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If you wear glasses or contact lenses and have thought about getting rid of them or if you have an astigmatism that you would like to have corrected, chances are you’ve heard of the LASIK procedure.
Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis– or LASIK as it’s commonly known– is a refractive eye surgery that is enormously popular among patients who suffer from near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism (a condition that distorts images). It’s a corrective vision procedure experienced by millions of patients the safety and effectiveness of which has been essentially beyond reproach for over 20 years.
During the 15-30 minute per eye LASIK procedure, done with anesthesia so the patient doesn’t feel the instruments, a thin flap is cut on the cornea’s surface and a laser beam reshapes the cornea’s curvature to improve vision. Then, the flap is closed and covered with a protective lens. With the help of antibiotic drops, the eye heals on its own in a few days without any need for stitches, though full recovery takes a few weeks.
Nine out of 10 LASIK patients report satisfaction after having the procedure. Further, a review of over 4,400 patient surveys between the years 2008 and 2015 indicates that patients are experiencing “better vision outcomes than ever before”.
Despite its overwhelming patient satisfaction record, two recent surveys involving 240 Navy personnel and 271 civilians, respectively, designed to look into after-effects of LASIK surgery, found that of some patients experienced visual disturbances that they hadn’t had before–usually halos or dry eye–three months after the procedure. Of the hundreds who participated in the survey, “fewer than 1% said any single problem disrupted their daily lives”. Forty percent of those surveyed experience halo effects and 28% experienced dry eye symptoms.
Interestingly, these two surveys revealed that patients did not necessarily complain to their practitioners, but were more likely to report after-effects when responding to a questionnaire or survey. In addition, most after-effects reported resolve during the 12 month post-surgical healing period or after additional treatment for the condition.
LASIK refractive surgery is universally considered safe and effective. There’s no better time than today to have the procedure if your eye care professional believes you’re a good candidate. However, as popular as it is, LASIK is not for everyone. Whether you would benefit is a matter to be discussed with your eye doctor after a thorough exam and screening.
If you’re considering LASIK refractive surgery so you can get rid of those glasses or contacts, the doctors at Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts can help you. Contact us today to make an appointment.
We serve patients throughout the Long Island and New York area through our offices in Huntington, Great Neck, Little Neck and Bellmore, New York.
