Achieving Visual Freedom Could Be as Easy as Getting LASIK
June 10, 2024
Are you tired of the daily hassle of wearing glasses or contact lenses? Do you find that your visual aids get in the way of your active lifestyle, whether you're hitting the gym, playing sports, or running errands?
If you're looking for a permanent solution to improve your vision, a procedure like LASIK might be the answer you've been searching for. Keep reading to discover why achieving visual freedom could be as easy as getting LASIK!
Why Should You Consider LASIK?
People with active lifestyles already know that wearing glasses and contact lenses can be cumbersome and awkward, especially if you're at the gym, playing pickleball, or participating in other sports, including swimming or softball. Even in individual sports, such as running or weightlifting, contact lenses can be dislodged or lost while working out.
During less active times of your day, while running errands or driving, contact lenses can leave your eyes dry and irritated. Exposure to screens can also irritate your eyes, forcing you to frequently use eye drops to keep them lubricated and well-moisturized.
There's also the expense of constantly replacing or updating your glasses or contact lenses and purchasing supplies like contact lens solution, extra glasses in case of breaking or damaging your main pair or having prescription sunglasses on hand. However, you can eliminate these problems by considering a permanent vision correction procedure like LASIK.
What is LASIK?
LASIK is one of the most popular elective procedures performed, and for good reason. LASIK, which stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis, corrects vision by reshaping the tissue under the cornea or the round dome at the front of the eye.
Reshaping the cornea allows light entering the eye to focus correctly onto the retina, creating clearer vision. During LASIK, your LASIK surgeon at Select Eye Care uses a femtosecond laser to make a small flap in the cornea.
Then, they will use an excimer laser to correct eyesight by reshaping tissue under the cornea. These precise lasers allow light entering the eye to focus correctly onto the retina, creating clearer vision. Most patients undergoing LASIK end up with 20/20 vision or better.
Who is a Good Candidate for LASIK?
LASIK corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Although you may love the idea of LASIK, you can only have the vision correction procedure if you're a good candidate for the procedure.
You may be a good candidate for LASIK if:
- You're at least 18 years old
- You're in good health
- Your eyes are healthy and do not have any preexisting eye conditions like glaucoma or cataracts
- You have a stable prescription that's remained unchanged for at least a year or more
- You have realistic expectations about what LASIK can achieve
- You're not currently pregnant or nursing
LASIK can be a life-changing solution if you're in a specialty career. This could include being a first responder, being a police officer, or being in the military.
Many people have careers that require them to be ready to respond to an emergency or travel at a moment's notice. If this sounds familiar, the last thing you want to worry about is packing contact lenses, solutions, cleaners, storage, glasses, backup glasses, or other supplies.
Once you've corrected your vision with LASIK, you'll no longer need to carry these extra things to see clearly. Instead, you'll be able to concentrate on the task at hand, caring for people in need, without thinking about how you'll see or where your visual aids are.
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How Does LASIK Work?
Before you can have LASIK, you'll have a LASIK consultation at Select Eye Care. If you're a good candidate for the procedure and want to move forward, we'll start by numbing your eyes with numbing eye drops to ensure you won't feel any pain on the day of your LASIK procedure.
Once these drops can move over the surface of your eye, your LASIK surgeon will create a flap in the cornea. Then, they will create a small flap in your cornea with a femtosecond laser.
They will then use an excimer laser to reshape tissue in the cornea to correct refractive errors. The lasers used are highly precise and can reshape the cornea to fix your vision, helping you achieve the crisp, sharp vision you've always wanted.
If you are nearsighted, your LASIK surgeon will flatten the cornea, while if you're farsighted, they will make the cornea steeper. For those with astigmatism, they will smooth out the irregular shape of the cornea to improve your vision.
LASIK is a fast procedure that can be completed in about thirty minutes. Once your Select Eye Care LASIK surgeon finishes reshaping the cornea to correct your vision, they will reposition the flap, which rebonds with your eye without needing stitches or sutures and acts as a bandage during healing.
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What Happens After LASIK?
Most patients notice almost immediate visual improvements right after LASIK, which continue to improve in the weeks following the procedure. Though you can resume driving once your eye doctor at Select Eye Care clears you, you cannot drive yourself home.
You'll need a friend or family member to bring you home. Many people who have undergone LASIK say their depth perception and contrast are better than they were with their original glasses or contact lens prescription.
There are few side effects, but some people may temporarily experience dry eyes, which can be treated with lubricating drops. You'll need to avoid bodies of water like lakes, streams, and rivers for at least a month to give your eyes enough time to recover and to reduce the chances of infection.
Do not take part in any strenuous activities or contact sports for a month, and follow any instructions from your ophthalmologist at Select Eye Care. You'll also need to attend follow-up appointments after LASIK, starting the day after your procedure. These appointments ensure your eyes are healing as they should.
Is LASIK Right for Me?
The first step towards LASIK is scheduling a LASIK consultation with the experienced team at Select Eye Care, who can answer your questions and determine if having LASIK is right for you. If you are a good candidate, your eye doctor will explain the procedure to you and what to expect during and after having LASIK.
Millions of Americans have already had LASIK surgery successfully, and it remains one of the most popular elective procedures in the country. Patients who have had LASIK report a high satisfaction rate of 96% and a quick recovery.
LASIK is an investment in your eyesight. When you consider the expenses of purchasing eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and other visual aids over the years, it becomes clear that you'll save money when you no longer have to buy them after choosing to have LASIK.
Are you ready to improve your life and eyesight? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Select Eye Care in Elkridge and Towson, MD, now! Can't you imagine what better vision could be like?