Although Lasik surgery is now very widespread and a quick and simple procedure, there are various lasik facts that you need to be aware of before proceeding with the surgery.

Some centers provide free eye examinations as a promotion. This can be quite useful as it provides you with all the information about the surgery, and the expectations for the results of the surgery.

As in any other surgery, some side effects may develop after the surgery, and the percentage achieving perfect vision is variable according to the patient’s health condition and other factors such as the surgeons experience, the temperature, and the corneal thickness….etc.  It is important to be realistic about the outcome as you may not totally eliminate the use of glasses but at least you are minimizing your dependence on them.

Lasik surgery requires sufficient thickness of the cornea, so if youhave a thin corneal measurement (measured by the so called pachymeter), then you may not be a candidate for Lasik eye surgery. There are occasions when the surgeon creates a thinner flap of the cornea to overcome this problem. However, in this case, an alternative treatment would probably be the better option, such as PRK or Epi Lasik, because there is no flap required to be created.

Keratonconus is another pathological condition of the cornea.  This is when there is a progressive thinning of the cornea and it continues as the person gets older. This results in problems in vision after the surgery, as the cornea continues to thin over time.

People suffering from systemic diseases like Lupus erythematosus, Rhuematoid arthritis, or Fibromylagia have a compromised auto immune system. Therefore the immune system does not heal as predicted.

Diabetes.
Diabetic patients have a relative or absolute contraindication to Lasik surgery, because Lasik surgery requires a stable blood sugar level over a prolonged time. Furthermore, uncontrolled diabetes may cause severe complications to the eye.

Pregnant or nursing females are subjects of relative contraindication to any refractive laser eye surgery. This is because of the hormonal changes in the body of the female, which interfere with the surgery.

Cataract patients are not candidate for the surgery, because cataract is an absolute contraindication, as it is progressive and worsens over time.

All of these patients may undergo Crystalens, or Restor & Crystalens lens replacement surgery.

Glaucoma.
Patients having history of a serious eye infection e.g. ocular Herpes, and those who had done retinal detachment surgery may also not be suitable candidates. A retinal surgeon should confirm that the eye is healthy enough and that the Lasik procedure will not harm the retina.

Dry eye is an obstacle for the eye to heal properly. It is a common symptom for those who use contact lenses  long term. Certain medications, health problems and age can cause also cause a dry eye. In this case the patient uses artificial tears and lubricating drops together with dietary supplements.

Usually patients with farsighted or nearsighted vision before the surgery will still need reading glasses after the surgery. This is because the surgery cannot fix both focuses. Sometimes the surgeon fixes it by making one eye with a focus for the nearsighted objects and the other eye with a focus for the farsighted objects.

On the day of the lasik surgery, you should make sure that there’s somebody to drive you back home.

After the surgery you will have a transparent protective plastic shields placed on your eyes to protect them from dust, smoke or rubbing. You should not remove these shields until you return to your doctor for a check up – usually the next morning.

Your lasik doctor will prescribe you with artificial tears or lubricating drops and you should use them as instructed, even if your eyes don’t feel dry, because they will help speed up the healing process. Sleeping for 4-6 hours after the surgery is also a good way to speed up the healing process.

Try to relax your eyes and don’t do tedious activities such as watching TV or using the computer…etc. You must also avoid getting water into your eyes. After your follow up your doctor will set up a visiting schedule.