Posted by: Associates in Ophthalmology (NJ) in LASIK
LASIK is famous for a reason: it works very well for many people. Millions of people have achieved visual freedom and it’s only gotten better since it was FDA approved.
But even with the astounding success rate of over 96% that it has, it is important to remember before going into LASIK that it’s a surgical procedure. Any time you have surgery done, you are physically altering your body.
Though they are small, there are still risks with LASIK. With LASIK, that risk is particularly low, but it is still present. Keep reading to learn more about possible risks and complications and how to avoid them during LASIK!
What LASIK Surgery Is and What It Does
To understand the risks that LASIK carries and what that means, it’s important to know some fundamentals about the procedure. The goal of LASIK is to correct your vision.
The simplest way to explain this is that it reshapes your cornea. This is permanent, by the way.
If you’re nearsighted, your cornea will tend to be flatter, which will cause light to come into focus in front of your retina. The farsighted eye will have a steeper cornea, causing light to focus behind the retina.
A normal functioning eye causes light to perfectly focus on the retina, and the cornea plays a huge role in that. LASIK surgeons reshape the cornea by removing tissue in specific places and quantities.
This is in the middle layer of the cornea, which is much thicker than the rest of the cornea. To access the middle layer, the surgeon creates a flap in the topmost layer.
This flap is important to remember because it can lead to complications for some LASIK patients.
After the procedure is over, the flap is gently placed back down. It won’t need any stitches or glue, as it re-attaches over a short period of time.
Potential Complications During Recovery
LASIK takes only about 10 minutes per eye to complete. Most complications that do occur actually happen when people recover after LASIK.
One of the most common problems after LASIK is dry eye. Creating the flap severs many nerves in the cornea.
These nerves serve to alert the brain when your eye needs lubrication. This generally clears up on its own, but may last longer for some than others.
Certain visual issues may begin to occur, particularly during the early stages of LASIK recovery. These include halos, double vision, and glare.
More serious problems include complications with the flap, like uneven healing and excess tears. It is important to remember to never rub your eyes. Doing this can tear open the flap and cause a lot of damage.
Much of the risk of LASIK is mitigated when you attend a LASIK consultation. During a consultation, you are tested and questioned to make sure you are a good fit for the procedure.
The exhaustive list of requirements that you need to fit to be a good candidate will ensure that LASIK will be as successful and safe as possible for you. Schedule your consultation today at Associates in Ophthalmology located in Livingston, NJ!
