When considering laser eye surgery, it is important to understand what to expect during the consultation. During the consultation, LASIK surgeons will take time to explain the procedure, discuss the possible risks and benefits, and provide the exact cost of the LASIK procedure. The primary eye doctor can perform the eye exam separately, or the LASIK surgeon can perform the entire LASIK exam and consultation. It is also possible that the LASIK surgeon or an eye doctor hired by the surgeon or laser center will perform both the exam and the consultation on the day of surgery.
The patient will be awake during surgery, but will see light, blurred movement, not the precise details of the surgery. The patient's eyes become numb with eye drops, so there is little discomfort. In some cases, the patient may be offered medications to help him relax during the procedure. The incisions are automatically sealed, so no stitches are required for healing.
Full recovery may take up to 8 weeks. Patients should wear an eye protector while they sleep and may be prescribed eye drops. If during the eye exam or preoperative consultation it is determined that you are not a good candidate for LASIK, your eye doctor may recommend an alternative vision correction procedure, such as PRK, the exchange of refractive lenses, or the implantation of a facial intraocular lens. A tear film analysis will be performed to detect any possible dry eye problems and treat them before LASIK surgery to avoid complications related to dryness. The procedure offers patients significantly faster healing compared to other laser eye surgeries, with a reduced risk of infection. You'll be taking drops for 2 weeks and you'll sleep with glasses over your eyes for several days. These high-resolution scans can provide information on the health of the eyes and eyelids; the shape, thickness, and curvature of the cornea; the functioning of the retina; the size of the pupil; the shape of the eyeshadow; and details on the composition of the tear film and the surface of the eyes.
Today, surgeons have the technology to thoroughly evaluate the composition and volume of the tear film to ensure that the eyes are in excellent condition before surgery. A specialized high-power microscope is also used to evaluate the structure of the eyes and detect possible eye or medical conditions. During this exam, your pupils will be dilated both to thoroughly examine the inside of your eyes and to relax your eye's focusing mechanism and obtain a more accurate measurement of refractive error. If you have your LASIK appointment on the same day as your surgery, it's important to know that your eyes won't dilate that day as pupil dilation could affect the position of the laser beam above your center of your cornea. In particular, since LASIK remodels your transparent front surface of your eye (cornea), detailed measurements of your corneal topography will be performed to confirm that it is safe for you to undergo LASIK surgery. During this complete eye exam, your doctor will determine your prescription for eyeglasses and evaluate your eye health to ensure that you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. The initial eye exam that your eye doctor performs during this evaluation is no different from tests that you may have been performed to determine your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses.
During a LASIK consultation, trained eye professionals will perform a complete eye exam, review your complete medical history, and measure your eyes for this procedure with specialized tools and methods. Before undergoing laser eye surgery it is essential to understand what is involved in a consultation. This includes understanding what tests will be done during an examination as well as what risks and benefits are associated with laser eye surgery. It is also important to know what alternatives may be available if you are not a suitable candidate for LASIK surgery.
This article provides an overview of what you can expect during a consultation for laser eye surgery.
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