Three Things You Need To Know About Having LASIK Surgery
If you are tired of having to fiddle for your glasses in the middle of the night just to get to the kitchen without walking into a piece of furniture, it is time to consider having LASIK surgery. LASIK can significantly reduce your dependency on glasses or contacts, and in many cases it can completely eliminate the need for either. If LASIK is a procedure you are interested in, you need to do your research so you can make an informed decision. Here are a few important things you need to know about the LASIK procedure.
1. You are Awake During the Procedure
You do not have to undergo general anesthesia for LASIK surgery. Instead, your eye doctor will numb your eyes with eye drops. If you are worried about sitting still during the procedure, know that the procedure only takes approximately 5 minutes per eye. The doctor may ask that you stare at a certain focal point during the procedure, but this part does not take more than a minute or two.
If you are worried about feeling anxiety during the surgery, you can request a medication to help relax you.
2. You Need to Stop Wearing Contacts for a Period Before the Surgery
When you wear contacts, this changes the shape of the cornea. The LASIK procedure reshapes your cornea to improve your vision. To properly perform the procedure, your cornea must be in its natural shape.
Expect to stop wearing your contacts approximately two weeks before the date of your surgery. If you don't typically wear glasses, you can order a budget pair from a discount eyeglass center to use during the time you cannot wear contacts.
3. Your Vision May Take Time to Improve
Unfortunately, your vision is still a bit blurry immediately after the LASIK procedure. The reason for this is that your eye doctor will slightly over-correct your eyes during the procedure; this is due to the fact that every patient loses a bit of vision after surgery. By over-correcting your eyes, your eye doctor helps ensure that your vision is as close 20/20 as possible.
For most patients, it only takes a day or so for the blurry vision to subside. Every once in a while, it may take a few days or weeks for your vision to clear up; fortunately, this is a rare occurrence.
You will need someone to drive you home after your LASIK procedure, due to your blurry vision.
If you are not happy with your results and feel like your vision could be clearer, your eye doctor can schedule a touch-up procedure to further enhance your vision. For more information, contact an eye care professional who specializes in LASIK and cataract surgery today.