Thesis Statement: LASIK eye surgery can be beneficial to some individuals. There are however, complications that can come from having the surgery done. I will explain what LASIK surgery is and explore the benefits and risks associated with LASIK surgery. Preview: I will explain what is done when you have LASIK surgery and inform you of the risks and benefits associated with having it done. Introduction I. Do you wear glasses or contacts? Have you ever thought about having LASIK surgery to correct your vision problem? II.
LASIK surgery is the newest and fastest growing tool eye surgeons now use to correct visual disturbances such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. III. LASIK surgery is a major decision for any individual. After doing some research on the internet I discovered the risks and benefits that are associated with the procedure. Body I. What does LASIK stand for? a. LASIK stands for laser in situ keratomileusis, or in simpler terms, using a laser underneath a corneal flap to reshape the cornea. (MedicineNet. com, 2010) II. What happens during LASIK surgery? b.
During LASIK surgery a patient reclines under a surgical device called an excimer laser. c. First eye drops are administered to numb the eye, then an eyelid holder is placed between the eyelids to keep them open and prevent the patient from blinking. A suction ring placed on the eye lifts and flattens the cornea and helps keep the eye from moving. d. Once the cornea is flattened, a flap of corneal tissue is created using a microsurgical device. The corneal flap is lifted and folded back. Then the laser, preprogrammed with the patients with patient’s unique eye measurements, is centered above the eye. e.
The surgeon checks to make sure the laser is position correctly, then the patient looks at a pinpoint light while the laser sculpts the corneal tissue. f. The surgeon then places the flap back into position and smoothes the edges. The corneal flap sticks to the main cornea and stitches are not needed. g. The patient is then allowed to have someone else drive them home. To help protect the cornea the surgeon places a transparent shield over the eyes and to help remind the patient not to rub them. h. It may take three to six months after surgery for the patient to see improvements in their vision. (allaboutvision. com) III.
Who is right for LASIK surgery i. The ideal candidate is over the age of 18 and has had a stable corrective prescription for the last two years. j. The patient must have sufficient corneal thickness. k. Do not suffer from any disease, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, which would reduce the effectiveness of the surgery or my ability to heal properly and quickly. l. Am I comfortable with possibility that I may have to have a second surgery or I might still need to wear glasses for certain activities such as reading or driving. (eyesurgeryeducation. com) IV. Types of LASIK surgery m. IntraLase LASIK i. No blade is used.
Instead the flap is cut using computer guided, infrared laser energy to cut the flap. After the flap has been cut the rest of the procedure is the same as traditional LASIK surgery. n. Wavefront LASIK ii. Custom surgery that involves a 3-D assessment of how your eye functions. iii. It provides more precise LASIK correction. iv. Not all LASIK surgeons provide this type of LASIK correction so you will have to do more research. o. Epi-LASIK v. Combines LASIK surgery procedures with non-traditional procedures. vi. Ideal for patient with thin corneas. p. Monovision LASIK vii. Just recently approved by the FDA. viii.
Corrects nearsightedness in the dominant eye only, with a portion of the other eye being corrected. ix. Allows patient to see distant things clearly with the dominant eye, and close object with the partially corrected eye. (lasikeyesurgerycorrection. com) V. Benefits of LASIK surgery q. LASIK is able to accurately correct most levels nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. r. The procedure is fast, usually only lasting 5 to 10 minutes, and is typically painless. s. Because the laser is guided by a computer, it is very precise and results are very accurate. t. In most cases, a single treatment will achieve the desire outcome.
However, enhancements are possible even many years after the initial treatment. u. Glasses limit peripheral vision, whereas LASIK improves overall vision. (FDA. gov) VI. Risks of LASIK surgery v. Result will vary from patient to patient, since everyone heals differently. w. LASIK can make some aspects of your vision worse, including night vision with halos. x. LASIK may make dry eye symptoms worse. y. Results may diminish with age, especially in patients that are farsighted. z. You may be over-corrected or under-corrected. {. You may still need glasses or contact lenses after surgery. x.
More than 90% of people who have had LASIK surgery achieve somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40 vision. |. Poor night vision and sensitivity to light. (lasikeyesurgerycorrection. com) VII. Questions to ask my doctor before have the procedure done? }. How long have you been practicing LASIK surgery? xi. Answer should be no less than three years. ~. How many LASIK procedures have you performed in the last 12 months? xii. Answer should be on less than 250 . What percentage of your LASIK surgery patient have 20/40 or better vision after correction? xiii. About 90% is normal ?. What percentage of LASIK surgery patients do you decline?xiv.
The answer should be anything other than “none”. ?. What percentage of your patients have had enhancement surgery and how much does it cost? xv. Under 10% is best. xvi. For how much the answer should be no charge if within a certain period of time. ?. Have you ever been denied participation as a provider in a health insurance plan? xvii. Answer should be no, except in the case of managed care which exclude doctors for reasons other than medical competency. (geteyesmart. org) Conclusion I. If you are considering having LASIK surgery done I hope this will help you make the right choice for you.
II. I hope you are more aware of the types of LASIK surgery that are available and the risks and benefits that are associated with them. III. Please remember that I did not give a complete list of risks and benefits. There is a lot more information available on the web. Sources Eye Surgery Education Council. 2003. American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Foundation. September 21, 2010. http://www. eyesurgeryeducation. com/index. html Is LASIK for Me? A Patient’s Guide to Refractive Surgery. October 2008.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. September 22, 2010. http://www. geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/correction/upload/LASIK_guide. pdf LASIK: eyeSmart. February 2009. American Academy of Ophthalmology. September 21, 2010. http://commonspot. geteyesmart. org/eyesmart/correction/LASIK. cfm Lasik Eye Surgery. 2010. September 23, 2010. http://www. medicinenet. com/lasik_eye_surgery Lasik Resources. Lasik Eye Surgery Correction. com 2010. September 22, 2010. http://www. lasikeyesurgerycorrection. com/lasik_resources. html What is LASIK. April 1009. U. S. Food and Drug Administration. September 21, 2010. http://www. fda. gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/SurgeryandLifeSupport/LASIK/ucm061354. htm.