Dr Anupam Chatterjee, Cosmetic Eye Surgery

Author: Cindy Heller

There are many reasons why you might want to consider LASIK laser eye surgery. To start with, it is a known truth that putting on glasses and contacts every day is troublesome. It is a pain to wake up and require to employ something so as to see the world better, and it is also a hassle to have to depend on something so as to see the world around us.

Glasses and contacts can be costly, and it is often something that we misplace, lose track of, or simply forget to take with us. Wearing glasses and contacts also means that we are depending on something that can be broken or lost for our daily functioning. In addition, they cost money that some of us don’t want to have to spend each year.

Besides all these reasons, it is often in our best concern to fix something that is wrong with us, such as our eyesight. Some people get headaches and have other problems because they can’t see properly, so getting laser eye surgery is a very good idea because it will give them much more freedom in their lives. All in all, it is something that you should put a lot of thought into before you decide if it is for you.

LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Could Save You Money In The Long Run

Another important reason why should consider laser eye surgery is that, while laser eye surgery might seem like it is something that is expensive, it is going to save you money in the long run. If you add up all the expenses for eye examination, contacts and glasses each year for the rest of your life, getting laser eye surgery is going to save you more money in the long run.

Is It Right For Me?

The first thing, and the most imperative thing, that you need to think about when it comes to laser eye surgery is whether or not the surgery is right for you. First of all, you need to have an eye condition that is suitable for an operation. There are many such conditions, but you should visit your eye doctor to make sure that the conditions are met. Also, you have to make sure that your eyesight has stopped changing. Time and again, people try to get laser eye surgery before their eyesight stabilizes. After the surgery they can see clearly for several months, but it gets worse again, and they need glasses or contacts again in order to see well. If you are considering laser eye surgery, make sure that your eyesight has been stable for several years first.

There are both risks and benefits to having laser eye surgery. Every clinic will make sure that the patient understands what could happen if something were to go wrong during the surgery. Blurred vision can occur after the surgery or, if one accidentally scratches one’s eye shortly after the operation, and there is no accompanying protective flap, the newly-formed fold over the cornea could move, resulting in problems.

What Can I Expect During And After The Surgery?

Before the actual laser eye surgery takes place, a patient is giving a numbing drop. As the person getting the surgery is still awake when receiving the laser treatment, he/she will be asked to stare at a light or object. Being able to fix one’s eyes on a particular object is crucial to the success of this procedure for the reason that it allows the doctor to work without difficulty and it can avoid certain complications and discomfort later on.

During the operation, the patient will be exposed to new sights (or lack thereof, as many people experience blurred vision during the whole process), smells, and sounds, mostly from the laser. After the laser is completed, a protective shield will be placed over the patient’s eye so that he/she cannot scratch it. As the new flap that protects the cornea is not held in position by anything, it could become dislodged if the patient rubs it the wrong way. This can cause some major problems.

Within four weeks after the surgery, the patient will have to wear a protective shield to bed, allowing the cornea flap to fully heal itself with its new surroundings. Again, and this cannot be emphasized enough, scratching the eye after surgery will result in irreversible complication.

After the operation, for a period of 8 weeks long, a patient should not participate in swimming activities and sitting in a hot tub. He or she should not take part in contact sports or wear eye make-up too.

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Author: Bianca Tavares

The introduction of laser eye surgery a number of years ago - first via the PRK procedure and then using LASIK (an acronym for Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis) - marked a major step forward in vision correction without having to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Whilst the LASIK procedure has proven very popular with millions of successful operations carried out around the world, there has always been a slight risk of an unsuccessful operation or of complications. These risks are primarily associated with the first stage of the operation in which a hand-held microkeratome blade is used to create a corneal flap. This flap is of vital importance to the overall success of the operation. If it is too thick or too thin or incorrectly shaped it could adversely affect the quality of vision.

Advances in laser technology have now made it possible to reduce the risks associated with LASIK eye surgery through a procedure known as IntraLase. The IntraLase procedure performs the first crucial part of the operation without use of a blade and as such improves on the safety, precision and outcome of traditional LASIK surgery.

With IntraLase, the corneal flap is created by the surgeon using a computer-guided laser with great precision, enabling the surgeon to have exact control over its dimensions. Accuracy is achievable within the range +/-10 microns. The result being that the flap can be tailored to meet the precise needs of each individual patient. It even means that patients who aren’t suitable candidates for traditional LASIK due to having corneas that are too thin, can now benefit from the operation.

Furthermore, by using IntraLase LASIK there is a much reduced risk of the corneal flap being displaced - a complication which can arise with the microkeratome operation. IntraLase creates a distinct beveled edge to the flap, enabling precise repositioning and alignment after the procedure. This results in optimal healing of the cornea following the operation.

The IntraLase operation is also quicker than traditional LASIK - depending on the laser used, typically 30 seconds per eye as opposed to around one minute. This has the benefit of greater comfort and less worry for the patient.

With regard to outcome of the procedure, results of clinical studies indicate that IntraLase patients have better resultant vision than those who underwent the traditional LASIK procedure employing a manual blade technique. The following are some of the benefits:

More patients achieved 20/20 or better vision
Reduced frequency of post-operative night-time glare and halos
Reduced incidence of dry eye symptoms
Fewer enhancement procedures needed following the initial operation
Reduced frequency of induced astigmatism after the operation
Patient satisfaction much higher in those expressing a preference

The cost of an IntraLase operation is higher than that of traditional LASIK eye surgery. About a 20% increase has been quoted. However the added degree of safety combined with the promise of better vision is persuading increasingly more laser eye surgery patients to opt for IntraLase.

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