If you have ever strained your eyes in an attempt to see better or struggle to see clearly without needing prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, you may have considered laser eye surgery. Those who rely on corrective eyewear can become frustrated by the constant cost of replacing lenses, changing frames, and ordering contacts, especially those that require daily disposable lenses. Although these options are more convenient than the alternative of not being able to see clearly without them, LASIK can provide perfect or near perfect vision without the maintenance and constant care of eyeglasses and contacts.
Before your eye exam at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center to determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK, it is important to note that LASIK is not right for everyone and serves to correct certain vision problems, specifically three 3 types of refractive errors. What conditions does LASIK correct? LASIK is a non-invasive eye surgery that reshapes the cornea so that the passage of light through the eyes improves. LASIK is most commonly performed on patients with myopia, or (nearsightedness), but can also correct hyperopia, or (farsightedness), as well as astigmatism. Those who are nearsighted have corneas that curve too sharply, causing rays of light to focus in front of the retina blurring distant vision. Those who are farsighted have corneas that are too flat causing rays of light to focus behind the retina making nearby objects difficult to see. Those with astigmatism have corneas that are flattened or curve unevenly causing an overall loss of focus to both near and distant vision.
Good candidates for LASIK have any of the three 3 refractive errors of myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism. Other requirements for LASIK eye surgery include being a minimum of 18 years old, having good overall health, maintaining a stable prescription for at least one 1 year, and having proper corneal thickness to complete the surgery. Because LASIK requires creating a flap in the topmost portion of the cornea, known as the epithelium, sufficient corneal tissue is necessary for lifting the flap, reshaping the rest of the cornea to improve vision quality, and setting the flap down to begin healing. Too thin of a layer of tissue can disqualify patients from LASIK surgery but rest assured your doctor can suggest other refractive laser eye surgery options such as PRK or LASEK.
To discuss your treatment options and learn more about the benefits of LASIK, call Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center to schedule your consultation. The technology of LASIK eye surgery has helped millions of people see the world more clearly. Call 804-288-1543 or message us online at WEBSITE to begin the process to improve your vision.