What is LASIK Eye Surgery and is it Suitable For You?

Everywhere you look there seems to be ads for LASIK eye surgery. The way they advertise the procedure can make you think that is will be the perfect solution to your vision problems. No more straining to read the ingredients on food packets or road signs. Simply undergo LASIK surgery and all there hassles will be a thing of the past.

However it is important to note that LASIK eye surgery may not be suitable for everyone so it's important to read up as much as possible out the procedure.

The acronym LASIK means laser in-situ keratomy, eye surgery and uses an excimer which is a powerful laser. These have been specially designed to work on the delicate eye area. The laser can quickly re-shape the cornea (for treating nearsightedness) or the hyperopia (for treating farsightedness).

When the cornea is reshaped what happens is that tissue underneath is removed. So that the tissue can be worked on, a very small flap is pulled back from the surface of the cornea. The laser or microkeratome blade can be used to create this flap.

The laser zaps away excess tissue determined by the ophthalmologist whilst viewing an extremely detailed image of the cornea. This process can take only a matter of minutes and the patient won't feel a thing. Vision can be corrected so swiftly that they are able to drive home aftwards.

The primary consideration when deciding if LASIK is for you is to look at the costs involved. Many health plans don't cover this procedure as they believe it to be purely cosmetic.

The cost of surgery can vary greatly however the costs generally reflect the use of a reliable and experienced ophthalmologist and will cost several thousand dollars per eye. The cost is certainly not insignificant.

Cost isn't the only consideration however. You can only undergo surgery if you have healthy eyes which have stopped changing. Other situations can also arise which prevent surgery.

When you go for your first consultation a number of tests will be performed to detect eye problems or diseases which could cause problems with the surgery. Because of hormones, LASIK surgery cannot be performed on pregnant women or on people with suppressed immune systems.

If you have the money to spend on surgery then LASIK may be a good way to improve your vision. The success rate is very high and the procedure is painless. There aren't many reasons not to go ahead with treatment.