Now, many people benefit from Laser Eye Surgery in order to reduce their dependency on either glasses or contact lenses. The procedure, which will usually take well under 30 minutes each eye, is undertaken as an out-patient, although obviously in sterile conditions. A local anaesthetic in the form of eye drops is applied to eliminate any pain. The surgery entails the use of a laser to permanently alter the shape of the patient’s cornea, the clear lens which covers the colored iris, and the lens.
Reshaping the cornea can help correct the problems of myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) and astigmatism (where an oval-shaped cornea can cause images to be blurred). It must be appreciated that laser eye surgery will not, however, be able to influence age-related presbyopia – whereby the lens of the eye becomes less flexible because of age – which often leads to people needing reading glasses as they get older.
There are two main methods of Laser Eye surgery – known as PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) and LASIK (Laser in situ keratomileusis). The major difference between the two procedures is the manner in which the stroma – the middle layer of the cornea – is exposed before being vaporized by the laser. In PRK, the upper layer of the cornea (the epithelium) is gently scraped away whereas in LASIK a flap is cut in the stroma and then folded back.
After treatment, the patient will wear a plastic shield to protect the eye for about 24 hours and it’s usually recommended to take a friend or relative with you to accompany you home afterwards. Most patients will not experience any significant pain but you might want to make sure you have some of your usual analgesic tablets at home, just in case. Eye drops will customarily be issued for application during the first few days and clearer vision will usually return within a day. You should expect to be able to return to work within a few days to a week. It might also be recommended that you wear tinted sunglasses with ultraviolet protection when in strong sunshine for a while.
Complications in laser eye surgery are rare – occurring in fewer than 5% of all cases – and are usually confined to problems with dryness of the eyes. Some people have reported difficulties with glare whilst driving at night, but that is usually just after the treatment.
Treating both eyes on the same day is possible although some surgeons do prefer to wait until the outcome of the first procedure is known. This is something you should talk over with your surgeon at your preliminary consultation.
Laser Eye Surgery is not generally considered for people under the age of 18; those who are pregnant or are breast feeding; in certain occupations where refractive procedures are prohibited; those who actively participate in contact sports or activities in which blows to the face and eyes are quite normal; those taking medications that can affect wound healing; or people suffering from refractive instability. These last two instances will obviously need to be discussed with your prospective surgeon to ascertain whether the procedure is suitable.
Laser Eye Surgery, although less expensive than previously, is still a significant financial outlay. In the USA you might expect to pay between $990 and $1590 for each eye for treatment but it will vary as to what kind of treatment you need. In Britain, I found one company offering treatment for myopia from just £395 and hyperopia at £995 but the average costs are much higher – one prominent surgery quoting £4,600 for PRK or LASIK treatment on both eyes.
Eye Laser Surgery
One of the fastest growing areas of corrective surgery at the present time is generically referred to as Eye Laser Surgery, with the technological advances of recent years making previously difficult optical procedures much more practical.
Eye Laser Surgery
