5 LASIK Surgery Facts That Every Patient Should Know

Updated on June 5, 2019
laser eye surgery

Millions of people across the globe suffer from diverse vision problems such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. While conventional methods like glasses and contact lenses are there to address these problems, patients are keen to embrace modern procedures like LASIK. An acronym for Laser in-situ Keratomileusis, LASIK is a surgical procedure that corrects vision-related problems. It has been used for more than two decades now and the success rates are high. Still, if you decide to opt for the procedure, there are a few facts that you must know about it.

It is painless 

Though LASIK has been around for a long time, people tend to be apprehensive about the surgery because they fear pain. However, the fact is that it is a painless procedure. Anesthetic drops are administered to numb the eye during the surgery. Patients may experience discomfort, which is mild in most of the cases, after the surgery. At the most, mild medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen are needed to do away with the discomfort.

The recovery time is minimal

Recovery after the procedure is fast and you can expect to resume normal activities as soon as within 24 hours. The best thing is that the post-operative care is minimal. The patient just needs to rest for the remaining day after the surgery is done. They can even drive themselves for the follow-up visit the next day. The only restrictions that are imposed include not rubbing or touching the eyes and using eye makeup for a few weeks. 

It is completely safe 

Some patients are dissuaded from taking up this procedure because of the concerns related to the risks of surgery. However, the truth is that LASIK is one of the safest known surgical procedures in modern medicine. The success rate is high and complications reported are minimal. All that you need to ensure is that you need to get it done from an expert.

It is affordable

You need not worry about the cost of LASIK because technology has become commonplace to the extent that it is quite affordable today. Moreover, the procedure is typically covered in vision insurance. So if you are procrastinating treatment just because of the budget concerns, you need not worry and can take it up sooner rather than later.

Age is no restriction  

Before proceeding with the surgery, you need to understand whether you are the right candidate for it. People suffering from dry eyes, corneal infections and uncontrolled diabetes may not be advised to opt for it. Age, however, is not a restriction except for the fact that surgeons usually recommend that the patient should be over 18 years of age. Conversely, there is no upper age limit and even older people can experience excellent results. 

LASIK is a safe, painless and effective procedure that can help you get rid of the discomfort of wearing glasses or contact lenses. Knowing everything about the procedure before getting it done gives you more confidence and so does getting it done from a skilled specialist and a reputed eye clinic. 

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.