When children wear glasses, they are generally teased and made fun of. When those same children get older, they often times switch to contact lenses to make themselves look like the other kids. Finally, they reach adulthood. Now they can make decisions about their eye care with out their parents input. Then they learn about the LASIK procedure, which promises to take away the need for glasses or contact lenses forever with a 30-minute surgery.
The first thing that will happen is your eye will get a washed out with a numbing solution. The lid will then be held in an open position with special clamps to prevent blinking. Once the numbing solution has started to work, the surgeon will use the machines magnifying lens and a scalpel to cut a flap-like incision in the cornea.
The laser works based on pulses, when enough tissue is removed, the computer tells the laser to shut off. The surgeon then closes the flap of the cornea. That's it; your LASIK procedure is complete!
When you enter the room where your procedure will take place you will see a recliner type chair. This is where you will be sitting for the surgery, so get comfortable. There will also be a large machine, with which the surgeon will perform the surgery. This machine might look clumsy, but it is a precision piece of equipment.
The surgeon does not use any sutures to close the incision on the cornea, instead a patch will be placed over the eye for protection during the healing process. You will end up looking like a pirate, but the patch will protect the cornea from the scratches and bumps of everyday life.
Before jumping into a LASIK procedure, it is important to know what to expect and how to pick the doctor who will perform the surgery for you. When you visit you eye care professional to discuss if this option is right for you, there will be some tests that need to be completed. These tests will let the doctor know if you are a candidate for the LASIK procedure and, if you are, how much tissue needs to be removed from your cornea to improve your vision.
Most LASIK procedure patients return to work with in a couple of days and to normal everyday activities gradually over a couple of weeks. Be prepared to have blurry vision and sensitivity to light. These will both pass, and your vision will be as clear as it was with glasses or better.
