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| Laser in Situ keratomileusis, or LASIK Eye Surgery is a surgical procedure aimed to help in long-term vision correction so that you reduce your dependency and in some cases, get rid of your glasses entirely. Ophthalmologists use a laser to reshape the cornea, which is the clear covering of the eye and responsible for focusing light rays onto the retina. In people with weak vision, the performance of the cornea is reduced and LASIK helps make it more efficient for the above purpose. 7 out of 10 Lasik surgeries commonly result in 6/6 vision, but please remember that 6/6 does not necessarily mean perfect vision. |
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Who is a good candidate for LASIK Surgery? |
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Like any laser surgical procedure, the go-ahead for Lasik surgery is not given to every spectacle-user. Some of the pre-requisites of laser lasik surgery are:
- The candidate should be at least 18 years old.
- The candidate should not be suffering from any eye disease/infection.
- The candidate should not be a pregnant, nursing or planning to conceive.
- The eye prescription should have been stable for about a year and the refractive error should fall within the permitted range for Lasik.
- Anybody who wishes to consider Lasik eye surgery must be willing to understand its potential risks, complications and side-effects which are duly explained by the surgeon.
If wearing glasses and/or contact lenses is not hampering your daily activities, you may not have to opt for Lasik at all. |
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How is LASIK Eye Surgery performed? |
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| A surgical instrument called the Microkeratome is used by the eye surgeon to create a thin flap in the corneal tissue. This flap is folded and then a laser, which is pre-programmed with the patient's eye measurements, reshapes the exposed corneal tissue. Once the sculpting is complete, the flap is re-fitted in its original position, where it adheres on its own. |
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What are the different types of LASIK, if any? |
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With the advent of newers technology in medicine, Lasik too has evolved. An advanced version of Lasik called Zyoptix, is said to achieve even better results. For the sake of differentiation, standard Lasik has come to be known as Planoscan Lasik.
Also read about:Things to avoid during lasik recovery |
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Zyoptix is, in a nutshell, customized Lasik. For performing a standard Lasik surgery procedure, the ophthalmologist takes some measurements to determine your refractive error. Zyoptix necessitates even further and intricate measurements, which are entered into the computer software to generate a unique treatment plan for you. There are three types of Zyoptix which can cover a wide range of needs:
- Zyoptix Personalized (wavefront guided LASIK)
- Zyoptix Tissue Saving
- Zyoptix Aspheric
Only a thorough discussion with your surgeon can reveal the most suitable one for you. |
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What is Advanced Surface Ablation? |
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| In some cases, patients may have a particularly thin cornea or a very high refractive error. Advanced surface Ablation can help such people. This is the advanced version of Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) which in fact was the first laser-based refractive surgery. It is however far more effective than its predecessor because it offers the benefits of the latest refractive surgery while overcoming the demerits of PRK, such as slow recovery, more discomfort, longer time for vision stabilization and greater duration of medication. |
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How is Advanced Surface Ablation performed? |
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| While eye lasik surgery requires the whole corneal flap to be folded, in this technique, only the top layer of the cornea called the epithelium, is removed. While this is only about 60 microns in thickness, the creation of the whole flap in Lasik can entail about 110-160 microns of thickness, thus automatically providing the advantage of increased corneal thickness. An excimer laser is used to remove a thin layer of corneal tissue, similar to that in Lasik. The surgeon guides the laser beam with a computer, such that it decreases the steepness of curvature for nearsightedness or increases it for farsightedness. For astigmatic patients, the laser beam selectively reshapes certain areas of the cornea. |
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| Phakic Intraocular Lenses are implanted within the eye and work in conjunction with the natural lens to correct refractive errors. "Phakic" denotes insertion in the eye without the removal of the natural lens. They are placed either behind or in front of the iris through a small incision, the position being dependent on the specific lens type. Out of the various options now available, ICL has come to be the most popular, with Toric ICL for cylindrical power correction. ICL does not alter the eye structure or even involve tissue removal, which is why it gains an edge over Lasik and PRK. |
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This option is particularly attractive because while it is meant to be a permanent solution to correct vision, the lens can be removed should the need ever arise, thus making it a reversible process that even allows a change of power at a later date.
Many surgeons have come to regard this as the best solution for patients with high refractive power or those with thin corneas. It is said to provide a superior quality of vision as compared to laser-based corneal refractive procedures. |
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How do I know if I'm suitable for ICL? |
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| Needless to say, patients should consult their qualified ICL surgeon for a thorough evaluation.
They have to be between 21 and 45 years of age and suffer from myopia (nearsightedness). Ideally, they have not undergone any ophthalmic surgery and do not have a history of eye disease such as iritis, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy.
Some of the desirable traits in an ideal ICL candidate's eye are an adequate anterior chamber depth and endothelial cell density. |
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Is there a solution in ICL for astigmatism (cylindrical number)? |
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| The Toric ICL is a specially-designed variant for correcting this refractive error and is known to provide extremely favorable results. |
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What if my vision changes after I receive the ICL? |
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| An important factor in the popularity of this technique is the flexibility it offers. Even if your vision does change dramatically at some point of time after the implant, it can be removed and replaced through the same procedure. Patients can wear contact lenses or glasses as needed along with the ICL. Please note that the implant cannot treat presbyopia, i.e difficulty in reading after the age of 40, so reading glasses would be needed along with the implant after this age. |
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What is the procedure in implanting the ICL? |
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The ICL implantation procedure is designed to be fast (about 15 minutes), painless and quite simple. The surgeon prepares the patient's eyes about 1-2 weeks in advance by using a laser two very small openings in the iris, which is the colored part of the eye between the lens and the front chamber. This is done to allow natural passage of fluids, avoiding the risk of intraocular pressure buildup following the treatment. The actual procedure is performed under topical (drop) anesthesia without any injections.
You may have to use prescription eye drops or oral medication after the surgery. Follow up visits are required one day, one month and about six months each after surgery. |
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Can the ICL be removed from my eye? |
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| Although the ICL is intended to remain in place permanently, a qualified ophthalmologist can remove the implant if deemed necessary in the circumstances. |
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Is the ICL visible to others? |
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| Not to the naked eye, as it is placed behind the iris. Only a qualified eye surgeon would be able to detect that such a procedure has been performed in your eye. |
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Will I be able to feel the Vision ICL once it is in place? |
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| The ICL is designed to remain in position once implanted and is not required to interact with any structure of the eye. It is completely unobtrusive. |
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