Thursday, June 2, 2016

The Basic Facts About Lasik Eye Surgery San Antonio Residents Need To Have

By Frances Long


Laser technology has, without a doubt, revolutionised the manner in which operations are conducted. Lasik (a contracted term for laser assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a procedure that is widely practiced by eye surgeons to correct abnormalities of visual acuity. Examples include presbyopia, long-sightedness (hyperopia) and short-sightedness (myopia). If they wish to have Lasik eye surgery San Antonio residents need to have some important information beforehand.

Once the decision to have the operation has been made, preoperative workup should be initiated. The requirements here are very similar to what is required for other operations. If you are taking blood thinners, you need to stop two weeks at the latest. The same applies to smoking. Both smoking and the intake of blood thinners increase the risk of bleeding during the operation.

As part of the preparation one also needs to undergo an ophthalmic examination. The examination is done to determine the exact visual abnormality that one is suffering from and its severity. It also helps the surgeon to decide whether or not the operation will be helpful. The surgeon will at this time also brief you on the complications that are anticipated in your specific case. Candidates unlikely to benefit are those that have severe short-sightedness and those that have very thin corneal layers.

All the corrections needed are achieved through alteration in the shape of the cornea. The cornea is a region in front of the eye just overlying the lens. A change in the curvature of the cornea alters the angles of incidence and refraction as desired. Consequently, visual acuity is improved. In the event that there is any excess corneal tissue, it is removed through a process known as ablation.

Lasik surgery can be safely performed within the outpatient department or a private clinic. Apart from local anesthesia applied to the eye, no other strong medications are needed. You will be placed on the operating table and instructed to fix your gaze on a specific object. The surgeon will then start peeling the cornea. To avoid inflicting unnecessary injury, the amount of laser that is needed is usually calculated by a computer software.

Wave front is a modern technique that is currently being adopted by surgeons. It is used in locating the defective corneal areas with greater precision which helps avoid unnecessary injury to the normal areas. In the technique, the corneal is first opened through the creation of a flap. The tissues underneath (stroma) are then vaporized using the laser.

The surgery may cause a number of complications. Itchiness and increased dryness of the eyes are particularly common. Dryness may be seen up to six months following the procedure. Most cases will resolve spontaneously with just a few of them persisting. Artificial tears or the punctual occlusion procedure may be used to relieve the symptoms. Other possible complications are infections, increased sensitivity to light and double vision among others.

Lasik is a safe and effective surgical procedure that is used in managing visual abnormalities. Most persons (about 98% of those operated) report improvement within a few days of having the operation. Remember that the degree of improvement will vary from one person to another depending on factors such as the severity of the initial problem and the skill of your surgeon.




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