LASIK Eye Surgery

What is LASIK eye surgery?

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery, also known as laser eye correction surgery or simply laser surgery, aims to correct visual disorders through a non-invasive laser. Visual defects such as hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism as well as halos and light sensitivity are corrected through the bladeless laser method.

Why is LASIK eye surgery performed?

Laser eye correction surgery is performed to alleviate refractive errors such as hyperopia, myopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism. Certain types of LASIK reduce halos, glares, and improve night vision.

What are the conditions for LASIK eye surgery?

LASIK surgery is usually recommended to patients who:

• Are between the ages of 25 and 40, the refractive errors should stabilize by this age.
• Have a sufficient corneal thickness as the cornea needs to be able to hold its shape after LASIK.
• Have an optimally curved cornea, if the cornea is too curved or too flat LASIK might not be a viable treatment.
• Do not have excess eye pressure or corneal sharpening.
• Do not have any other disease that affects the eye such as diabetes or rheumatism.
• Can safely undergo local anesthesia.

What are the LASIK eye surgery types?

There are 3 commonly performed types of LASIK surgery that are recommended according to the visual defects and corneal thickness, these are PRK, iLASIK, and Wavefront.

PRK:

PRK, Photorefractive keratectomy, is a surgical procedure that uses a precise laser to remove corneal tissue in order to correct refractive errors. PRK is often preferred over other treatments when the cornea thickness is not suitable for other LASIK treatments. After PRK the patients are fitted with a protective contact lens that should be worn for at least 5 days.

iLASIK:

iLASIK is the most commonly preferred LASIK treatment and has the highest chance of producing a 20/20 vision. iLASIK is FDA approved and has such a high success rate that NASA approves astronauts to undergo iLASIK, whereas other LASIK treatments disqualify people from being an astronaut. iLASIK is customized for each patient by being guided through a mapping of the eye topography, similar to Wavefront.

Wavefront:

Software is used to create a detailed mapping of the cornea and the surgery is guided through the mapping. Wavefront is usually utilized to correct major non-refractive irregularities, such as light hypersensitivity, glares, halos, or decreased contrast sensitivity. Wavefront is often preferred when the patient suffers from severe astigmatism.

What are the things to be considered before LASIK eye surgery?

Patients are expected to arrive in Turkey a day before their scheduled surgery date in order to undergo extensive preoperative tests and have a consultation with the attending ophthalmologist. The attending ophthalmologist determines which procedure is going to be performed and explains the details of the procedure to the patient.

What are the things to be considered after LASIK eye surgery?

Although LASIK is an outpatient procedure, the patient is offered a night of hospital stay after the LASIK surgery. It is common for the patient to experience blurry vision and eye pain for the first couple hours after the surgery. The patient is advised to:

• Use provided post-op medicine as instructed by their ophthalmologist.
• Take painkillers if needed as long as they’re non-blood thinning.
• Nor drive or go to work for the following few days after surgery.
• The patient is advised not to drive or go to work for the following 3 to 4 days.
• Avoid being in a dusty environment as the treated eye should not be rubbed, scratched, touched, washed or bathed during the first 24 hours after surgery.
• Likewise avoid getting soap or shampoo in the eyes.
• Use an artificial tear drop prescribed by the doctor for approximately 3 to 6 months after the operation.

What Are The Risks of LASIK eye surgery?

The risks of LASIK eye surgery include, but are not limited to:

• Experiencing watery eyes and discomfort.
• Dry eyes or burning, irritation, itching, and foreign body sensations in the eye.
• Double vision
• Pain or stinging in the eyes for the first 2 to 3 days after surgery.
• Blurry vision

Patients who have LASIK eye surgery will begin to see clearly within 2 to 3 days and will be able to return to their daily lives.