Are you tired of wearing your glasses or contacts and wonder if LASIK surgery is right for you? While a critical benefit of LASIK is vision correction, it is essential to consider your needs, speak with a local ophthalmologist like the experts at Seattle LASIK and weigh your options so that you will make a knowledgeable decision about your candidacy for refractive eye surgery.
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Laser Variations
The term “LASIK” describes any form of laser eye surgery. It is used as a corrective means for hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatisms when the retina does not focus on images correctly. Here are the most common variations of LASIK to contemplate.
Hyperopia
Farsightedness affects the ability to see from a distance but not the objects that are in front of the eyes. Hyperopia leads to vision issues when the cornea is flat or when the eyeball is too short. It causes light to travel behind the retina instead of resting on it.
Myopia
Nearsightedness causes objects to appear clearly when close to the eye but blurry at a distance. Myopia occurs when the cornea is sharply curved or when the eyeball extends unevenly and causes light to focus in front of the retina or cause blurry vision issues.
Astigmatism
When you have astigmatisms, you experience blurry vision because the cornea disproportionately flattens or curves and interrupts vision and focus. Historically, people received glasses or contacts to correct vision, but LASIK is now a safe, viable option.
Research Eye Surgery Options
Before you can proceed with LASIK surgery, an ophthalmologist will need to assess your candidacy. Eye surgeons often specialize in different LASIK procedures including photorefractive keratectomy, epithelial laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy, implantable corrective lens, and bioptics. It will be beneficial to research a surgeon’s specializations before choosing one to consult for any laser surgery procedure.
How Healthy Are Your Eyes?
The most viable candidates for LASIK are those who have a mild to moderate vision problem without major astigmatisms that would lead to complications including eye diseases, deterioration of vision, glaucoma, keratoconus, injuries, unusual dryness, big pupils, cataracts, higher scoring refractive errors, presbyopia or high-risk contact sports. You must also consider your overall eye health. You will want to weight the risk if you see well enough without corrective lens. You will also want to consider the side effects and risk level of eye surgery after-care.
Is LASIK An Affordable Option?
Did you know that insurance companies consider eye surgery cosmetic even though it restores your sight? You need to find out the cost of LASIK in your area and weigh the financial benefit and risk of surgery before choosing a surgeon. Call and ask for information before consulting.
It will also be beneficial to ask for eye surgeon referrals from friends, family or colleagues to ensure you use other factors than the cost to find a professional and informed expert. Not only will a familiar eye surgeon make you feel at ease, but it will also foresee more positive results.