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Don't Rush Into Life Changing Surgery. |
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LASIK GAINS POPULARITY
Reduced dependence on glasses and contact lenses is so exciting that the number of people interested in laser eye surgery has exploded. People are sometimes so eager to get rid of their glasses and contacts that they allow themselves to be rushed into surgery without considering potential risks or complications. "Hurrying can lead to poor surgical results," says corneal specialist Dr. Mark Speaker. "You should insist that your doctor give you enough time to have a thorough evaluation, make an informed decision, and prepare for the surgery."
PATIENT SAFETY: BEFORE AND AFTER LASIK
To make sure patients receive the highest standard of care our doctors insist that before laser vision surgery patients:
Understand the procedure thoroughly whether it is LASIK, LASEK/PRK or any other
Undergo a thorough evaluation prior to surgery to determine the health of the cornea, lens and retina, with screening for glaucoma and amblyopia
Remove contact lenses in enough time to allow their corneas to return to their normal shape (2 to 6 weeks)
Have their prescriptions measured on two or more separate occasions to be sure the eyes have been accurately measured
Who use or may soon need reading in addition to distance glasses, understand monovision as a means of reducing dependence on reading and distance glasses, and undergo a contact lens trial to evaluate the suitability of monovision. This requires an evaluation of each patient's individual lifestyle requirements.
To ensure optimal results after LASIK:
Collagen plugs are inserted in the tear drainage ducts at the time of surgery to protect against dry eye. The plugs dissolve away after a few days.
Wear protective shields to guard against any injuries to the eyes that will disrupt the healing of the corneas
Use frequent artificial tears postoperatively and be prepared to keep your eyes closed as much as possible from the time your procedure is completed until the next morning.
Wear sunglasses to protect against the drying effects of wind and sun
Avoid eye rubbing
WHAT MANY SURGEONS DON'T TELL YOU THAT COULD PUT YOU AT RISK
Your surgeon should be skilled in dealing with complications or your eyesight can be put at risk. Inexperienced surgeons can turn minor problems into major ones. We have been helping patients who have had problems elsewhere since 1985.
Your laser eye surgeon may not be skilled in correcting your specific problem and in wavefront-guided custom treatments for your specific problem. Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism each require a different treatment. Determining the optimal wavefront treatment requires experience. Our surgeons and staff have been leaders in the successful application of wavefront technology to LASIK. We have participated in clinical trials and have performed thousands of wavefront-guided custom procedures since 2003. Experience results in superior outcomes.
Two qualified technicians should be in the operating room during surgery, each having had extensive custom LASIK experience and training.
Side effects of LASIK surgery should be temporary. Patients might experience mild tearing, fluctuating vision or night glare, but should not hesitate to call their surgeon with questions if symptoms continue.
DISCOUNT SURGERIES: IS BARGAIN SHOPPING RISKY?
Our doctors are concerned about inexperienced surgeons, offering discount LASIK procedures, putting people at unnecessary risk for complications they are unable to fix. "If you wouldn't shop around for a discount heart or brain surgeon why would you take that risk with your eyes," says Dr. Speaker. "LASIK is serious surgery and requires the expertise of a skilled corneal specialist." Unfortunately, Dr. Speaker is seeing more and more patients who need their eyes repaired, after experiencing complications from a discount procedure. To ensure patient safety and optimum results, it is important that potential candidates be wary of false claims and price-cutting promotions.
ASK YOURSELF: ARE YOU READY FOR SURGERY?
Patients must be in good general health, and have good eye health with no diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma.
Patients' vision should have remained consistent for at least the last six months.
Make sure you read the consert from, and understand it, and have questions answered before the day of surgery.
You should have a clear understanding of whether you will need reading glasses after surgery on the effect of increasing age on reading vision.
LASIK should not be performed on women who are pregnant or intend to be within six months of surgery.
Be prepared to rest with your eyes closed as much as possible from the time you arrive at home until the next morning. You should not plan to read, watch TV, work on a computer, take care of children or cook. You may listen to a book on tape, or speak on the telephone with your eyes closed.
Patients must be at least 18 years old.
Make sure to have someone pick you up, and to help assist you on your way home. You must be picked up by a taxi, car service, or private car. Public transportation and walking outdoors must be avoided at all costs, and if taking a taxi do not try to hail one yourself.
Our goal is to ensure that people considering LASIK are well informed about the entire process. With safety and patient satisfaction being our main concern, we encourage patients to research all aspects of the procedure thoroughly until they are completely comfortable with their decision to make this remarkable life change.
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