Many of us suffer from eye problems, and many have to wear glasses either full time, or for reading or looking over long distances. For those not happy with their less than perfect eyesight, and do not wish to neither wear glasses, nor have the hassle of fiddling around with contact lenses, there is another option, Laser Eye Surgery.
Although Laser Eye Surgery sounds like a technique in itself, there are actually several techniques under the umbrella of this term. Although most corrective eye surgeries use lasers, some don’t.
Lasik Eye Surgery
Lasik is usually the most common laser eye surgery technique used these days, and involves the use of a laser to lift a small flap of corneal tissue and then sculpting the tissue beneath to help improve the eye’s focus.
Lasek Eye Surgery
Lasek… as well as being similar in name to Lasik surgery, Lasek is also similar in practise. The main difference is that using this technique the layer that is cut is thinner.
PRK Eye Surgery
With PRK eye surgery, there is no flap cut into the corneal tissue, some tissue is actually removed from the surface layer of the cornea instead.
Is Eye Surgery Safe
Any surgery carries risk; it is up to the patient to discuss the risks with a medical professional and make an informed decision.
Ensuring you have a very experienced surgeon, who uses the latest Laser Eye Surgery techniques, can help reduce the already small risks further.
Does Laser Eye Surgery Hurt?
You may think that the techniques described above must hurt, and this fact possibly puts many off the surgery, but in actual fact due to the local anaesthetic drops used during the procedure, there should be no real pain during the technique, and just a slight discomfort for around 48hrs following.
What if I move my Eye During Laser Eye Surgery?
The techniques listed above obviously need the patient to keep their eyes pretty still, but you needn’t over worry about this, as many of the best clinics use hi tech ‘eye tracking; systems to monitor the eye’s movements while undergoing the surgery, and if there is too much movement, the laser deactivates straight away, to keep a very high level of accuracy.
How do I Find Out More Information on Laser Eye Surgery?
As with most topics, there are some great resources on the net, so a bit of online research can help. Before deciding on any particular techniques, or indeed, on whether to have the surgery at all, be sure to speak to a fully qualified and experienced medical professional.
The Laser Eye Surgery Video
The video below is very information, but is not for the faint hearted!
Tags: eye problems, eye surgery, lasek, laser eye surgery, lasik, PRK