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| Treating LASIK Eye surgery |
Vision Problems Treated With LASIK Eye Surgery
What is LASIK Eye Surgery?
LASIK Eye Surgery is a medical procedure that helps correct vision problems. Laser in-situ keratomileusis, popularly known as LASIK, is a treatment offered to people with near-sighted vision, far-sighted vision, blurred vision, etc. The procedure involves correcting the shape of your cornea, the clear round shape at the front of the eye so that light can focus accurately on the retina at the back of the eye.
What Vision Problems Can Be Corrected By LASIK Eye Surgery?
Blurred vision can be a sign of several other problems and health conditions. Certain people tend to have blurred vision since birth, while certain people develop this defect with time. In some cases, this condition can be cured with a LASIK procedure.
Here are some of the conditions that can be potentially treated with LASIK:
- Hyperopia (Farsightedness):
Hyperopia is a medical condition where a person can see objects at long distances clearly but finds objects that are close very blurry. The degree of the condition determines your ability to focus on near objects. A LASIK procedure can be used to treat hyperopia.
- Myopia (Nearsightedness):
Exactly opposite to hyperopia is a condition called myopia. In this condition, a person can see objects which are near very clearly, but when the same object is moved away, he finds it difficult to see. A refractive error in the eye can cause this condition.
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| Some use contact lenses or refractive eye surgery |
Patients use spectacles or contact lens which aid in corrected vision. Refractive eye surgery is also an option for the condition.
- Astigmatism:
Astigmatism is a very common condition in which the cornea or the eye lenses do not have an equal curvature. It is irregularly shaped in one direction which results in focus being out of place on two points instead of just one. This condition causes blurry vision. Patients who are detected with this condition are recommended corrective spectacles or lens. LASIK for astigmatism offers a permanent procedure that can be used to correct the eye lens.
- Presbyopia:
Presbyopia is a medical condition caused by the natural aging of the eye lens. When the lens starts losing flexibility and elasticity, a person’s ability to see and read things at a close distance reduces. In most cases, this condition exists in combination with myopia. And as a result, patients are given reading glasses / bifocal glasses to aid clearer vision.
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| Some patients use reading glasses |
However, since the lens is undergoing a natural aging process in this condition, a LASIK surgery may or may not be useful because it cannot control the natural aging process.
The LASIK procedure only corrects vision for one distance at a time. But presbyopia requires correction for two distances. Hence, in some LASIK procedures, long-distance vision is corrected in the dominant eye and short vision may be corrected in the non-dominant eye. But it is best recommended to consult your optometrist while considering these options.
LASIK eye surgery is a widely used option for people with the above conditions. However, a LASIK might not be suited for every patient with these conditions.
There are some other eligibility criteria too that should be kept in mind while making a choice for a LASIK eye surgery candidate.
The patient should be at least 18 years old (or 21 for certain LASIK procedures)
The patient’s eyes should be healthy and have a stable prescription.
The patient should not be on any prescription drugs at the time of the procedure.
Pregnant or nursing women cannot undergo a LASIK.
If a patient has a history of dry eyes, it could be a point of consideration.
Patients must refrain from wearing contact lenses for a certain period of time prior to the procedure.
The patient’s general health should be good without any other complications.
Patients who meet the above criteria can opt for a LASIK procedure with well-established ophthalmologists. A blurry vision can hamper your vision as well as cause impediments to your daily lifestyle. So do not ignore the condition and choose the wisest option for your eye health.
