Is Lasik Eye Surgery For You? Or Are You Too Sqeemish!

For those of you that don't know Lasik stands for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. In Lasik the surgeon cuts a small flap in the cornea and uses a laser to reshape the inner area of the cornea. Problems with the cornea can be related to many vision troubles such as; Hyperopia or farsightedness and Myopia or nearsightedness). Also problems like Astigmatism can also be caused. The good news is that eye surgery and lasik in particular resolve many of these eye defects.

The sheer number of different of surgical procedures for correcting vison problems can leave you uncertain of the best one for you. However, whatever may be your procedure of choice, attaining excellent results is largely dependent on the expertise of your eye surgeon. lasik is by far the most preferred corrective eye surgery, and hence it is imperative that you choose an eye surgeon with a great deal of experience.

If you are thinking of going in for lasik eye surgery then this is what you can expect. Before getting lasik you will be examined by a qualified eye doctor or ophthalmologist. During this examination standard eye tests and computer images of the cornea will be taken to build up a picture of the eye and ascertain what corrections need should made. In addition your overall health is also considered when deciding if you will be a good lasik patient. Any conditions, such as dry eye syndrome, may affect your ability to get this type of eye surgery, but in these cases other treatment may be available.

You will be able to go home on the same day as you eye surgery and should have recovered within just a few days. Minor irritations may take up to a month to disappear. The vast majority of people who undertake this surgery will be able to see much more clearly straight after surgery and this improves still further over the next few days.

Some people may experience some side effects like light sensitivity or night time vision problems. In even more rare cases other difficulties like infections can also occur, but most often, if you follow your doctors orders these things can be avoided or cured quickly with eye drops of medication. Other side effects are more long term. These can occur for 6 months or longer. These are: dry eyes, blurred vision, difficulty seeing at night, light sensitivity, glares, and vision fluctuations. If you cannot handle any of this, then this eye surgery is not for you. Attaining excellent results is largely dependent on the expertise of your eye surgeon. Lasik is by far the most preferred corrective eye surgery for many, and so it is imperative that you choose an eye surgeon with a great deal of experience and who is using the best medical equipment available.

This type eye surgery has been big news over resent years as the changes to peoples vision and quality of life can be astounding. People who could not see without glasses are getting almost 20./20 vision and word of mouth about these 'miracles' spreads fast.. With many people flocking to have the procedure done it has become one of the most popular eye surgeries. However, before committing to the surgery you should look into what lasik is and what it can do for vision in general and your sight in particular.

Before committing yourself ask to speak to people who have had the operation with the organisation you are thinking of using yourself. Ask about the good and bad points of both the operation and the company itself.

As lasik is a fairly new medical procedure the long term risks are not known and it is not possible currently to cure the need for reading glasses as this is problem is more connected with the weakening of the eye muscles over time rather then the corner. As a potential candidate for lasik you must discuss all your concerns and expectations with your surgeon before the procedure is carried out to ensure you completely understand the process and outcome possibilities for you as an individual.

Finally, many people can't even think about anyone touching their eyes, never mind someone pointing a laser into them. If you are reading this article and are feeling a bit squeamish then perhaps lasik is not for you!

Richard is a prolific and diverse writer. You can find out more about lasik eye surgery at http://www.about-lasik.org/

Blade Versus Bladeless LASIK Eye Surgery: What Is The Difference?

Patients considering LASIK eye surgery may come across medical jargon, such as "blade" and "bladeless" LASIK. To a layman, such terms might appear overwhelming. However, as a patient you must know the difference between the two surgery types, and the rewards and risks associated with each.

Traditional LASIK makes use of a microkeratome to cut a thin hinged flap in the cornea. The flap is then folded back to reveal the stroma - the middle layer of the cornea. A high precision laser, called the excimer laser, is used to reshape the corneal surface so as to correct any refractive error. The flap is then repositioned to act as a natural bandage. Since the microkeratome used to create a flap is in fact a surgical blade, the procedure is also known as blade LASIK.

A more recent innovation, introduced in 1999, makes use of a high energy laser (IntraLase or femtosecond laser) to create a flap during surgery. As opposed to traditional LASIK, IntraLase does not employ a surgical blade, and hence the procedure is often marketed as "bladeless" or "all laser" LASIK. The term itself has raged a debate among eye surgeons, as to whether it should be used in IntraLase advertisements or not. Several surgeons assert that the term "bladeless" implies that traditional LASIK, which makes use of a surgical blade (microkeratome), is a scarier proposition, when in fact it's not.

The creation of the flap is an important part of the laser eye surgery procedure. It's true that flap predictability is better with a laser flap, that is, with bladeless LASIK. Moreover, there is a reduced possibility of flap complications, such as partial flaps, flap dislocation, free flaps etc. However, an expert surgeon wielding a contemporary microkeratome can very well match the finesse of bladeless LASIK. Although the chances are rare, there is an issue of transient light sensitivity as well - a unique risk associated with bladeless LASIK. Moreover, the bladeless LASIK procedure costs an extra $300 per eye, when compared with traditional LASIK.

All said and done, LASIK itself is one of the safest refractive surgery procedure. Whether it's blade or bladeless, it largely depends on the eye surgeon of your choice. If the surgeon has loads of experience carrying out microkeratome procedures, it's better to have it that way. If otherwise, you may go in for the relatively new bladeless LASIK surgery.

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

The LASIK Surgeons Directory - find a LASIK doctor. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news and views about blade and bladeless LASIK at Your Lasik Information.

Night Vision Problems Caused By LASIK Eye Surgery

According to research studies conducted in recent years, several patients who underwent LASIK reported problems seeing at night. The induced night vision defects included halos, starbursts and glare around brightly lit objects at night. These night vision problems signify deterioration in quality rather than quantity of vision. Though these night vision problems are typically transient and wear off in a few days, in some patients, the symptoms might persist long after the eye heals.

LASIK is a refractive surgery technique that involves reshaping of the cornea via precise ablation. Night vision problems are known to be caused by the irregularity between the untouched part of the cornea and the reshaped part. It is a known fact that the pupil dilates in darkness and contracts when faced with bright light. However, it is impractical to perform LASIK such that it covers the expansion of the pupil at full dilation at night.

Daytime post-LASIK vision is optimal, since the pupil is smaller than the LASIK flap. But at night, the pupil may expand such that light passes through the edge of the LASIK flap into the pupil. This is what gives birth to night vision anomalies.

Studies have also shown that the possibility of night vision problems increases in patients who have undergone some sort of enhancement LASIK surgery. It might be the case that the desired refraction is not accomplished in the foremost surgery, and hence, patients typically require enhancement surgeries. These patients are generally less happy with the outcome than those patients who have had LASIK surgery only once in life. Moreover, patients who have flatter corneas at the outset are more likely to suffer from starbursts and other night vision problems after surgery.

LASIK technology has advanced over time and the surgeons have gained loads of experience in the pertinent field. As a result, the number of patients reporting night vision problems has dropped significantly. Expert surgeons carry out a comprehensive preoperative examination to determine if the patient has large sized pupils. They make use of advanced contemporary equipment to accomplish the same, and therefore, rule out the possibility of long-term night vision defects.

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

The LASIK Surgeons Directory - find a LASIK surgeon. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news and views about Night Vision Problems After LASIK at Your Lasik Information.