with deciding if LASIK is the proper procedure to correct your eyesight, you may want to look at alternatives; however, LASIK is a very promising and affordable eye correction treatment that many people achieve success from. LASIK is growing more and more popular, so if you are interested in undergoing LASIK, there are a number of surgeons available in Los Angeles like Doctor Moosa.