How laser eye surgery works is something that will be explained to a patient before the procedure is undertaken, so that there will be no surprises when the day for the operation actually arrives. PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), or laser eye surgery, used to be the most common refractive procedure, but now the one you hear most often is Lasik surgery. They are both grouped under the umbrella "laser eye surgery," but each is a little different. Lasik patients have less discomfort and obtain good vision more quickly, but many surgeons prefer PRK for patients with larger pupils or thin corneas.
PRK was invented in the early '80s, and the first FDA approval of a laser PRK was in 1995, but the procedure was practiced in other countries for years. In fact, many Americans had the operation done in Canada before it was available in the U.S. An explanation of how laser eye surgery works follows: PRK is performed with an excimer laser, which uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove very tiny bits of tissue from the surface of the cornea in order to reshape it. When the cornea is reshaped correctly, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before.
When this procedure was first introduced, it was offered only to people with nearsightedness. Now PRK is performed for both nearsighted and farsighted people. When a person is nearsighted, the too-steep cornea is flattened, while with farsighted folks, a steeper cornea is shaped. A corneal topographer will photograph the eye beforehand, which creates a map of the cornea so the surgeon knows the exact irregularities he must correct. Laser eye surgery complications seldom occur, so the patient has improved eyesight in a short time. Recovery is gradual, and takes somewhere between a few days and a few months, depending on the individual.
The information most welcomed by patients is the fact that they can walk into the medical center, have PRK, and walk out again. The actual operation takes less than a minute, and the patient is awake the whole time. Sometimes a surgeon will give a patient a mild sedative beforehand if a person is unusually anxious, especially if they worry about laser eye surgery complications. Even without that though, most people do not feel any pain during the procedure, because the eyes are anesthetized with special drops. The doctor may prescribe medication for any postoperative pain, but most people feel only mild discomfort afterward. Just think how simple the procedure might have been if the patient had lived in Jesus' time, and had been one of his cures. After all, He gave the blind their sight. " Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached." (Luke 7:22)
Following the doctor's instructions post operation is very important to avoid laser eye surgery complications, and that is usually discussed when the patient is told how laser eye surgery works beforehand. Resting afterward is the first order of business upon returning home. Relaxing for a few hours is essential. Doctors usually advise a couple of days of rest instead of returning to work the next day, and no strenuous exercise for up to a week, so as not to traumatize the eye. Almost daily visits to the doctor post-operation will allow him to ensure that the epithelium is healing properly. There is a special "bandage" contact lens and antibiotic drops the patient will use for a few days, and anti-inflammatory drops for several weeks.
The occurrence of laser eye surgery complications is less than 5% in all cases, but they can be very serious. Over correction could make wearing glasses necessary. Double vision, night myopia, halos and star-bursts or blurred vision are some examples of what could happen. Of course, there are even more serious complications that require further surgery. Some of the problems are caused by surgical errors, but some arise out of failure of the patient to follow instructions after the operation. The patient must pay attention to everything he's told when being given an explanation on how laser eye surgery works.
Even with the absence of laser eye surgery complications, the patient may still need reading glasses or bifocal contact lenses upon reaching the age of 40. This is because of a condition called presbyopia, which begins to develop in most people when they are between the ages of 38 and 42. Distance vision will probably remain crisp, but seeing up close will be more difficult. Researchers are studying ways to correct the problem surgically, so that procedure may be available in the future.
Obviously, anyone who thinks this kind of operation will help his vision problems has some homework to do. First, a competent surgeon must be found and a thorough explanation gleaned from him on how laser eye surgery works, which will include information on complications that could occur. After all of that, the decision as to whether or not to have the operation is the next logical step. Since a person's eyesight is so very important, this is not a step to be taken lightly.
PRK was invented in the early '80s, and the first FDA approval of a laser PRK was in 1995, but the procedure was practiced in other countries for years. In fact, many Americans had the operation done in Canada before it was available in the U.S. An explanation of how laser eye surgery works follows: PRK is performed with an excimer laser, which uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove very tiny bits of tissue from the surface of the cornea in order to reshape it. When the cornea is reshaped correctly, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before.
When this procedure was first introduced, it was offered only to people with nearsightedness. Now PRK is performed for both nearsighted and farsighted people. When a person is nearsighted, the too-steep cornea is flattened, while with farsighted folks, a steeper cornea is shaped. A corneal topographer will photograph the eye beforehand, which creates a map of the cornea so the surgeon knows the exact irregularities he must correct. Laser eye surgery complications seldom occur, so the patient has improved eyesight in a short time. Recovery is gradual, and takes somewhere between a few days and a few months, depending on the individual.
The information most welcomed by patients is the fact that they can walk into the medical center, have PRK, and walk out again. The actual operation takes less than a minute, and the patient is awake the whole time. Sometimes a surgeon will give a patient a mild sedative beforehand if a person is unusually anxious, especially if they worry about laser eye surgery complications. Even without that though, most people do not feel any pain during the procedure, because the eyes are anesthetized with special drops. The doctor may prescribe medication for any postoperative pain, but most people feel only mild discomfort afterward. Just think how simple the procedure might have been if the patient had lived in Jesus' time, and had been one of his cures. After all, He gave the blind their sight. " Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached." (Luke 7:22)
Following the doctor's instructions post operation is very important to avoid laser eye surgery complications, and that is usually discussed when the patient is told how laser eye surgery works beforehand. Resting afterward is the first order of business upon returning home. Relaxing for a few hours is essential. Doctors usually advise a couple of days of rest instead of returning to work the next day, and no strenuous exercise for up to a week, so as not to traumatize the eye. Almost daily visits to the doctor post-operation will allow him to ensure that the epithelium is healing properly. There is a special "bandage" contact lens and antibiotic drops the patient will use for a few days, and anti-inflammatory drops for several weeks.
The occurrence of laser eye surgery complications is less than 5% in all cases, but they can be very serious. Over correction could make wearing glasses necessary. Double vision, night myopia, halos and star-bursts or blurred vision are some examples of what could happen. Of course, there are even more serious complications that require further surgery. Some of the problems are caused by surgical errors, but some arise out of failure of the patient to follow instructions after the operation. The patient must pay attention to everything he's told when being given an explanation on how laser eye surgery works.
Even with the absence of laser eye surgery complications, the patient may still need reading glasses or bifocal contact lenses upon reaching the age of 40. This is because of a condition called presbyopia, which begins to develop in most people when they are between the ages of 38 and 42. Distance vision will probably remain crisp, but seeing up close will be more difficult. Researchers are studying ways to correct the problem surgically, so that procedure may be available in the future.
Obviously, anyone who thinks this kind of operation will help his vision problems has some homework to do. First, a competent surgeon must be found and a thorough explanation gleaned from him on how laser eye surgery works, which will include information on complications that could occur. After all of that, the decision as to whether or not to have the operation is the next logical step. Since a person's eyesight is so very important, this is not a step to be taken lightly.
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