It seems that LASEK Eye Surgery is a hot topic for anyone who has problems with their vision.
- Should you consider LASEK Eye Surgery?
- Is it Safe?
- Most importantly, does it really make a difference in your everyday life?
First, however, it might help to understand exactly what Lasek Eye Surgery is.
What is LASEK Eye Surgery?
LASEK eye surgery is one of the newest kinds of eye surgeries. It combines the procedures of LASIK eye surgery and PRK.LASEK eye surgery in order to treat a number of eye conditions including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Some of the decided benefits of LASEK eye surgery as compared to other types are the fact that the complications stemming from cutting and having to reattach the flap in the cornea are avoided and also that LASEK is less likely to cause your eyes to dry out; a side effect of LASIK eye surgery that is a common complaint.
During LASEK eye surgery, the outer layer of the cornea is lifted off altogether using a very fine blade which is referred to as a trephine instead of creating a flap with a microkeratome. This means that the procedure is less invasive and that the chances of infection or negative side effects are decreased significantly.
What are the Disadvantages of LASEK Eye Surgery?
Some of LASEK’s disadvantages include a longer recovery time. Unlike those who undergo PREK or LASIK and get their eyesight back within a day or two, LASEK patients can take as long as two weeks to recover completely, though the success of the surgery is also decidedly better than either of the others. LASEK can also be more painful than LASIK, though it is still less painful than PREK surgery. And finally, most LASEK patients will need to wear what is known as a “bandage contact lens” for several days following surgery to serve as protection between your eyelids and the surface of the cornea, they will also need to use topical steroid drops for quite a bit longer than LASIK or PREK patients.
The Advantages and Side Effects of LASEK Eye Surgery
For patients who have what are known as steep (or thin) corneas, LASEK is a better choice than either LASIK or PREK, it also has significantly fewer overall side effects than either of the other two surgeries, especially PREK, but there are still some side effects that a LASEK patient might have to deal with.
These include;
- The sensation of having something in your eye (this can last up to four days).
- Temporarily poor vision in low light conditions (which can last up to one year).
- Dry eyes that may require eye drops (which can last up to six months).
- Hazy or even cloudy vision (6-9 months).
In the end, of course, the choice of which kind of eye surgery you choose (if you choose any at all) will be entirely up to you, and will depend a great deal on how bad your vision is, and what sort of eye surgery that your doctor recommends.