Questions to Ask Before Laser Eye Surgery — A Helpful Guide

 

Undertaking laser eye surgery can be an exciting time. You’re about to get rid of your glasses or contact lenses and still have clear vision without them. But laser eye surgery is still a medical procedure that comes with risks and complications, so it pays to inform yourself well. Here’s a guide on what questions to ask before laser eye surgery to improve your knowledge of laser vision correction and how it might fit in (or not) with your vision expectations and your lifestyle. 

 

How Laser Eye Surgery Works?

Laser eye surgery is a type of refractive surgery that focuses on adjusting the curvature of the cornea. 

By changing the shape of this transparent tissue at the front of the eye, your surgeon can correct the way that light focuses through this surface. Refractive errors such as myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism result in blurry vision because the focal point of light falls either in front or behind the retina. The goal of laser eye surgery is to have the light come to a sharp focal point right on the light-sensing retina at the back of the eyeball, which is what you can perceive as clear vision. 

Types of laser eye surgery include LASIK surgery (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis), PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), and SMILE (small incision lenticular extraction). Other options for refractive surgery that aren’t considered laser correction include refractive lens exchange (RLE) and implantable collamer lenses (ICL) surgery.

 

 

Questions to Ask Before Laser Eye Surgery

Here are some questions to consider asking your refractive surgeon during your initial consultation. The purpose of this consultation is to determine your eligibility for laser eye surgery, so it’s a good opportunity for you to discuss any concerns or anything else you’d like to know in detail. 

 

Am I suitable for the LASIK procedure?

LASIK vision correction surgery is probably the most well-known of all the laser eye surgery procedures. Your surgeon will consider a number of factors when deciding if LASIK surgery will be the safest and most effective option for you. 

Among the general eligibility criteria for any laser eye surgery, an important factor for LASIK is the thickness of your cornea. Since LASIK requires the creation of a flap of outer corneal tissue before proceeding to apply the laser treatment to the deeper corneal layers for reshaping, if you have insufficient tissue, to begin with, LASIK surgery can come with more risks than it does benefit. 

If your LASIK surgeon deems you unsuitable for LASIK, he or she can often recommend another option, such as PRK. 

 

Can I still have laser eye surgery if I have other vision problems?

During your initial consultation, your eye surgeon will thoroughly assess your best-corrected eyesight and the health of your eyes.

Most patients are already aware if they have eye conditions that affect their vision but may not have a full understanding of how laser vision correction can help (or not help). 

If your eyesight is limited by a condition that means you won’t see a significant improvement after laser surgery, your eye doctor will explain that you’re not a good candidate.

For example, damage from eye injuries, glaucoma, or sight loss from diabetes can mean you won’t be able to expect any significant improvement in your eyesight from laser eye treatment. 

 

Can laser eye treatment remove the need for reading glasses?

Most people are interested in laser treatment specifically to reduce their need for glasses and contact lenses. However, in the vast majority of situations, the aim of laser treatment is to improve your distance vision only, not near. An exception to this is a modified form of LASIK eye surgery, known as Presbyond, which provides some distance and reading sight. 

Depending on your age, laser surgery may not be worthwhile if you’re going to expect to need reading glasses in the next few years. 

 

What are the risks and complications of LASIK? 

As with any medical procedure, LASIK surgery comes with possible side effects. These include risks of infection, prolonged inflammation, or flap-related complications. Other possible side effects include dry eye, especially if you have certain autoimmune diseases, or seeing haloes around lights. 

 

What is the LASIK recovery time?

LASIK tends to be associated with a rapid recovery time, especially in comparison to PRK. Your eyesight can be clear as soon as a few hours after surgery, though it will continue to improve over several weeks as your eye continues healing. Be sure to follow all post-operative instructions from your LASIK surgeon to minimise your risk of complications, including resting and using your eye drops. 

 

Will I need to take any time off work?

Your surgeon will recommend you take leave from work ranging from a few days to a few weeks, depending on your occupation. If your normal tasks are fairly sedentary, such as an office job, you can return to work sooner compared to, say, someone in the police force, where they are exposed to the risk of facial injury. 

 

Are the results of my laser treatment permanent? 

Laser eye surgery is intended to be a permanent procedure. However, your eye doctor may caution you regarding several factors. One is the normal changes to your eyesight with age. All patients will experience a decline in their near sight with increasing age, a condition known as presbyopia. Though your distance sight may remain excellent, you will eventually need reading glasses or a contact lens in one eye for reading. 

Another consideration is the development of other eye conditions that impact your eyesight, such as cataracts and glaucoma. 

And a third factor is regression when your refractive error begins to return. Some of these changes can be managed with treatment, while other patients will find their sight continues to deteriorate. 

 

How much does laser eye surgery cost?

The cost of your treatment will depend on several factors, such as the experience of your doctor, which procedure you’re having, and whether you have private health insurance cover. It’s best to discuss the fees directly with your treating surgeon by calling on (03) 9070 5788. You may also want to ask about financing options. 

 

 

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. 

 

 

 

 

References

Questions to Ask When Considering LASIK.
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/lasik-questions-to-ask