Posted on October 26, 2007 in Lasik
Lasik is the short form of Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. It is one of the popular surgical procedures used for improving eyesight. Lasik surgery improves the sight of patients suffering from astigmatism, farsightedness and nearsightedness. Lasik surgery generally is done in a very short duration; approximately it takes 1 minute/eye. To improve the vision, reshaping of the cornea is done.
Lasik Eye Surgery Indications
Lasik eye surgery is done according to the choice the patient who has been using glasses or contact lenses for a long period of time. Refractory errors are corrected by Lasik in patients who either have-
- Nearsightedness or Myopia
- Farsightedness or Hypermetropia
- Astigmatism
Before undergoing Lasik surgery there are few conditions which must be fulfilled by the patient.
- Patient should either be of 18 years or above age and healthy
- Patient’s eye should be healthy i.e. there should be no signs of dry eyes, infection or glaucoma
- Eye refraction should be stable at least for a year
- Patient should not be taking any prescribed drugs such as oral prednisone
- Patient should not be either nursing or pregnant
- Patient should not be suffering from any autoimmune or degenerative diseases.
Precautions before Lasik Surgery
Preparation for Lasik starts well in advance prior to the surgery. Generally doctor gathers all information about the patient regarding his medical history, current medications and if any medications he is allergic to.
There are few following precautions to be followed by the patient before surgery
- If the patient is using soft contact lenses, then for at least 2 weeks he should revert to use glasses. This is necessary to reinstate the usual shape of the cornea.
- In case the patient is using hard contact lenses then he should stop using them at least 6 weeks before the surgery.
- The patient should avoid using lotions, creams or any cosmetics on the face and near the eye region prior to the day of surgery.
A thorough baseline assessment is necessary by the ophthalmologist before proceeding to the Lasik surgery. A computer and a low wattage laser are used to map and scan the cornea after the patient’s eyes are ready for the surgery. This information helps in creating a cornea map and helps the computer to establish the exact cornea shape. Now the eye surgeon utilizes this information to estimate the precise amount and the depth of the corneal tissue to be removed to attain the correct shape during the operation.
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