How To Choose A Lasik Eye Surgeon

All in all, LASIK eye surgery is relatively less complicated than other kinds of surgery. However, if carried out in an imprudent fashion, LASIK eye surgery may cause an irreversible damage that would make you repent for the rest of your life. Therefore it is gravely necessary to choose the best surgeon available. There are various ways that help you locate and choose the best surgeon in your vicinity.

Advertisements can be a viable source for finding a LASIK surgeon. However, there is a caveat. Some ads provide a detailed explanation of the inclusive features of their package, while some tout discounted prices but don’t give out the details. Not all people are eligible for discounts, and hence an ad should not be the only criterion for choosing a LASIK surgeon. Experience is what counts the most, so choose a surgeon with plentiful experience.

Leading LASIK surgeons recommend that you should choose a doctor who is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Asking for a referral from your regular optometrist is also a viable option.

It is imperative that experience be the number one factor governing your choice for a LASIK surgeon. Having, acquired a list of available surgeons, you can narrow down on the basis of experience. There is no dearth of LASIK surgeons, but the point is that you want the best surgeon for your eye surgery. Just go through the recommended resources and you will surely find what you need.

You will find the LASIK Surgeon Directory useful. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news, views and information about how to choose a LASIK surgeon at Your Lasik Information.

How Long Until Vision Clarity? Recovery From Lasik Eye Surgery

As with any other surgery, LASIK also has a recovery period. Since LASIK involves cutting a flap in the corneal tissue, the recovery typically pertains to the healing of the cornea. Patients who have undergone LASIK surgery may experience blurry vision and watery eyes until the cornea heals completely. However, it is true that in case of LASIK, the patient requires less time for full recovery, relative to other refractive surgery procedures.

It is reported that LASIK helps restore vision clarity shortly after the surgery. However, there are a few exceptions and LASIK does have associated complications. During recovery, a patient may suffer from halos/starbursts, light sensitivity, astigmatism, dry eye syndrome, or other minor side effects. But these conditions normally dissipate over a period of a few weeks. Moreover, instances of such complications are minor ? a mere 5%.

In general, your eye surgeon would schedule post-operative meetings, in order to test your vision and assess the results of the surgery. These post-operative visits are highly beneficial for a speedy recovery, since the doctor may advise certain valuable tips and precautions that you must take. Though quite rare, a few patients might require enhancement procedures to attain optimum visual acuity. Such aspects may be discussed at these post-operative visits.

Following the LASIK surgery, you should be able to resume your daily life fairly quickly. However, it is recommended that you should not take part in any major sporting activities for at least a month or so after the surgery. For instance, tiring contact or water sports are highly detrimental to recovery.

LASIK is the preferred choice of many among the available types of refractive surgery. After LASIK surgery recovery, majority of patients have had excellent results, without any serious or long-term complications. Furthermore, they have been able to see as well as they did with their eyeglasses or contact lenses - a dramatic change in a person?s life, with a whole new range of activities available that he or she could not enjoy while wearing eyeglasses.

You will find the Directory of LASIK Surgeons http://www.find-lasik-surgeon.com useful. Nicola Kennedy provides news, views and information about LASIK eye surgery recovery at Your Lasik Information. Copyright http://www.Your-LASIK.info This article may be reprinted so long as the resource box and live links remain intact.

Thinking about LASIK eye surgery? There's a lot to think about.

Humans are essentially visual creatures. The thought of someone interfering with our eyes is difficult to bear for any of us. But millions of people every year have what, at first sight, seems like a highly invasive technique on their eyes. Why do they do it? For centuries we've struggled with spectacles for vision correction. Everyone knows that they're not really the answer. Then came along contact lenses. And when breathable, extended wear lenses came along, we thought they were the pinnacle of ocular technology. Not any more. Now we have LASIK - Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomilieusis - using a computer controlled micro laser to remove parts of the cornea and reshape it for a considerable improvement in vision. But for something as valuable as our eyesight, it's clearly imperative to consider all the implications. Here are just a few to think about:

LASIK may not give you perfect vision. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) reports that seven out of 10 patients achieve 20/20 vision, but 20/20 does not always mean perfect vision. If you have LASIK to correct your distance vision, you'll still need reading glasses around age 45. You may need additional enhancement surgery to give you the best possible vision after LASIK. You should be at least 18 years old (21 for some lasers), since the vision of people younger than 18 is usually still developing. You may be a candidate for monovision (correcting one eye for distance vision and the other eye for near vision). If you can adjust to this correction, it may eliminate or reduce your need for reading glasses. In some instances, surgery on only one eye is required. You may experience a decrease in contrast sensitivity, "crispness," or sharpness. That means that even though you may have 20/20 vision, objects may appear fuzzy or grayish. Your vision probably will be blurry the day of surgery, but it will improve considerably by the next day when you return for a follow-up exam. If you wear bifocals or reading glasses you will need glasses for reading after LASIK. LASIK cannot restore the flexible (back and forth from distance to near) focus of youth.

It's possible, though unlikely, that you may have corneal scarring, irregular astigmatism and an inability to wear contact lenses. Your optometrist will measure the curvature of your cornea and your pupils. You may be rejected if your pupils are too large. She'll also measure the topography of your eyes to make sure you don't have an irregular astigmatism or a cone-shaped cornea and the the pachymetry, or thickness, of your cornea. You need to have enough tissue left after your corneas have been cut and reshaped.

As you can see, there's a lot to think about, not least the cost, which currently is about $1700-2000 per eye. Talk it over with you optometrist and above all don't feel pressured by anyone into having LASIK, they are your eyes after all.

Mike Thompson writes on a wide range of subjects and runs www.lasik-laser.com he's been involved with laser eye surgery since it was developed.

Lasik Eye Surgery: Is It Right For You?

If you have poor eyesight and you have worn eyeglasses or contact lenses all your life, then you might want to consider LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK is the acronym for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileuses. This is a procedure where the patient has to undergo surgery to reduce or totally eliminate a person's poor eyesight.

There are certain eye imperfections that cause poor eyesight. Examples of these are:

- Astigmatism

A person with astigmatism sees 'distorted' imaged which is a result of deformities or irregularities on the lenses of the eyes.

- Nearsightedness

A person who is nearsighted has a condition called myopia. Here, the patient experiences difficulties seeing objects at a distance.

- Farsightedness

On the other hand, a person who is farsighted sees far objects without difficulty but the same does not apply to near objects. This condition is
also called hyperopia.

To treat these ailments, LASIK eye surgery is used, and this is the most common method of refractive surgery performed for patients nowadays.

'The Procedure'

In LASIK surgery, there is a knife-like tool that is mainly used for the procedure: the microkeratome.

This is used to produce a very thin and rounded flap in the clear, outer layer covering the front or the eye which is the cornea. A more technologically-advanced way to create this flap is by the use of laser.

The shape of the cornea is changed permanently once this surgery is performed.

After the flap on one side of the eye is produced, this is folded back to reveal the stroma. The stroma is the mid-section of the cornea.

Afterwards, the microkeratome or the laser beam will vaporize a part of the stroma by producing computer-controlled pulses.

Then, the flap is put back into place after making the necessary corrections.

There are other types of refractive surgery that may be performed on a patient,depending on the degree of visual disability.

'The Pros & Cons'

This type of surgery that aims to correct poor vision is very popular. Why do you think this is so? Here is a list of the advantages of LASIK eye surgery:

1. You will not feel pain while undergoing the procedure.

2. The results are immediate. Right after the surgery, you will experience an improvement with your eyesight. At the very least, you will get to literally "see" results a day or two after the operation.

Still, there is a downside to this type of medical procedure. Take a look at some of them and decide for yourself if undergoing the surgery is worth the risk:

1. Complications may arise.

Different patients respond differently to treatment. If there are certain health issued that your doctor is not aware of, the procedure may not have positive results.

2. There are certain jobs or profession which prohibit an employee undergoing LASIK eye surgery.

Be sure to check with your employer first if you think that this surgery might in any way inhibit you from doing your work.

3. The procedure is quite costly.

Over the years and because of its gaining popularity, the costs have gone down considerably.

However, it is still quite a hefty amount to squeeze out of your pocket if you are on a budget.

If you plan to undergo this type of surgery, ask your doctor about the
rates.

'Should You Do It?'

If you are not the type of person to boldly take risks,LASIK eye surgery may not be right for you.

Before deciding to undergo the procedure, make sure that you know about the costs, health risks and take all the necessary precautions.

Also, talk with your doctor about what you should do before, during and after the surgery.

Ask them what you can expect to feel and the results that you will get right after the procedure.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides LASIK eye surgery resources on www.your-lasik-eye-surgery.info.

Lasik - The Right Procedure For Your Eyes

When it comes to eye impairments, there are many concerns. The eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body, which means that even a little, tiny mistake may put total vision at risk . With so many doubts, worries and frustration, Lasik vision correction surgery appears to be the number one choice of thousands of people who have any sort of vision impairment. This is because of the safety involved in the procedure plus the benefits. What could please people more than combining safety with benefits?

This surgery is safe due to the unique type of laser used: the excimer. This special light was designed exclusively to be used in Lasik surgery, offering no risk to people who undergo the procedure.

Lasik surgery is declared to be the best and the highest technology procedure to correct vision impairments.

Lasik Procedure

The Lasik procedure is really simple. It's so simple that people who undergo this surgery are able to get back to work the next day. There is no need to stay at home and spend those boring days - as doctors like to say - recovering. The idea lies in the fact that all vision impairment has to do with irregularity around the cornea. Due to this, the procedure consists of cutting away the bad tissue surrounding the cornea and reshaping the cornea, which corrects your vision. The surgery is performed with the patient awake. However, the patient will be given some mild sedative in order to keep the body relaxed and anesthetic eye drops. The surgeon operates the laser and a computer system tracks 4000 times per second the patient's eye position and simply redirects the laser pulses for precise placement.

One day after undergoing the procedure, the person feels a significant improvement in the vision.

Lasik Complications

It's not common, but Lasik surgery can have some complications. Although it is the safest and most technological method to correct vision impairments, some complications are not overruled.

The most common situations are:

- dry eyes
- over/undercorrection
- visual acuity fluctuation
- light sensitivity
- double vision
- decentered ablation

There are some others, but when complications happen, these are the most frequent.

Lasik Benefits

People sometimes are afraid to undergo Lasik surgery in order to correct their vision because, most of the time, they are not aware of what exactly the benefits are. Here, it's important to make clear that although complications may occur, they are rare and the benefits are worth taking the risk. Besides, studies show that less than 5% of people who undergo this procedure experience complications.

The most interesting benefits are:

- elimination of the need for glasses
- the discomfort felt with the use of lenses will be gone
- the quality of vision will be increased
- people will be able to pass a driver's test without glasses.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Lasik

Lasik Eye Surgery Can Give A New Lease On Life

Going through life dependent on glasses or contacts is fine for some, but others quickly tire of being unable to navigate the world if their corrective lenses get misplaced or break. There are few greater feelings of helplessness then that felt by a person who suddenly cannot see a foot beyond the end of their nose. These people often turn to eye Lasik surgery to help bring their world back into focus.

No matter how you crack it, eye surgery does sound a little scary, but for anyone who has studied the results, the fear factor is easily overcome. A person who undergoes Lasik successfully will soon find they are able to see things better than they have in years or even better than they ever did. A new sense of freedom is born and self-confidence and self-esteem boosts are incredible.

But what is Lasik and how does it work? In a nutshell, this surgical procedure to correct vision involves the reshaping of the cornea, which is the covering on the front of the eye. A laser and a knife are used to cut a small flap in the cornea, a hinge is left at an end of the flap and the flap is folded back to uncover the stroma, or middle section of the cornea. The laser, which is computer controlled, basically vaporizes a portion of the stroma and the flap is put back.

While this might sound horrific, the procedure makes sense. The cornea itself is the part of the eye that focuses light and creates a picture on the retina. It works sort of like a camera lens does to focus light on film. When light is bent and focused, it's called refraction.

When people have difficulty seeing, generally it is because the shape of the cornea and the eye are not in perfect synch. This means the picture on the retina will be blurred or distorted. This is called a refractive error, for which there are three main types: myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. People with myopia are nearsighted, this means they can't see objects that are far away with ease. Hyperopia is farsightedness and an astigmatism is a distortion of the image.

Lasik surgery basically corrects these conditions and helps people focus better, often removing the need for corrective lenses entirely. Lasik is not for all people, however, and pre-exams will be required for a doctor to determine if the eye procedure will work in an individual case.

If Lasik is the chosen route to help correct vision problems, those who undergo it will find it has a pretty high success rate. Although doctors cannot guarantee results, many find they end up with 20/20 vision after the procedure.

The other benefit of Lasik is that it's relatively painless and the surgical site heals very quickly. Most patients can see quite well right after the procedure and within a week vision should be completely in focus.

Lasik eye surgery is a route more than worth investigating for those who no longer wish to be dependant on contacts or glasses. The freedom provided is amazing and the vision improvements in successful cases are also impressive.

Lasik Eye Surgery.

http://www.lasikeyesurgeryhelp.com

What Happens Before, During, And After A Lasik Eye Surgery Procedure?

Since LASIK was approved by the FDA in the early 1990?s, the procedure has grown to become the most widely-performed eye surgery in the United States. LASIK is a surgical procedure performed on the eye to correct an individual?s vision and reduce dependency on eyeglasses or contact lenses. LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, which literally means to "reshape the cornea from within using a laser.? The procedure has broad applications to treat refractive errors of the eye and can be used to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism (an elongated cornea).

LASIK works by improving the ability of the eye to properly focus light. In a perfectly formed eye light entering the eye bends and directly hits retina, allowing the eye to produce a clear image. The majority of people, though, have imperfectly shaped corneas. Imperfectly shaped corneas do not properly refract the light on the retina, with the result that the viewed image is blurry and distorted. LASIK can correct these refractive errors by permanently changing the shape of the cornea. Once reshaped, the cornea is able to better focus light, eliminating the need for glasses or contacts.

LASIK patients will be given a detailed set of instructions to follow, beginning a few weeks before the procedure is to take place. It is critical that these instructions are followed if the surgery is to be a success. Patients wearing contact lenses will be advised to stop wearing their lenses anywhere from 2-4 weeks before the procedure, to give their eyes a chance to resume their natural shape. Certain foods, vitamins, beauty products, and medication can also affect the health of your eyes and may need to be avoided prior to LASIK. Failure to follow pre-operative instructions may result in a failed LASIK procedure, or the need to completely redo the surgery.

Patients remain awake and alert during surgery, although the doctor may administer a mild sedative to help keep the patient calm and relaxed. Numbing eye drops will be applied to the eye to serve as a local anesthetic. Since the eye?s natural tendency is to blink when it comes into contact with foreign items, it is necessary to secure the eyelids to keep them out of the way of the laser. This is done using an instrument called a lid speculum. Once the speculum is in place and the eye is cleaned, a small ring is placed on the cornea to apply a strong suction to the cornea. This part of the procedure can be a bit uncomfortable, but the strong suction ensures that the eyes remain immobile throughout the rest of the surgery.

Next a flap is cut into the cornea, leaving a small hinge to keep it attached to the eye. This flap may be made using a small razor sharp knife called a microkeratome, or by using a laser ? also called IntraLase. The suction ring serves as a precise guide for the microkeratome to ensure that the flap is made cleanly and accurately. After the cut has been made the suction ring is removed and the flap is gently teased away from the cornea and peeled back (towards the hinge) to reveal the underlying stroma.

The doctor will then dry the eye and ask the patient to stare at a fixed light, without moving, until the end of the procedure. Once the eye is in the proper position, the excimer laser will be activated. The surgeon will have already programmed the laser to remove the precise amount of tissue from the exact location(s) on your eye before the start of the procedure. More severe refractive errors will require a longer laser treatment, since more corneal tissue will need to be removed. As the laser pulses a beam of light into the eye to remove the excess tissue from the eye, the patient will hear a ticking or zapping sound and may smell an odor similar to that of burning hair. Once the laser has ceased pulsing, the surgeon will replace the corneal flap on the eye and smooth it out to ensure no surface wrinkles develop.

Since an eye is vulnerable after LASIK, it is very important to take extra precautions to protect the eye during the healing process. The doctor will give the patient an eye shield to wear immediately after the LASIK procedure. This shield should be worn while sleeping to prevent a person from rubbing their eye and dislodging the flap. The eye shield also prevents a person from inadvertently putting any pressure on the eye. Antibiotic ointment should be used to prevent infection from forming, while eye drops may be used to keep dry and scratchy eyes well-lubricated as they heal.

The doctor will make a follow-up appointment to evaluate the patient?s eyes within 24-48 hours from the time of surgery. This will allow the physician to monitor the healing process, evaluate the eyes for any potential problems, and begin accessing the success of the LASIK procedure. After the initial follow-up appointment, the patient will be asked to return for regular visits every few weeks, then every few months, until such time that the surgeon is confident that the procedure was successful.

Keep in mind that LASIK is not a risk-free procedure and that not all individuals are good candidates for LASIK. If you are interested in finding more about this procedure, contact your ophthalmologist and request an appointment.

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for MyEyeSurgery.com. To learn more about LASIK eye surgery and LASIK eye surgeons, visit us.