LASIK Eye Surgery
What is LASIK Eye Surgery?
LASIK is a popular and effective procedure that uses a laser to treat vision problems. LASIK eye surgery can correct issues caused by eye conditions such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. These conditions affect how light enters your eye, often causing blurry or distorted vision.
By adjusting the shape of your cornea, LASIK eye surgery helps light focus directly on your retina, improving clarity and often eliminating the need for glasses or contacts.
Why Choose Midwest Vision Partners for LASIK?
Midwest Vision Partners is known for its customer-centric approaches and customizable solutions. Our skilled LASIK surgeons provide care informed by advanced laser technologies to deliver personalized, high-precision LASIK procedures. Everything we do is in your service, so we provide treatments best designed to restore your vision and ensure your long-term quality of life. From initial consultation to post-op recovery, we tailor every step of the journey to your vision goals.
How Does LASIK Eye Surgery Work?
Before receiving LASIK eye surgery, you will need to have a comprehensive eye exam performed. This will determine whether the surgery is right for you, along with any possible risks. Once you are approved for surgery, you will be briefed on how it can help your vision, along with how it compares to other alternatives.
During LASIK eye surgery, your ophthalmologist uses a laser to reshape your cornea. A properly shaped cornea will bend light into your retina so that you have strong, clear vision. A successful LASIK eye surgery will reduce your need for glasses or contacts, sometimes eliminating the need for them.
LASIK eye surgery is often completed in 30 minutes or less, and you can return home soon after.
Am I a Good Candidate for LASIK?
Not everyone can receive LASIK eye surgery. To qualify for LASIK surgery, you should:
- Ideally, be 21 years or older. Your vision will have stopped changing by this time. However, many patients 18 and older can still qualify.
- Have a refractive error that LASIK can correct.
- Have a prescription that has not changed frequently in the last year.
- Understand the strengths and limitations of LASIK, along with how it can help you.
- Be in good eye health and have thick enough corneas for surgery.
Certain conditions increase your risks during LASIK eye surgery. An eye doctor may disqualify you from receiving the procedure if you:
- Have certain autoimmune diseases.
- Suffer from a weakened immune system.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Have thin corneas or corneal disorders like keratoconus.
- Endure eye injuries or diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, or severe dry eye.
- Live with uncontrolled diabetes.
What Vision Problems Can LASIK Fix?
Nearly all patients achieve their desired vision after LASIK eye surgery. LASIK is often a great option for correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Whereas these conditions make your vision blurry at certain distances, LASIK will typically reduce the blur or correct it altogether.
A successful LASIK eye surgery will reshape your cornea and allow it to bend more light into your retina. When light is properly bent into the retina, patients’ need for glasses and contacts is lessened or eliminated.
LASIK eye surgery has limitations. For example, it cannot remedy presbyopia. Presbyopia is the loss of close-up vision due to aging, something nearly all adults over 40 experience. LASIK’s effectiveness can also wear off over time, with about 1/10 of patients returning for a second procedure.
Preparing for LASIK Eye Surgery
- Initial Consultation & Tests
If you wear contacts, you will need to stop using them a few weeks before your initial LASIK examinations. This is because contacts can change the shape of your cornea. Your eye doctor will provide specific guidance based on the type of contacts you wear, along with how long you have worn them.
Then, your eye doctor will conduct a thorough eye examination, focusing especially on your corneas. They will test your vision to see how much it has changed, determining your refractive error and whether LASIK can correct it.
Once your refractive error has been determined, your doctor will scan for other eye problems. Issues like severe dry eye and high eye pressure can render LASIK risky or ineffective, so this is an important step in the testing process.
If you have no conflicting eye problems, your doctor will measure and map your cornea. A highly accurate map will increase your doctor’s precision during surgery, therefore making your operation more effective. Midwest Vision Partners clinics use advanced computer mapping to reduce error and give your doctor a clear understanding of your corneal health.
- Before Your LASIK Surgery
Eat a light meal before entering surgery, and refrain from wearing makeup around your eyes. Anything that can interfere with your eye health should be avoided. You should also remove hats and hair accessories that can change your head position.
You may want to discuss standing concerns with your eye doctor and ask any pressing questions. They will be more than happy to answer. If you feel uncomfortable or unwell at any time before the surgery, consult your doctor before proceeding.
What to Expect During The LASIK Procedure
LASIK eye surgery usually takes 30 minutes or less. At the beginning of the procedure, your doctor will place numbing drops in your eye. Your eyelids will be held open, preventing blinks and twitches from interfering with the laser. Then, a laser will make a thin flap on your cornea. A second laser will follow, reshaping the tissue underneath.
This laser is computer-programmed and highly precise. Some patients notice a slight burning smell, but this is common.
After your cornea is reshaped, the flap is laid back into place, where it heals without stitches. Throughout the surgery, you will focus on a point of light. This keeps your eye in place.
Overall, LASIK surgery is largely painless. It takes little time, requires minimal preparation, and can have lasting results.
- What Happens After Surgery?
You will likely experience discomfort and blurry vision after surgery. You shouldn’t be in pain, but you may be given pain medications or eye drops just in case. Only use eye drops if approved by your doctor. In some cases, you may be required to wear eye shields for your first couple of nights of sleep.
Your vision will remain blurry for a few days after surgery, so be sure to arrange a ride home.
LASIK Recovery Timeline & Aftercare
You will want to book follow-up appointments with your eye doctor to track progress and address any side effects after laser eye surgery. Your doctor will provide guidance on returning to activities like sports, swimming, and applying cosmetics.
While you should start experiencing better vision a few days after LASIK eye surgery, it may take 2 or 3 months for your eyes to fully heal. Be sure not to stress your eyes too much during this time, and alert your eye doctor of any persisting side effects.
LASIK surgeries are overwhelmingly successful, with nearly all patients reaching their vision goals after surgery. About 90% of LASIK patients fall somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40 vision after surgery, often eliminating the need for glasses or contacts.
Why Patients Trust Midwest Vision Partners for LASIK
Midwest Vision Partners’ expert surgeons have changed thousands of lives with their LASIK surgeries. We use cutting-edge technology to ensure that you have the vision of your dreams, often removing the need for glasses and contact lenses.
Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can prevent you from leading the life you want. But Midwest Vision Partners provides quick, highly precise LASIK surgeries to correct issues and lessen the burden of bad vision.
LASIK surgeries aren’t for everyone, which is why Midwest Vision Partners offers alternatives for patients who want to experience LASIK’s benefits. Our patient-centric approach has allowed us to specialize in operations such as SMILE and PRK.
Everyone deserves to have great vision. That vision can start with laser eye surgery from Midwest Vision Partners. Our low-stress operations will make your day-to-day routine a breeze once more, allowing you to read clearly, discern faces, and drive without high-prescription glasses or uncomfortable contacts.
LASIK works perfectly for some patients, but others need alternatives. The best way to know your laser eye surgery options is by booking an appointment with our expert eye doctors.
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