Additional refractive surgery may not be recommended. The.gov means it's official, federal government websites often end in. gov or. thousand.
Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. In general, laser eye surgery is best suited for people who have a moderate degree of refractive error and who don't have unusual vision problems. You should not have changed the prescription for your contact lenses or eyeglasses in the past 12 months. Changes in eye prescription are known as refractive instability.
LASIK eye surgery can be an effective and quick way to correct certain vision problems, but not everyone can have this procedure. Your eye doctor will review your medical history and examine your eyes to determine if LASIK surgery is safe for you. The eye doctor may recommend PRK instead of LASIK surgery, since the surgery does not involve the creation of a corneal flap. Certain diseases may be hereditary and, if present, may be a risk factor for the patient who undergoes LASIK surgery.
In very myopic patients, it is especially important to perform a peripheral exam to detect tears and holes, which may require treatment by a retinal specialist before performing LASIK surgery. Obtaining a complete medical and eye history is important for detecting diseases that may affect the outcome of LASIK surgery. Certain medical conditions, not related to the eyes, can increase the risks associated with LASIK surgery or make the outcome less predictable. Most people who undergo LASIK surgery will have good to excellent vision in most situations, for many years or decades.
Traditional LASIK uses a mechanical blade, while LASIK procedures performed exclusively with lasers use a device called a laser keratoma. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), LASIK surgery treats vision problems due to refractive errors. If there are cataracts, LASIK surgery may not be indicated and other alternatives may be considered. LASIK surgery can permanently change the shape of the cornea so that light rays can focus on the retina.
Standard LASIK procedures cannot treat patients with significant amounts of higher-order aberration, which can leave them with unwanted visual symptoms after surgery. The key to a happy patient after LASIK surgery is whether or not the patient's expectations were met. It's important to have a complete list of medications, including over-the-counter medications, because many medications can affect the outcome of LASIK surgery.
