The procedure is fast, and is generally painless. It is general to protect the eye at night time for the first week or so with a plastic shield. Antibiotic, anti-inflammatory (steroid) eye drops are given for use after surgery. The dosage and duration varies with patients and technique. Often up to six months in patients with dry eyes after Laser Refractive Surgery. Most patients have a reasonably comfortable period after surgery and are back at work within a few days. Depending on the vision alteration attempted, driving may be unsafe for 1-2 weeks.
Tinted glasses with ultraviolet protection are needed when out in the sun for the first three months. There are significant variations in the way patients recover from the three (PRK, LASIK & LASEK) laser techniques. The following table highlights these variations in cases where the surgery has been uneventful and free of complications. Ectasia is the forward full to bursting of the centre of the cornea resulting in abnormality of the optical surface and poor quality vision are found.
It results from thinning and weakening of the cornea due to removal of too much tissue. It is consideration that 250 microns of untouched deep corneal tissue must remain to avoid ectasia following laser treatment. A Laser Refractive Surgery procedure will create a corneal flap (usually between 160 and 180 microns depth) and the laser treatment is then carried out on the remaining corneal tissue. The untouched deep corneal tissue is, therefore, thinner following a Laser Refractive Surgery procedure than a surface based laser dealing.
Although the figure of 250 microns of untouched corneal tissue is generally taken as a safe level following LASIK treatment, there is relatively little scientific data to confirm this figure, which is tentative, and still the subject of debate. Also some of them patients complain of dry eye symptoms after LASIK because the surface nerves have been cut. Surface nerves usually take six months to regrow. The use of artificial tears (lubricant drops) alleviates the consciousness of irritation. Occasionally a temporary punctal plug is placed in the opening of the tear duct to slow the tear drainage from the eye.
Reference:
Laser Refractive Surgery, http://www. college-optometrists. org/index. aspx/pcms/site. Public_Related_Links. Laser_Eye_Surgery. Laser_Eye_Surgery_home/, 07 Dec 2008 A Patients’ Guide to Excimer Laser Refractive Surgery, The royal college ophthalmologist, 2006, www. rcophth. ac. uk/docs/publications/patient-info-booklets/ExcimerLaserPatientGuideMarch2006. pdf , 07 Dec 2008 Dan. A. Lebuisson M. D, June 2008, LASER REFRACTIVE SURGERY, http://www. cliniquedelavision. com/? q=node/53 07 Dec 2008