What Is An Initial Lasik Eye Exam Like?
The first thing that will occur before any surgery is an examination of the eye in question. An examination is crucial, because not everybody is an ideal candidate for Lasik surgery. This is because not all eyes are the same shape and not everybody is suffering bad eyesight for the same reason. So, during the assessment, the Lasik surgeon will determine the cause of your deteriorating eyesight and map an accurate picture of your eye.
The assessment of your eye will also divulge the thickness of the cornea and the ability of your eye to produce tears. In order to do this, the surgeon will put a liquid into your eye in order to dilate it. This makes it easier to see any irregularities including the refractive error, which is a term used to describe why your eyesight is not 20/20.
The Lasik surgeon will then talk about the results of the assessment with the patient. This is to uncover any previous surgery or damage the eye has undergone. There will also be questions about the patient’s other illnesses, the patient’s family history of eye problems and about any medication that the patient is currently taking. Impending pregnancy is a reason for waiting and the patient will be asked what his or her expectations of the surgery are.
The surgery usually produces excellent results with enormous improvements in eyesight, but a surgeon would prefer that you do not expect too much. They prefer you to be surprised at how excellent the results are than disappointed. Most individuals are very pleased with the results, it must be said.
Before going for the assessment, it is a good idea not to get your hopes up. Some people are found unsuitable for Lasik eye surgery. Some might be recommended other surgery techniques like complete lens replacement. With lens replacement, the old, human lens is removed from within the eye and a plastic one is put in.
This lens replacement surgery is invasive, but does not hurt and just takes about 40 minutes. Lasik surgery takes less time and is also painless. If the surgeon rejects Lasik surgery, enquire about alternative techniques including the replacement of your lens.
There are also different techniques of Lasik, so if you are refused one sort, ask if there are other sorts of laser surgery on hand.
Assuming that you are accepted for laser surgery, your surgeon will give you a couple of directions which you should follow as if your eyesight depended upon it. These directions can vary from surgeon to surgeon, from patient to patient and from technique to technique, but may be similar to those below.
Frequently, they will recommend that you do not wear contact lenses for a while (days or weeks) before the operation. This is because contact lenses can distort the shape of the eye or cornea. It also depends on which type of contact lenses you use – hard or soft, so be certain your surgeon knows and make certain that you know what you use so that you can give accurate information.
General advice is to be cautious with eye make-up for 48 hours before the operation and get someone to pick you up from the surgery.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a variety of topics, but is now concerned with wet macular degeneration treatment. If you would like to know more, please visit our site at Macular Degenerative Disease
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