The Ins and Outs of LASIK Surgeryin Boston, MA
LASIK surgery is extremely well known in the general public, and is one of the most popular forms of laser vision correction available today. Despite this, the exact ins and outs of LASIK surgery still remain a mystery to some. The Nielsen Eye Center prides itself on using the most up to date ALL laser LASIK technology for ALL of their patients. Patients should be aware that there are practices that still use a blade for a ‘portion’ of the procedure and continue to market this to their patients as “Laser LASIK”.
Here at The Nielsen Eye Center, we believe understanding a procedure before getting it done is extremely important. Not only will it calm your nerves leading up to the surgery, it will give you an idea of what to expect.
Your LASIK Consultation
Not so fast! Before you can even schedule your LASIK surgery, you have to undergo a FREE LASIK consultation. Your LASIK consultation will allow your LASIK surgeon to determine whether or not LASIK will best suit your needs. Unfortunately, LASIK surgery is not for everyone. There are some factors that may “disqualify” you from LASIK. These factors include:
- Corneal Shape
- Eye Health
- Corneal Anatomy
Before Your LASIK Surgery
Before your surgery date, there are a few things you should do to prepare. For starters, if you wear contact lenses, you should take them out a minimum of 7 days before your procedure. Your contact lenses can change the shape of your cornea over time, so taking them out to let them return to their natural shape is important in order to achieve optimal results.
Before your surgery, you will want to arrange a ride home for yourself. Your vision will be slightly blurry immediately after surgery and you won’t be able to drive yourself.
Your Surgery Day
The day of your surgery, be sure to come in wearing no makeup or contact lenses. Your Patient Advocate will go over your post operative instructions and drops. You will also be given a mild sedative to help relax you.
To begin, your doctor will use topical anesthetic on the eye. Your eyes will be gently opened using a lid speculum. This will keep you from blinking during your procedure.
The first step of LASIK surgery is creating the corneal flap. This will be done using a femtosecond laser. This laser takes approximately 6 seconds to create the flap!
The second step is reshaping the cornea. This is done using an excimer laser, which removes microscopic amounts of tissue until the ideal shape is achieved. Once the necessary adjustments have been made, your surgeon will smooth the corneal flap back into place. Your surgery is over!
LASIK Recovery
Immediately after LASIK surgery, the surgeon will have you stand up and walk into an adjoining room where your eyes will be looked at through a microscope. You will then go home to take a nap. Most people are able to drive and go back to work the following day!
Some restrictions for 1 week will be:
- No swimming, hot tubs, jacuzzis
- No eye makeup
- No body contact sports
- No heavy exercise that will get sweat into your eyes
- No rubbing eyes
If you are interested in improving your life with LASIK surgery. The Nielsen Eye Center is here for you. Give us a call to schedule your FREE LASIK consultation today!
