LASIK Eye Surgery: What to Know and How to Decide

What is LASIK?

LASIK is shorthand for laser in-situ keratomileusis. It is a remarkably safe, outpatient refractive laser eye surgery that changes the shape of the cornea in your eye to correct common vision conditions including myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism (a condition in which the eye does not focus light evenly on the retina), and presbyopia (the inability to focus on objects up close).

According to the FDA, there are about 700,000 LASIK surgeries performed each year in the US. It’s reported that 96% to 98% of LASIK patients end up with 20/20 vision after surgery!

That means that there is a really good chance LASIK eye surgery can eliminate or reduce your dependence on eyeglasses and contact lenses to improve your vision.

Is LASIK Right for You?

You know you’re tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses, so that’s a good place to start. LASIK surgery has an extremely high rate of success, and complications are rare. To really determine if LASIK is the right choice for you, you’ll want to talk to your eye doctor.

At BOE, our doctors have extensive experience in the pre-operative evaluation and post-operative care of LASIK surgery. While we don’t perform the surgery ourselves, we can help you determine if it’s the right course of action for you based on the health of your eyes, your particular vision concerns, and your eye health history.

Your eye doctor will look to determine the specific refractive errors that are causing your vision problems to help determine if you’re a good candidate for LASIK corrective surgery. LASIK may or may not be the best solution for you, but there’s definitely no harm in considering it and finding out more.

LASIK Complications and Side Effects

Complications and side effects as a result of LASIK surgery are rare, but they do happen. Most of the more common side effects are temporary, lasting from a few days to a few weeks at most. These include things like dry eyes; light sensitivity; glares, halos, or double vision; over or under corrections; or, in some more extreme but very, very rare cases, the flaps of your eye can be damaged and vision further impaired.

While LASIK is an exacting and complex surgery, it only takes about a half hour, and you can go home the very same day. That said, like any surgery, it does come with some risks, though most tend to resolve themselves quickly without posing any permanent problems.

LASIK Corrective Eye Surgery – Find Out More

The best place to start is by talking to your eye doctor. Beyond helping you determine if LASIK is the right choice for you, your eye doctor can walk you through the entire process in detail, and help you find the best surgeon to perform your surgery.

Get in touch today to find out more!