When it comes to improving and protecting a person's eyesight, lasik eye doctors are specifically trained in the practice of using lasers to enhance the quality of their patient's vision. They are also knowledgeable in the requirements for a patient to be eligible for the surgery and will take their time to make sure the potential patient fully understands the potential for danger involved in the surgery.
When an individual approaches lasik eye doctors about the possibility of having laser surgery, one of the first questions they ask is why the patient wants to have the operation. In most instances, it is for vanity, as the person wants to eliminate the need for wearing corrective lenses or contacts. Other reasons include for occupational opportunities for jobs that require excellent vision without the use of glasses or contacts, such as pilot, police officers and other occupations.
Many people who participate in sports find wearing glasses difficult, especially in contact sports and while using contacts lenses may be a viable option, those can also be knocked out during intense competition. Once the reason is determined lasik eye doctors will work on finding out if the patient can physically stand up to the operation. In rare cases the cornea may be too thin for the laser to trim away enough of the cornea, which would risk the laser burning through the cornea, possibly causing complete blindness.
Additionally, persons receiving treatment for many diseases, especially those receiving steroid treatment or other drugs that will hinder their healing abilities are usually excluded from the laser surgery candidate list. Illnesses such as diabetes may also make healing slower and these patients are typically deferred from having the surgery performed. There are also certain jobs that prohibit employees from undergoing certain refractive surgical procedures, of which the patient may be unaware.
Lasik eye doctors will also contact the patient's eye doctor for a history of prescriptions for their vision to determine if their vision frequently changes. Those with changes within the last year are usually advised to wait at least a year before undergoing the surgery. Frequently changing prescriptions may be a sign of additional eye problems that could be made worse by laser eye surgery. Persons in the early to mid-20's may also be ruled out due to expected changes in their visual acuity and there are no laser eye surgery procedures approved for anyone under 18 years of age.
If a person suffers from dry eyes before lasik eye surgery, the problem will usually be exacerbated by the operation. Additionally, after the surgery a patient may still require reading glasses in order to see close up objects, especially those suffering from presbyopia and have had what is known as monovision laser surgery performed.
In most instances, persons with a reasonably stable vision prescription suffering from nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism can benefit greatly from laser surgery. However, it will take a consultation with lasik eye doctors to determine if the procedure is right for them, as well as any complications they might expect.
