Myopia, or nearsightedness, is when you can see objects close up but you can’t see them from far away. Being one of the most common types of visual issues, it can occur in people of all ages. While corrective lenses tend to be the most popular way to deal with myopia, you can also turn to LASIK surgery for myopia treatment.
What Is LASIK?
LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. This procedure reshapes the cornea to change how a patient sees. Typically, with myopia, your eyeball is too long or your cornea is too curved. When you use LASIK as myopia treatment, the surgeon adjusts the curve so that you can see objects at a distance clearly.
How Do You Prepare for LASIK as Myopia Treatment?
First, you need to see an eye surgeon who performs LASIK. They are able to give you an exam and let you know if you are a good candidate for the procedure. New Vision Eye Center is proud to offer topography-guided LASIK eye surgery to our nearsighted patients. This is the latest and most advanced technology available today and it uses 22,000 data points to fine tune irregularities on the surface of the cornea.
What Happens During LASIK Surgery?
The eye doctor will start by putting numbing eye drops into your eye. This local anesthetic ensures you cannot feel anything during the procedure. A lid speculum holds your eyelids open, as the doctor positions your eye underneath the laser. Then, a special suction ring prevents your eye from moving during the procedure.
As the lasers reshape your cornea to treat your myopia, you can see the lasers moving. You may feel a slight bit of pressure and hear some clicking noises. If you think the sight of the lasers may bother you, ask your eye doctor for some medication to help you relax during the procedure.
What Happens After LASIK for Myopia?
Immediately after your surgery, your vision may be slightly blurry, but within the next few days, your vision should stabilize and improve. In most cases, people notice that this myopia treatment has completely cured their nearsightedness within a few days. In rare cases, that may take a few weeks. More than 92.7 percent of patients get 20/20 vision from this procedure, with at least 68.8 percent of patients achieving 20/16 vision or better. Your eye surgeon can let you know what type of results to expect in your situation.
As long as your job isn’t expressly physical, you can return to work the day after the LASIK. However, you need to avoid strenuous activities for at least a week. That can cause pressure to build up in the eye and slow healing.
Typically, you have a follow up appointment a day or two after the procedure. During that appointment, the eye doctor checks your healing. They also make sure that you can drive without corrective lenses.
If you are under the age of 55, contact New Vision Eye Center today for a free consultation, and to learn whether LASIK as a myopia treatment is right for you. Patients above the age of 55 need a general eye exam performed by their doctor prior to scheduling a complimentary LASIK evaluation, as they may require a different option.