Is Lasik Surgery The Right Option For You? Here Are Four Questions To Ask Yourself
Lasik eye surgery is a corrective technique that can help improve eyesight in a variety of patients. This procedure has improved significantly over the years, and patients are able to enjoy shorter recovery times with a higher probability of treatment success. However, Lasik surgery is highly dependent on the patient's profile. This means that there are many different aspects that go into treatment success, including pre-existing conditions and how thick your cornea actually is.
Your ophthalmologist will need to collect as much background information as possible to ensure that Lasik is the right procedure to restore proper eyesight. When exploring this option with your doctor, ask yourself the following questions.
1. Is your eyesight significantly damaged?
The success of Lasik eye surgery is dependent on you having healthy eyes. Infections, dryness, or inflammation could expose the underlying tissue to excessive damage from incoming laser energy. Furthermore, current damage to your eyesight shouldn't exceed specific thresholds. While Lasik can be used to restore eyesight in short-sighted, long-sighted, and astigmatic patients, your corrective lenses should fall within a specific range of strength before undergoing Lasik. This range will be determined by your doctor, and it may also be influenced by factors such as age or underlying conditions.
2. How old are you?
Patients should remember that Lasik is a corrective eye surgery technique. This means that your eyes should have already fully developed and been deemed dysfunctional in specific aspects. If you're currently in your teenage years, your eyes may still be developing. Therefore, Lasik may not be wholly appropriate because changes in eyesight may occur as you grow older. Older patients are generally better candidates for Lasik surgery because the eyes are fully developed, and doctors can accurately diagnose vision complications.
3. Do you have any underlying conditions?
Patients with vision issues are probably aware of how interconnected the body is. This means that conditions such as diabetes, chronic diseases, and immunodeficiency diseases can affect the health of your eyes. For successful Lasik treatment, such underlying conditions may need to be mitigated to ensure optimal results. Your doctor may recommend additional medication to alleviate symptoms and reduce healing times. In situations where your underlying condition is advanced, Lasik may not be the most appropriate treatment option.
4. How thick is your cornea?
Lasik uses laser energy to gradually reshape the cornea and correct vision issues. If your cornea is too thin, the procedure could potentially cause additional damage and produce mixed results. Consult with your eye doctor to determine whether your cornea is thick enough for Lasik treatment.
Speak with an eye doctor for more information.
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