Laser eye surgery is an easy and effective way for people to overcome a number of vision problems. Unfortunately, misunderstandings and false fears about this procedure keep many people with deficiencies in their vision from seeking this solution.
What you didn’t know about LASIK surgery:
- The LASIK procedure takes about ten minutes to complete, though doctors may need a few minutes before surgery to prep patients and a few minutes after to discuss recovery. In fact, a LASIK doctor will only spend about sixty seconds actually excising tissue with the laser.
- Doctors do not use any needles during laser eye surgery. Many people mistakenly think that laser eye surgeons need to inject anesthesia into the eye or the tissue around the eyes. Instead, doctors simply have patients self-administer anesthetic eye drops a few minutes before the procedure begins.
- LASIK surgery is not a new procedure. It has actually been around since the 1990’s. However, it has recently taken great steps forward in safety and efficacy. For this reason, an increasing number of people have asked to speak with LASIK doctors.
- LASIK surgery changes the shape of the patient’s eye. The underlying reason behind the vision problems that laser eye surgery can correct is the shape of the cornea. By altering the cornea’s shape with a few quick bursts from a laser, LASIK doctors can drastically improve vision.
- In some cases, a patient’s eye will react so well to this procedure that the patient will attain vision that is better than 20/20. This result is most likely when a patient has laser eye surgery, which incorporates computer guidance into the surgery. According the a clinical study, 70 percent of patients are able to see better than 20/20.
- LASIK surgery is not restricted to middle-aged patients. Some people worry that they are too old to benefit from this procedure and decide to suffer poor vision indefinitely. This fear is unwarranted: the primary complication with LASIK surgery after a certain age is a patient’s likelihood of getting cataracts in his or her eyes. Cataracts often occurs after 70 years of age, and Omni Eye Specialists specializes in Denver cataract procedures.
- LASIK most often corrects distance vision. If you undergo this surgery after age 45, you may still need reading glasses even after you experience a full recovery.
- Patients may be required to stop wearing their contact lenses for several weeks prior to the surgery. This is to help the eye prepare for the procedure.
If you are considering a Denver LASIK procedure, talk to the professionals at Spivack Vision Center®. Here they can educate you about LASIK surgery so that you can go into this procedure with your eyes open. 
