By Scott Will
The adoption of laser technology in medicine has enabled doctors to perform bladeless surgeries. One of the most common laser surgery types that doctors do is the LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileuses) eye surgery. In this surgery, laser refractive technology is used to correct vision problems and alter the clear tissue’s shape on your cornea to improve vision.
As this technology continues to be used in eye surgery, laser manufacturers like The Laser Trader are continually updating laser equipment. The more advanced LASIK laser equipment can help reshape your eyes’ and solve problems related to vision like farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism within a short period.
How To Prepare For A LASIK Surgery
Some of the steps you need to take while preparing for this surgery include:
- Understanding The Surgery Costs
Insurance companies consider this type of surgery elective and may not cover their costs. Therefore, you need to be adequately prepared to pay your medical bills out of your pocket.
- Making Arrangements For Transportation
You need to find someone who can drive you to and from the surgeon’s office. After the surgery, it may be impossible to drive because you may still feel the effects of the medicine administered to you. Also, your vision may be a bit blurry, making it challenging to see correctly.
- Don’t Use Makeup
A day before the surgery, you need to skip using lotions, perfumes, creams, and eye makeup. You may also be required to wash your eyelashes everyday a few days before the surgery to clear debris and reduce infection risks.
What To Expect During The Surgery
LASIK surgery may take less than 30 minutes. Your doctor may instruct you to lie on a reclining chair and give you relaxation medicine. He will then place numbing drops in your eye as he opens your eyelids using specialized equipment. After that, he’ll place a suction ring on your eye before he cuts the corneal flap. You may feel your vision deem a little during this process.
Next, he’ll use a cutting laser to make an incision on the small hinged flap that’s on your cornea and fold it back to access the part that needs reshaping. He’ll then use a programmed laser to reshape the affected cornea parts. Every laser beam will remove a tiny piece of corneal tissue.
Once the reshaping is done, the flap will be laid back into place. This flap usually heals without being stitched. When undergoing surgery, your doctor may ask you to focus on the point of light to keep your eyes fixed as the laser does the reshaping. When the laser removes the corneal tissue, you may feel a distinct smell similar to burning hair.
What To Expect After The Surgery
Once you’re done with the procedure, your eyes may become watery, burn, feel gritty, or itch. You may also experience blurred vision and some pain, though you’ll recover quickly. Eye drops and pain medication will help you to be comfortable after the surgery. You may also be required to wear a shield over your face till your eye heals.
Wrapping Up
Lasers are useful tools for performing bladeless surgeries because their effects are less severe compared to blade surgeries. LASIK is one example of laser surgery that’s currently in practice.
