We live in world where treating eye disorders and syndromes have gotten really convenient. Previously this used to be the scariest of all things. Technology and vast knowledge of doctors and surgeons has opened a whole new channel of treatment procedures.

According to Wikipedia, “LASIK or Lasik (Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis), commonly referred to as laser eye surgery or laser vision correction, is a type of refractive surgery for the correction of myopia, hypermetropia, and astigmatism. The LASIK surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist who uses a laser or microkeratometo reshape the eye’s cornea in order to improve visual acuity/ For most patients, LASIK provides a permanent alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses.”

We can totally agree to the fact that Lasik has literally given like a zillion people their vision back but at the same time, a few of the surgeries have also went terribly wrong. Health care technology has evolved drastically but a careful and responsible attitude is the rule of thumb.

During the laser eye surgery in a hospital, the surgeon cuts across the cornea of the eye and raises a flap of tissue and reshapes it to enable light to enter and correct vision. People who are short-sighted, long-sighted, or who have astigmatism, can all get Lasik. But anybody with strong-sightedness should not go for Lasik.

Procedure

Your surgeon will begin by performing a detailed eye exam to make sure your eye can handle the laser surgery. During this stage the shape and thickness of cornea, pupil size and refractive errors will be examined. Apart from this he/she may also check for any other eye conditions.

The surgeons generally use a mechanical surgical tool called a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser to create a thin, circular flap in the cornea. Then the surgeon will fold back the flap to have a better look at the cornea and will remove some corneal tissue by using an excimer laser. The laser uses ultraviolet light beam to remove that tiny part of the tissue and reshape it.

For short-sighted people, aim is to flatten the cornea and with the long-sighted ones, a steeper cornea works better. After reshaping, flap of the cornea is placed back in place filling in the space where tissue was removed.  Surgeons only use anesthetic drops to perform this surgery, no cuts, no stitches involved.

Pros

• Usually Lasik is completely pain-free and requires hardly about 15 minutes for both eyes and on top of that, results can be seen within the next 24 hours.
• It actually works and corrects vision. Around 96% of patients get their vision back.
• As mentioned earlier, no cuts or stitches involved.
• After the surgery, patients with eyeglass or contact lens almost no longer need them.
• After a couple of years, adjustments can be made for further improvement.
• Once there are changes made to the cornea, there’s no going back. There’s no back route with Lasik.
• Further improvements will only be made by laser.
• Removing that tiny part of the cornea can be really complicated sometimes and this can have permanent effects on the vision.
• There’s always a risk of loss of best vision. Your best vision is the one you have when you wear contacts or eyeglasses.
• Other less common side effects include dry eyes, fluctuating vision or seeing halos around images.

Cons

So it’s your decision whether you want to correct your vision via laser eye surgery in general or not. You should understand the whole procedure and discuss every bit of the detail with your eye surgeon. Weigh the pros and cons and only then get Lasik. It’s equally important that the surgeon you go to is well experienced and is qualified enough to perform the surgery confidently and understand the sensitivity of eyes.