If you're tired of being dependent upon your glasses or contact lenses, LASIK eye surgery may be able to give you the clear eyesight you want--without restrictions. To learn more about LASIK, check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the LASIK procedure.
What is LASIK?
LASIK eye surgery is a surgical procedure that can give you clearer vision by reshaping the cornea. After your eye is anesthetized, a flap is created with a laser or microkeratome to give the eye surgeon access to the cornea. Using an excimer laser, the surgeon carefully reshapes the cornea before replacing the corneal flap. This quick and effective procedure can put you on the road to clear vision almost immediately!
What types of vision problems can LASIK correct?
LASIK can help patients affected by myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.
Will I have 20/20 vision after LASIK eye surgery?
While your vision will greatly improve, there is no guarantee that you will achieve 20/20 vision. Greater than 90 percent of LASIK patients will walk away with 20/40 vision, while nearly half will achieve 20/20 vision or better. Your final results are dependent upon the severity of your refractive error before the surgery; therefore, every patient's case is different.
Is the LASIK procedure painful?
Eye drops will numb your eye during the procedure. Aside from a brief feeling of pressure when the vacuum ring is applied to the eye, patients experience no pain or discomfort during the actual LASIK procedure. In the hours following the LASIK surgery, patients may experience a slight burning in their eyes, but this is only temporary and will subside in a few hours. Many patients take a nap as soon as they get home to alleviate this minor discomfort.
What is the recovery time after LASIK surgery?
Following LASIK surgery, you should be able to operate a vehicle after 24 hours and return to work within a day or two, depending on your job. You may resume most activities almost immediately, although contact sports and swimming will have to hold off for several weeks while your eyes heal. Let your ophthalmologist or eye surgeon know of any concerns you may have about your regular activities after you have LASIK surgery.
For additional information on LASIK as well as
corneal transplant surgery and more, it is important to meet with a skilled
eye surgeon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.