Is LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Painful?

LASIK is by far the most prevalent and safest refractive surgery procedure. It has been employed to treat a host of visual anomalies. Since it's a surgery, people often harbor a false belief that LASIK is a painful procedure. In fact, LASIK is a relatively painless technique, and what the patient experiences during and after the surgery can be categorized as mild discomfort rather than pain.

LASIK is performed with the patient awake and mobile, and this certainly corroborates that the operation is relatively painless. The surgeon typically administers a mild sedative (for instance Valium) and anesthetic eye drops. LASIK involves creation of a flap of corneal tissue. This hinged flap may be created with a microkeratome (a surgical blade) or a femtosecond laser. During this initial step of flap formation, the patient may experience a little bit of pressure on the eye.

In the following step, the flap is folded back to reveal the middle section of the cornea, in order to make way for precise ablation by the excimer laser. Then the flap is repositioned to allow natural healing. Upon completion of the surgery, the patient may experience discomfort, scratchiness and irritation, akin to the sensation of wearing an uncomfortable contact lens. Such irritable sensation can be soothed with the aid of eye drops, and it normally wears off within a few hours after surgery.

Since the laser ablation is performed the middle section of the cornea and under the LASIK flap, the cornea does not register the fact that it has been surgically operated. As the wound response is subdued, the patient experiences speedy visual recovery and almost no pain.

However, as with any surgery, LASIK has associated complications that may force the patient to bear greater discomfort after surgery. A few of such nagging complications include dry eyes, visual acuity fluctuation, halos or starbursts around light sources at night, double vision, light sensitivity, and several flap related problems.

All in all, LASIK is a safe and efficacious procedure, which is virtually painless. Though the patient may experience mild discomfort due to potential complications, the complication rate itself is quite meager. If presented with the question of whether LASIK hurts or not, I would certainly say that it's a painless procedure.

Finding a LASIK surgery that you are confident about will be able to give you more information about LASIK eye surgery.

The LASIK Surgeons Directory - find a LASIK surgery. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news and views about LASIK laser eye surgery at Your Lasik Information.

History of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) is a refractive laser eye surgery procedure that corrects vision problems. This procedure is preferred to PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy), as it takes less time for the procedure, as well as for recovery. As far back as 1898, the basic principles of radial kerototomy had been laid down by Lans, a Dutch professor of Ophthalmology. During 1930s, Sato in Japan did some pioneering work with corneal incisions. However, it was only in the 1970s that Dr. Fyodorov brought about practical application of refractive surgery through radial keratotomy in the then Soviet Union.

In 1978, American ophthalmologists became interested in the findings of Dr. Fyodorov. After visiting him in the Soviet Union, Dr. Leo Bores brought the technology back to the United States. Since then, radial keratotomy has been performed on over two million Americans. Research into alternate forms of refractive surgery was prompted by certain limitations of radial keratotomy.

Laser Assisted Refractive Surgery

During the early 1980s, Dr. Srinivasin of the IBM research laboratories first used Excimer laser on biological tissue. This was followed up by Dr. Steven Trokel, an ophthalmologist working with Dr, Srinivasin, who introduced the idea of using laser to reshape the cornea.

The excimer laser has a record of accomplishment of safety internationally, since its introduction in 1987. In 1988, the first photorefractive keratectomy was done in Germany. Since then, more than two million people have had their vision corrected through PRK procedure in over 40 countries. Laser refractive surgery has been found to be the most effective with Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism. The success of laser refractive surgery has encouraged the development of newer laser refractive surgery procedures.

LASIK Eye Surgery is the latest in refractive eye surgeries. In comparison to PRK, in LASIK the cornea remains largely intact and the patients' vision become better more quickly. Reshaping of the cornea has been going on for 50 years, and the Excimer laser has been in use since the 1980s. The first clinical trial using the LASIK procedure was performed in 1991. LASIK uses a device known as Microkerotome - a precision surgical devise with an oscillating blade for creating a corneal flap.

The Excimer laser, unlike the conventional surgical laser beams that affect tissue by producing heat that burns it, uses a charged mixture of fluorine gases. This produces a cool beam of ultra violet light that breaks the molecular bonds and vaporizes tissue.

LASIK eye surgery has been in use for about 15 years with excellent and positive results.

Read more on LASIK Facts to help you learn facts on LASIK eye surgery. Is LASIK surgery for you? Find out more.

LASIK Eye Surgery - See The World More Clearly

LASIK eye surgery is a medical procedure using a laser on the eye of a patient who has eyesight problems. LASIK is an acronym for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileuses. LASIK can be used to improve the eyesight of patients who are far-sighted, near-sighted or have an astigmatism. After LASIK surgery has been performed, patients with these types of eyesight problems should not have to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses.

LASIK is one of the most common surgical procedures performed by an eye surgeon nowadays. It has become very popular because of it's pain-free operation and because of its more or less instantaneous results. This is the major advantage that LASIK has over other surgical procedures to correct imperfect vision. After a couple of days rest you will soon see a definite improvement in your eyesight.

The surgical procedure itself is quick and virtually painless, and is performed under local anaesthetic. It consists of the eye surgeon cutting a hinged flap in the cornea which is then folded back to expose the lens of the eye. A laser from an instrument called a 'microkeratome' is used to vaporize aberrations and reshape the cornea so that the image focuses on the correct part of the retina, therefore improving the vision. The hinged flap in the cornea is then folded back into place for healing.

You will see two main types of LASIK surgery being advertised. Traditional LASIK surgery and Wavefront LASIK. Conventional LASIK surgery corrects the focusing power of the eye by remodelling the shape of the lens with the aid of laser. Wavefront LASIK is a variation of the traditional procedure and produces a spatially varying correction based on readings from a wavefront sensor. A wavefront sensor measures the eye itself by detecting any aberrations on the cornea. It achieves this by sending a weak laser source into the eye, and by measuring and processing the reflection off the retina. The Wavefront laser procedure is carried out using computer aided equipment and doctors have reported improved eyesight results from Wavefront over traditional LASIK surgery.

Although beneficial to thousands of patients, as is usually the case there can also be some disadvantages to LASIK eye surgery. Firstly, it can be an expensive treatment and prices can vary from area to area and from doctor to doctor. Secondly, as in all surgical procedures, there can be post-surgery complications. Common complications include patients developing glare and halos and possibly double vision which can affect night time vision capability. Others develop severe dry eye syndrome which may need to be treated with drops or cream for the rest of your life. However, complications in LASIK surgery are rare and the vast majority of patients benefit from almost perfect vision without eyeglasses or contacts after surgery.

If you decide to proceed with LASIK surgery you should carefully research the subject to find out as much as possible about the procedure. You should also research the eye surgeons that perform the surgery and if possible act on personal referral. Keep in mind that when pricing the surgery that not all advertisements for LASIK quote the full and final price and many have add-on costs. Finally, before proceeding with the surgery, make sure to have a thorough conversation with your eye surgeon so that you are fully aware of all the benefits and risks.

Are you considering LASIK eye surgery? Alan Chestnutt is author and owner of www.lasik.info-experts.com where you can research all the latest news and information on LASIK Eye Surgery. The site is a complete resource of analysis and daily news bulletins on the world.

How To Improved Vision After LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

Longer visual recovery time compared to LASIK laser eye surgery. LASEK laser eye surgery causes dry eye less frequently than LASIK laser eye surgery. LASEK laser eye surgery may cause more pain and discomfort than LASIK , but less pain than PRK laser eye surgery. Find out the facts about LASIK, where to go for LASIK, and how to talk with the people who know about laser eye surgery. During LASIK laser eye surgery, an instrument called a microkeratome is used to cut a thin flap in the cornea. Healing after LASIK laser eye surgery usually occurs very rapidly. Despite the pluses, there are some disadvantages: Changes made to the cornea cannot be reversed after LASIK laser eye surgery.

Most patients notice improved vision within a few days after LASIK laser eye surgery. Recovery is quick and usually no bandages or stitches are required after LASIK laser eye surgery. After having LASIK laser eye surgery, most patients no longer need corrective eyewear. Visit this site to find out more about laser eye surgery, particularly LASIK surgery. You may have noticed printed advertisements and television commercials that advertise a type of laser eye surgery called LASIK. The risk of corneal haze is much less with LASIK laser eye surgery than it is with PRK.

Learn about lasik eye surgery and other treatments for vision problems. Lopatynsky provides LASIK, vision correction, eye surgery, refractive surgery and eye care services. However, complications in LASIK surgery are rare and the vast majority of patients benefit from almost perfect vision without eyeglasses or contacts after surgery. One option in vision correction is LASIK eye surgery, which is rapidly growing in popularity.

Most insurance companies do not cover LASIK eye surgery, since they consider it as a cosmetic procedure. The popularity of LASIK surgery has risen in large part because of the eye's rapid healing and the absence of pain following the procedure. In this article, you will find out exactly what happens during a LASIK procedure as you follow this author through his own eye surgery. It is also important for those who undergo LASIK eye surgery to have realistic expectations regarding the results of the procedure. The book explains: how the eye works, the entire Lasik correction procedure, it explained the surgery, and what you could expect after the surgery. http://www.laser-vision.info/lasik-eye-surgery/

Amporn Saechin is The Webmaster Of The How To Improved Vision After LASIK Laser Eye Surgery - Quickly and Easily! http://www.laser-vision.info/

What Are Your Chances Of 20/20 Vision After LASIK Eye Surgery?

You might have come across eye centers touting outrageous offers of "20/20 vision or money back". The whole concept of 20/20 vision has been ballyhooed immensely when it comes to laser eye surgery. In essence, the value 20/20 refers to a way of measuring visual acuity via the Snellen eye chart - the same old alphabet chart that you might have seen at a nearby eye care center. As an instance of Snellen measurement, people with 20/40 vision can see clearly at 20 feet what people with 20/20 vision can see clearly at 40 feet.

With the latest technological advancements in laser eye surgery, the conventional LASIK procedure has been augmented with superlative techniques like wavefront LASIK, and its add-on, iris registration. With such enhancements there is an even greater chance of 20/20 vision relative to that with conventional LASIK. By wielding wavefront technology there is a great, around 95%, chance of 20/20 vision. However, with the iris registration technology, the possibility of 20/20 vision skyrockets to an overwhelming 99%.

20/20 vision is what you aim for while undergoing any type of refractive surgery - it's used as a benchmark. However, some people hold a somewhat dissenting opinion about 20/20 vision, as far as laser eye surgery is concerned. The argument put forth is that visual quality matters more than visual acuity. As is evident from a number of cases, laser eye surgeries, for instance LASIK, have potential complications. A patient might experience blurry vision, halos, ghost vision or double vision, glare, and starbursts surrounding light sources at night.

Normal vision is crisp and sharp. But after laser eye surgery, a person might have to deal with debilitating side effects, which typically diminish vision quality. Though the patient might still be able to decipher a 20/20 line on the Snellen chart, the vision might be blurry. Unless the complications subside, eye surgeons' famous promise of 20/20 vision is merely a myth.

In general, the degree of refractive error and the pupil size are the only criteria while determining the candidature of a patient for laser eye surgery. Most patients are not tested on other grounds, such as contrast sensitivity, glare and depth perception. The data pertinent to such aspects is fairly anecdotal. A comprehensive preoperative test regime is necessary for achieving authentic 20/20 vision (with enhanced vision quality) after laser eye surgery.

If you find a LASIK surgery that you are confident with, you will be able to get more information about 20/20 vision.

The LASIK Surgery Directory - find a LASIK surgery. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports, provides news and views about LASIK laser eye surgery and 20/20 vision at Your Lasik Information.

Risks and benefits of Lasik eye surgery

Lasik eye surgery has revolutionized the ophthalmic industry. Refractive surgery corrects eyesight and restores near-perfect vision. LASIK is a surgical technique which corrects a person's vision reducing the need for spectacles or contact lenses. Known as Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis or LASIK, the surgery involves changing the shape of the cornea.

It is important to first determine whether or not you are a candidate for eye surgery. Generally, patients under 18 years of age, those with hormonal disturbances, or those who suffer from diabetes or hypertension are not recommended for surgery.

As in any medical treatment there benefits as well as risks involved.

The benefits are:

* Clear natural vision.

* Pain free surgery.

* Improvement in quality of life. Bad vision will not prevent you from becoming a pilot, professional athlete, or a part of the armed services.

* Eye related problems like a squint are corrected improving your appearance and enhancing your self esteem and confidence.

* The surgery reduces allergies of the eye and irritations that develop from use of glasses or contact lenses.

The risks to be considered are:

* Possible loss of vision that cannot be corrected with surgery, use of glasses, or contact lenses.

* Development of glares, halos, or double vision. Some patients develop problems with night vision, and the ability to see clearly in dim light, fog or when there is low contrast.

* Even after surgery there may develop a need to use glasses or contact lenses. There are patients in whom the surgery fails to restore 20/20 vision.

* There are chances of getting dry eye syndrome due to the inability to produce tears. There can be discomfort and a blurring of vision. This dry eye problem may become permanent and there may be a need to undergo drop therapy.

* Patients with large refractive errors do not achieve good results with the surgery, vision is not restored completely.

* There are chances of farsighted patients experience decreased vision with advancing age.

* There a post operative risks like flap complications, corneal swelling, eye dryness, light sensitivity, and blurring of vision.

Although studies show that complication rates are comparatively low and death or serious complications rare, you must:

* Find out about the surgery in detail.

* Ask the surgeon to go over your specific case in detail and discuss the risks if any.

* Select a surgeon and Lasik center with care. Never choose based on proximity to where you live or low costs. Opt for the surgery only when you are certain it will benefit you and not because it is fashionable to have Lasik surgery. In most countries the surgery is not covered by health insurance and you will have to bear the costs of the procedure. Weigh all the pros and cons before going ahead.

Andrew Bermam is a freelance writer for Contact Lenses, the premier website for cheap prospective contact lenses online services to buy all brands of contact lenses like Freshlook contact lens, soft contact lens, bifocal contact lens, solutions and more. He also freelances for the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion Forum for Health site.

Lasik Eye Surgery

People who suffer from myopia or shortsightedness are treated with the help of Lasik eye surgery. This surgery is very popular since it is relatively painless and offers a fast recovery.

Lasik surgery is a combination of very simple steps which, if followed systematically, lead to a successful operation. Before going in for Lasik eye surgery, the first thing to do is find a good surgeon. The surgeon will take a close examination of your eye to decide if you are in need of Lasik surgery. There are some health conditions which, if found, will completely disqualify you as a candidate for the operation. Also, people are specially instructed to discontinue wearing their lenses at least 7 to 10 days prior to the day of the surgery. Once this is finished, the actual surgery takes place, which is over in less than a minute.

The most common query that people involves what would happen if they move their head while the surgery is taking place. However, this should not be a worry, since surgeons are experts in the technique of taking their foot away from the pedal which directs the ultraviolet beam the moment they notice a patient move his head. Once the surgery is over, it is advisable not to rub the eyes.

On the whole, the surgery is not painful, except that sometimes a scratchy feeling or some discomfort is experienced, due to the anesthesia given. Some people might be sensitive to light for some days.

One of the major advantages of Lasik eye surgery is that it frees you from dependency on spectacles or lenses. However, with old age, since the eyes change, a re-treatment might be necessary.

Lasik Eye Surgery provides detailed information on Lasik, Lasik Eye Surgery, Lasik Surgery, Lasik Complications and more. Lasik Eye Surgery is affiliated with Lasik Eye Surgery Information.