Having a clear picture of the surrounding environment without having to put on glasses or contact lenses is a pipe dream for many people living in America. Luckily, there are medical procedures such as LASIK eye surgery that can bring this wish alive for thousands of individuals each year.
California is known for hosting some of the best clinics when it comes to the technology involved in eye care treatments. Knowing what happens throughout the process can give you an edge when it comes to decision-making about the treatment.
Prior to Your Eye Surgery Treatment Process: Consultation and Preparation
To begin with, a consultation visit is a necessary step you must take before going through the whole process of the treatment. A highly skilled eye care specialist evaluates your history and examines your eyes to find out if you qualify for the treatment process. Such evaluation includes measurement of your corneal thickness, checking your pupil size and the period when your prescription became stable for one year.
There are some medical conditions, which will not permit you to have such surgery. In addition, being diagnosed with severe cases of dry eye will automatically make you ineligible to undergo LASIK eye surgery treatment.
During your initial consultation process, your doctor tells you what you need to do before getting under the knife. For example, you are asked to discontinue wearing your contact lenses for a particular period prior to the treatment date. Contact lenses may change the condition of your cornea and doctors should wait until your eye goes back to the normal state. Moreover, you are expected to arrange for a close person to accompany you on the way home after the treatment since you will be unable to see properly because of blurry vision.
What Actually Happens Inside the Operating Room
The whole procedure of LASIK eye surgery in California does not last long as it takes no more than fifteen minutes to have it done with one of your eyes. Being awake during the process, you are provided with eye drops for making your eyes numb and preventing any sort of pain during the whole operation. You could feel some pressure applied to your eyes; however, the treatment itself is quite comfortable.
In order to begin the procedure, a surgeon cuts a small circular piece from the outer layer of your eye with a specially-designed laser or blade. This flap remains folded while the laser works on reshaping your cornea according to the exact prescription measurements. The process helps light to reach the retina, improving your vision. Once your cornea is reshaped successfully, the surgeon puts the flap back into place where it heals naturally without any stitching.
What Comes After the Operation: The After Care
When the treatment is finished, you are likely to experience some unusual sensations in your eyes, including watering and scratching. To avoid rubbing your eyes while being asleep, you are given some special shields. Also, you are prescribed eye drops for preventing possible infections and eliminating inflammation.
It has been stated that most people notice significant changes in their vision already within twenty-four hours of undergoing the procedure. However, you will be required to go through some follow-up sessions during the first few days after the surgery. As a result, you should stay away from swimming, intense sports, and applying eye makeup during several weeks.
Making a Decision on Correcting Your Vision
Taking into consideration all the aspects of this procedure, you should make an educated decision of either getting under the knife or not. You are welcome to visit the eye care specialists in California now to get a consultation concerning LASIK eye surgery.
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