Is LASIK Eye Surgery The Right Choice For You?

Doctor Examines Fundus in Microscope, Patient Under Sterile Cover.

Should I get LASIK? Many people ask their doctor this question or wonder about themselves because the procedure would mean they might have a good chance of saying goodbye their glasses and contacts. Still, this type of vision correction isn’t the right option for every patient.

If you want to undergo any eye surgery to correct vision, you must carefully examine what the treatment entails and the best candidates to perform the operation.

Diamond Vision wishes to educate everyone who’s looking for ways to improve their vision. 

So, if you are looking for options for LASIK eye surgery in New Jersey, make sure that you are a good candidate beforehand.

Am I a Good Candidate For LASIK?

LASIK is the go-to laser vision correction for most patients with refractive eye problems, and most people are able to achieve 20/20 vision (and even better) following the procedure. 

This type of laser eye surgery has a pretty reliable track record, and complications from the procedure tend to be rare. In some cases, people may encounter minor side effects like experiencing dry eyes or temporary problems with glare. Still, these problems will eventually clear up, letting patients fully enjoy the benefits of LASIK.

Generally speaking, the milder the refractive errors, the better the surgery’s results will be. The outcomes may be less predictable for patients with a higher degree of far or nearsightedness with astigmatism. 

What Does LASIK Involve? 

A Patient and Team of Surgeons in the Operating Room During Ophthalmic Surgery

Generally, the images we see are all focused on the retina, which is in the eye’s back. In the case of nearsightedness, astigmatism, and farsightedness, these images either end up being focused behind or in front of the retina, making the result blurry.

LASIK eye surgery corrects blurry vision by reshaping the dome-shaped tissue in front of the patient’s eye (the cornea) instead of refracting light rays with the help of corrective eyewear.

Before laser eye surgery, your surgeon will examine your eyes in detail, assessing their overall health. You will receive eye-numbing drops after you’ve been deemed a good candidate on bestmixer. And, you will begin the procedure of altering the cornea’s shape with the necessary cutting laser, flattening it, or making it steeper, creating a flap beforehand.

Good Candidates For Laser Vision Correction

For the most part, LASIK eye surgery may be the most appropriate treatment for people experiencing moderate degrees of refractive problems without any unusual vision disturbances.

Evaluating Your Eyes

Still, to make sure whether you are a suitable candidate or not, your eye surgeon will ask a couple of questions regarding your eye health and evaluate them to rule out the presence of any conditions that might complicate the treatment or cause poor outcomes.

These may be: 

  • Eye diseases that deteriorate your vision progressively or cornea thinning.
  • Eye infections and inflammation
  • Eyelid disorders and injuries to the eye
  • Drye eyes (LASIK eye surgery may make the condition even more pronounced)
  • LASIK may also not be the best option if the patient has large pupils
  • Glaucoma
  • Cataracts
  • Severe nearsightedness – LASIK eye surgery benefits may not justify all the associated risks.
  • Fairly good vision overall – if you don’t have to wear glasses or contacts all the time, the improvement you will experience might not be worth undergoing the procedure.
  • Presbyopia (age-related vision changes)
  • Those who participate in contact sports regularly might also not qualify as good candidates for laser vision correction.

Apart from that, you should also have a stable vision. If you are experiencing myopia in your younger years, your eye surgeon might advise you to wait with laser vision correction a bit. 

Your vision will change during your teenage years, and most experts advise undergoing LASIK when patients are at least 18 but preferably older.

Assessing Your Health

Apart from evaluating your eye health, your general health will also be examined. When planning to undergo eye surgery to correct vision, patients should know that certain non-vision-related medical conditions might increase the associated risks. 

These are:

  • Any condition and disease that impairs the immune system’s healing capabilities making the body more vulnerable to infections.
  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Immunosuppressive medication
  • Pregnant women may also be advised against the procedure, as it could lead to incorrect corneal changes.

Understanding The Possible Complications

Should I get LASIK? Before you answer with a “yes,” you should know that LASIK eye surgery is a reliable method to improve one’s vision with a proven track record and overly positive outcomes. Still, every type of surgery carries a certain percentage of associated risks and complications.

As such, very few people may experience these short-term problems and other complications:

  • Dry eyes
  • Double vision
  • Halos
  • Glare
  • Overcorrections
  • Undercorrections
  • Flap problems
  • Rarely, vision loss may also happen.

Are You Ready to Say Goodbye to Your Contacts Before Surgery?

While most people won’t have problems with this, you should still know that doctors will usually advise you to stop wearing your contact lenses before the surgery and switch to glasses a few weeks before surgery.

This is because contacts distort the cornea’s natural shape leading to inaccurate eye measurements before surgery. Ultimately, this may lead to less than optimal outcomes. Before undergoing LASIK eye surgery, your eye surgeon will lay out the guidelines that best accommodate your situation.

Having Realistic Expectations

Most people who undergo the surgery report having good or even excellent vision for long years to come. Still, as they age, wearing glasses might get inevitable.

While the available data for LASIK eye surgery speaks about excellent patient outcomes and lasting results, you should still know that over – and undercorrections may occur. Also, patients’ refractions may worsen with age, meaning that their vision will also deteriorate a bit. For most patients, this won’t be a problem. However, the degree of vision changes can be unpredictable.

Finding the Best Eye Surgeon

Patient and Team of Surgeons in the Operating Room During Ophthalmic Surgery

When you are a good candidate for LASIK, working with the right eye surgeon will increase your chances of regaining your former sharp vision.

Because your doctor is the one who takes the ultimate responsibility for determining whether you are a good LASIK candidate or not, you should work with a seasoned professional with a proven track record. As they will also perform the procedure and will be in charge of guiding you through post-op care, finding the best possible expert is even more crucial.

Again, working with the right eye surgeon is paramount. With the help of the right doctor, you can better understand the advantages of the surgery, and the possible drawbacks, helping you make a better and more educated decision. Still, once you find your preferred doctor, it’s also imperative that you voice all of your questions and concerns to see how the procedure can benefit you. 

Need Help? Diamond Vision’s Here

Truth be told, there are no right or wrong answers to this procedure. Consider the factors outlined in this blog post, weigh the pros and cons, and most importantly, consult with an eye surgeon before making the final decision.

Wondering if you’re a good candidate for LASIK? Take our short quiz to find out. Our LASIK calculator can be a great tool to assess if the intervention is the right step for you.

Contact Us

If you have more questions about LASIK procedures, get in touch with us.

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