Most people suffering from refractive errors do not like wearing contacts and glasses. Fortunately, LASIK serves as the best solution for a permanent correction to help you see without the need to wear corrective lenses. Read on to learn if you are a LASIK candidate.

What Is LASIK?

LASIK is laser surgery for refractive errors. It helps reshape the cornea so that the light entering the eye can focus on the retina to help improve vision.

What Conditions Can LASIK Treat?

LASIK surgery can correct the following:

 

• Myopia - A slightly longer than usual eyeball or a sharply curved cornea that focuses light rays in front of your retina. As a result, distant vision becomes a blur. You see close objects, but those far away look blurry

• Hyperopia - A flat cornea or a shorter than the average eyeball length. As a result, the light will not focus on your retina but behind it. Hence, near vision becomes blurry

• Astigmatism - The cornea flattens or curves unevenly to disrupt the focus of distant and near vision

Determining If You Are a LASIK Candidate

Below are the criteria a LASIK candidate should meet:

 

• Healthy eyes - Free from injury, infection, conjunctivitis, or severe dry eye syndrome

• Sufficiently thick corneas - LASIK surgery on a very thin cornea or one with an irregular surface can impair vision. It can also compromise results

• Pupils that are not too large - You may have a high risk of experiencing side effects such as glares or halos if you have a naturally large pupil

• Old enough - You should be 18 years old and above to get LASIK surgery. However, it is important to note that you may still need prescription glasses to help correct vision due to age-related conditions

• Stable vision - Young adults often experience eyeglass and contact lens prescription changes. Thus, your eye doctor may require your refractive error to remain stable for an entire year before your LASIK surgery. The procedure may also not be suitable if you have a severe refractive error. Your eye doctor can recommend another type of vision correction

• ​​​​​​​Good health - You may have a heightened risk of getting unsatisfactory outcomes if your body struggles to heal. It is also essential to note that nursing or pregnant women may not be suitable for the surgery. Your cornea shape can change due to hormonal changes. Hence, you may experience temporary vision changes

• Realistic expectations - Most LASIK surgery results are often successful. Still, you should know the potential complications, side effects, and risks

Considerations

As you prepare for your LASIK procedure, do not wear contacts for an extended period before the surgery. Contact lenses can alter your cornea shape temporarily. Your eye doctor will determine how long.

 

Allow your cornea to resume its natural shape so that the laser can accurately scan the dimensions of your eyes. It is essential to follow the postoperative instructions your specialist gives you.

 

Rest your eyes soon after the procedure. Continue lubricating your eyes after the surgery by using prescribed eye drops. Ensure you go for follow-up appointments to check on the healing progress and state of your eye health. Avoid activities such as swimming that can impair your healing process.

LASIK Safety and Success

Every surgery carries the risk of side effects and complications. However, LASIK has a low complication rate and is one of the safest elective surgical procedures today. It is also a successful procedure that Wear Eyewear will co-manage to produce a great outcome.

Follow the pre-and postoperative guidelines to ensure everything goes as planned. Attending follow-up appointments will ensure you heal and recover well after your LASIK surgery.

For more information on LASIK and if you are a candidate, contact Wear Eyewear at our office in Chicago or Orland Park, Illinois. We specialize in performing co-management for LASIK. Call (312) 626-0036 or (708) 349-9327 to book an appointment today.