Lasik Facts

LASIK surgery has become extremely popular in recent years as it has offered those with basic vision problems – nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism – that usually require corrective lenses to be healed completely. On top of this great benefit, the surgery is also quick, cheap, and does not require a sedative to accomplish. Nonetheless, this is a new technology and has also caused many problems for some patients, which has severely reduced their vision or caused uncommon side effects. For this reason, many people disregard this technology out of hand because of all the rumors and confusing information about it. Here are a few basic lasik facts to help you get a rough idea of what’s involved in the surgery and the information surrounding it.

The basic process of LASIK is to create a small flap on the eye, wherein lasers can work on the cornea in order to reshape the lenses of these eyes. This process corrects vision after a few weeks and the flap is easily set and healed after the same period of time. Because of the simplicity, some doctors and patients can have a procedure that only lasts about five minutes for both eyes. Nonetheless, every person is a little different so every person should expect a slight variation on the time. Even with everyone’s own unique circumstances, patients will be quickly in and out of the medical office, often foregoing any sedative for the operation.

For most people, there are a few minor side effects of the surgery. First is a strong sensitivity to light; the second, a bit of hemorrhaging in the eye. Both of these conditions will disappear after a few weeks when the eye heals completely. Many people report dry eyes, which is common and can last for any length of time as some people naturally have dry eyes, a condition which is worsened by LASIK.

There are reports of severe side effects, which have permanently impaired vision for some. The reasons for these conditions are unclear and can depend greatly on the individual as well as the doctor performing the surgery. Because of the possible risk of permanent damage, the FDA highly recommends patients seriously consider the possible risks from this surgery.

A final point to keep in mind is to watch out for surprisingly low prices amongst medical offices. Expect to pay about $2,000 overall for the procedure and some follow-up. Every person is different, so costs will vary, but anything less than this basic cost will most likely be swindle.