What to Expect After LASIK?

Laser vision correction is a surgical procedure used to reshape the cornea with an excimer laser. This type of surgery can be used on patients experiencing short sight, long sight or astigmatism. Laser vision correction is not an ideal solution for everybody and some people are not candidates for this type of surgery because of the severity of their problem or because of another medical issue. The best laser vision results mean that glasses and contact lenses will no longer be needed by the patient.

The Process of LASIK

One of the most common types of laser vision correction is LASIK or Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. In a typical LASIK procedure, the patient will have numbing eye drops placed in the eye and then a lid holder applied to keep the eye open. A microkeratome is used to create a flap in the cornea, which is then bent back to expose the inner corneal tissue. The laser sends pulses of light to remove parts of the cornea while the patient focuses on another light to keep the eye as still as possible. The actual laser exposure time is usually less than a minute.

After the laser treatment, the corneal flap is repositioned. No stitches are needed because the flap will hold itself down when repositioned and heal itself. The patient is given an eye shield and eye drops and told to come back within a day or two, so the doctor can see if the eye is healing and whether there are any problems. The eye has great healing powers and it would be of great comfort to know that all corneal procedures, even complete transplants, do heal ultimately.

What to expect after the LASIK eye surgery

The post LASIK eye surgery period is just as important as the surgery itself. The cornea should completely heal. This takes time and requires a lot of aftercare, which should be done meticulously.

The average healing period after the LASIK eye surgery is approximately six months. During this period any vision problems that you may have been experiencing should have completely disappeared or at least considerably lessened. Complete healing of the corneal flap could take a bit longer, sometimes up to two years. But this should not give you any cause for discomfort or concern. Healing of the cornea is an ongoing process that does not or should not interfere with your vision or your daily life.

Usually there are a minimum of five follow-up visits are scheduled for most patients, post LASIK eye surgery. The first visit will most likely be within 24 hours of the surgery. It is of utmost importance to keep all these visits so that the doctor can keep track of the ongoing healing process and rectify any problems that may arise as you go along.

After LASIK eye surgery, it is natural to expect a little discomfort in your eyes, though you should not feel any pain. Part of the aftercare involves using eye drops to help alleviate this discomfort. This will have to be done for a minimum period of two to four weeks after the surgery.

Other common reactions that are common after undergoing LASIK eye surgery are a slightly blurred vision, feeling of dryness in the eyes, minor swelling and redness of the eye, sensitivity to bright light and watery eyes accompanied by a runny nose.

Tips to make this period more comfortable:

• To get over the minimal discomfort that comes along with LASIK you can take any over the counter pain medication that does not contain aspirin such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen.
• Give your eyes sufficient protection against sunlight or any bright light by wearing sunglasses when going out in the day.
• Give your eyes as much rest as possible by getting some extra shut-eye for at least two to three days post-surgery.
• The eye mask that was given to you needs to be worn immediately after the surgery for a minimum two to three hours and then during the next three to four days, it should be worn while sleeping.
• During the first two weeks, all water sports, as well as all water-related activities such as whirlpools or hot tubs, should be avoided. Scuba diving should be avoided for a minimum of six weeks.
• Your risk factor and the possible need for post-surgery rectifications depend on various factors, the most important one is the condition of your vision pre-surgery. If your vision had deteriorated there are higher chances that there will be some degree of complication in your surgery and you would be dissatisfied with the outcome. Also, if a small degree of astigmatism was present, the results could turn out to be unsatisfactory. Touch-up surgery is common and is normally covered by the initial cost, but the additional surgery is still an unpleasant thought.
• As with any other surgery, there are no absolute guarantees with LASIK eye surgery too. Complete success is determined by many factors acting together, most important of which is each individual healing powers.
• There are a few factors that act as a deterrent to anyone considering LASIK eye surgery. Anyone between 19 to 24 years of age is considered an unsuitable candidate for this procedure. As also anyone suffering from a condition such as diabetes, HIV or herpes or pregnant and breastfeeding women. LASIK eye surgery is not ideal if your eyes have been found to have thin corneas, refractive instability, or large pupils

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment.

Which Type of Laser Surgery is Best for You?

Over the years many types of vision correction methods have been evolved. These include laser vision corrections or laser eye surgeries and other methods that include implantation of the lenses.
Since eyes are our most precious and by far the most delicate organ of all, we must practice due caution before going for the surgery. In most cases, because of not having a proper know-how of the type of eye treatment, many individuals run into life threatening risks. Therefore, to stay on the safe side as well as have your vision corrected, you need to choose the best kind of procedure out there. But before that, you should know about them.

1) LASIK

In this type of surgery, the main aim is to reshape the cornea of the eye to give it suitable curvature depending on the needs of the patient. Surgeons mainly prefer this surgery method because it is less time-consuming. The surgery only takes minutes.
LASIK or the laser assisted in situ keratomileuses is the common method used to cure myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. There are different versions of this surgery as stated below:
LASEK – it involves the creation of a thin-flap right in the outer epithelium of the eye. However, this flap floats away from the eye by the application of alcohol.
Epi-LASIK – it is like LASEK, and only differs in the mechanism.
Bladeless LASIK – this LASIK type eliminates the need of using a blade. Instead, a directed laser is used to create a corneal flap before reshaping of the cornea.
Wave front LASIK – Excimer lasers are used in wave front LASIK because of their ability to utilize the modern analysis called “wave front” in the vision correction.

2) Photorefractive Keratectomy (PKR)

The procedures used for PKR is somewhat like the ones used in LASIK. However, the main difference between the two is that in PKR, instead of creating a flap in the outer epithelium of the eye, the surgeons completely remove the outer layer. The exposed cornea is then shaped with lasers to correct the vision to its utmost degrees.
Certain candidates that would not qualify for LASIK would do for PKR because it can provide treatment in several eye-conditions such as dry eyes and irregular astigmatism. However, the patients treated with this method, sometimes, do not recover as expected. Also, the recovery time is greater than the previously explained method.   

3) Implantable Contact Lenses or Visian ICL/Verisyse

Visian ICL is performed to give the patient a permanent treatment. However, upon a change in the prescription, he or she might have to experience the overall procedure again.
It is not a laser surgery. What happens in this vision correction method is that lenses are inserted just above the cornea. Patients receiving this treatment experiences vision relief almost immediately.

4) Conductive Keratoplasty

Used to cure farsightedness, presbyopia, and another type of vision problems, CK uses low heat radio waves to steepen the cornea according to the needs of the patient. This treatment can also be used for patients who have done LASIK and want to enhance near vision.
So, these were all the different types of laser treatments available out there. Depending on your age, eye conditions, and prospects, your practitioner would recommend the best procedure suitable for you. For people that have diabetes or other diseases that could affect the healing process, many of the surgeons recommend PRK or LASEK laser vision correction or laser eye surgery methods.
If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment. 

Four Common Types of Laser Eye Surgery

Eyeglasses and contact lenses are not the only ways to correct vision issues. Laser eye surgery can correct vision problems, bring back 20/20 vision and reduce or in most cases eliminate the need for contact lenses or glasses. Eye surgery is not for everyone, but you are considered a likely candidate for laser vision correction if you are over 21 years and your prescription hasn’t changed over the past three years. You are also a good candidate if you have astigmatism, which is an oddly shaped cornea, or you are short or long-sighted.

Thanks to modern technology, approaches to the different laser eye surgery range from reshaping the curvature of the eye's clear front surface, known as the cornea in procedures such as LASIK and PRK to the surgical insertion of artificial lenses to refocus light rays to sharpen vision and correct a patient’s eyesight. You need a laser-specific eye exam to determine which of the following laser eye surgeries are ideal for your specific needs:

• LASIK or Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis for nearsightedness is the most common outpatient laser eye surgery that takes about 15 minutes per eye under local anesthesia. It involves creating a super-thin flap in the thin outer layer of the eye known as the epithelium then floating it away from the eye's surface with alcohol so that the laser reshaping of the eye can occur. Recovery from this procedure is fast with only minor irritations such as dry eyes.
• PRK or Photorefractive Keratectomy laser vision correction surgery uses a laser to treat vision problems caused by refractive errors, which is when your eye does not refract or bend light properly. Over 21-year olds with the dry-eye syndrome, thin corneas, myopias, astigmatism, including those who are near and farsighted and can benefit from this laser eye surgery in which the ophthalmologist changes the shape of the cornea to improve how light rays are focused on the retina. Healing after this surgery takes about five days where a patient “may” end up with a 20/40 vision without glasses or contact lenses.
• LASEK or Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis eye surgery is used to treat patients with thin corneas, including those with astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness. During surgery, a surgeon creates a thick flap using a mechanical device under which the cornea sculpting is done. The entire laser eye surgery process takes approximately two hours during which patients remain awake and made comfortable using anesthetic eye drops. Individuals who undergo this procedure notice a distinct improvement and regain a level of clarity and sharpness without the need for glasses or contacts.
• Epi-LASIK or Epithelial Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis laser vision correction procedure is like LASIK surgery, except the flap created on the cornea is thinner than a LASIK flap and its created with surgical a tool that has a sharp blade known as an epithelial separator. Many patients do report a 20/40 or a 20/20 vision a few days after surgery.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment.

How does PRK laser eye surgery differ from LASIK?

PRK and LASIK vision correction methods are the most popular modern procedures for the correction of astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. While their outcomes are ultimately similar, their procedures differ. Ophthalmologists usually determine the best procedure for a patient depending on the unique laser vision correction needs of the individual. But how does PRK laser eye surgery differ from LASIK?

PRK Laser Procedure

PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) Laser Procedure was the first eye surgery vision correction method – direct predecessor of the LASIK procedure. This procedure involves the removal of the thin outer layer before reshaping the corneal tissue using an excimer laser. Within a few days after the eye surgery, the epithelium repairs itself, growing back over the surface of the cornea.

LASIK Procedure

Lasik is a procedure which involves the creation of a thin flap on the cornea with the aid of a femtosecond or microkeratome laser. The thin flap is lifted in order to expose the corneal tissue, after which it is replaced following the reshaping of the cornea using an excimer laser.

PRK vs. LASIK

A major difference between PRK Laser surgery and LASIK is in the first part of the procedure. While LASIK involves the use of a thin flap at the corneal surface, PRK does not. Hence, so long as an individual is a candidate for LASIK, he/she would also be a candidate for PRK. However, a PRK patient may not necessarily be a LASIK patient. PRK is recommended for patients with thin or steep corneas, large pupils, irregular astigmatism, and history of eye syndrome or eye surgery.

The end results of both procedures are very similar – the difference is in the healing process. The initial recovery of PRK procedure is slow because it takes a few days for regeneration of new epithelial cells to take place so the surface of the eye will be covered. The risk of eye infection and vision haziness is also increased in PRK surgery in the few days after the eye surgery and the final outcome is gradual and could be achieved after several weeks. On the other hand, LASIK patients usually experience less discomfort with quicker stability of vision.

Although the healing process of PRK is a lot slower than LASIK, the procedure has some unique benefits. Since PRK surgery does not involve the creation of a thin corneal flap, applying treatment to the thick area of the underlying stroma is possible. This is especially beneficial to patients with thin cornea (who are not qualified for LASIK) and those who have previously undergone a LASIK eye surgery. PRK is also beneficial because the patient is not exposed to the risks of removing too much cornea or potential flap complications.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment.  

Can I Have Lasik Eye Surgery If I Have an Astigmatism?

It is a general belief that people suffering from astigmatism do not necessarily need LASIK eye surgery. This might be acceptable in cases of mild astigmatism.  When the case is either severe or mild, then LASIK eye surgery is a recommended way of having a vision correction.

Astigmatism is actual an abnormal or irregular curvature of the cornea. This, in turn, gives lights multiple entrances into the eye thereby causing a blurred vision. Eye doctors unanimously shared the opinion that an eye laser surgery can correct astigmatism (even if it is not the inherited type).
Astigmatism is very common, one in every three persons have it. And some of the symptoms can be blurred vision, headaches, eye strain, and fatigue after reading. These symptoms are severe in some patients while it is mild in others, depending on the severity of astigmatism in an individual patient.

Choosing LASIK

LASIK is just one of the many eye laser surgery options available for correcting eye defects. Its effectiveness is responsible for its popularity amidst eye laser surgery and vision correction methodology available. It has a success rate of 99% in eliminating astigmatism. So, if your question is still can I have a LASIK eye surgery if I have astigmatism, then your answer is YES!
It should be tentatively noted that LASIK eye laser surgery is not limited to just treating astigmatism. It is very effective in other eye defects. Ranging from short-sightedness to long-sightedness, LASIK is a very potent and fast means of having vision corrections.

It can also be used extensively for treating (removal) of cataract from the eyes. Having the freedom to participate in all event without having to reach out for the glasses or perhaps contact lens (not so cool).

Procedure

Before the eye laser surgery, the eye doctor uses an aberrometer laser beam to produce a 3D of the exact shape of the cornea on a monitor. This helps him to find where reshaping of tissues should be done. LASIK involves scraping or lifting of the cornea and using a laser beam to re-shape the tissues beneath the cornea.

It is painless (aside from minor stinging) and takes about 20 minutes to complete. The patient might experience blurring vision and increased light sensitivity which are normal and would clear up in 3-4 days. Eye drops, and oral medications are given to counter side-effects and prevent infection. Recovery time is a meager 4-5 days.

Side Effects and Choosing Right Doctor

It is important to understand that just like any other surgery, there is risk involved as well. Side effects include glare, dry eye, halos with night vision, and rarely, permanent vision loss.
As much as LASIK can treat astigmatism and other eye defects permanently, it is imperative to understand that having a good ophthalmologist reduces the rate of risk and mitigates side effects.
If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment.