Overview of Lasik
Additional Information You Should Know
Although LASIK surgery is relatively new in Indonesia, it has already gained worldwide acceptance. The first LASIK procedure was done in 1989, and it was only from 1995 that LASIK truly gained popular acceptance. Several millions of LASIK procedures have now already been done worldwide.
The decision to undergo LASIK in Indonesia is growing steadily. High myopes and low myopes are both choosing to have LASIK, and it is now widely considered as the overall refractive procedure of choice for the permanent surgical correction of myopia.
The attractiveness of LASIK is that it has many attributes of an ideal surgical refractive procedure. It is a short procedure. It is done as an outpatient procedure, without the need for injections and using only numbing drops to anesthetize the eye. The visual results are almost immediate. It has what surgeons call the “wow!” factor, a term coined after the introduction of LASIK surgery to describe the patient’s exclamation of delight at the almost immediate restoration of clear vision. The healing phase is also fast and painless and post-operative care is simple. Most importantly, the results are stable and predictable from early on. The major complication rates for LASIK are very low in the hands of an experienced surgeon.
If I Choose To Have LASIK, What Should I Do Next?
You should arrange for a doctor’s consultation and eye examination to see if you are suitable for LASIK. Your doctor will take this opportunity to counsel you on the procedure and evaluate your expectations of what refractive surgery will do for you.
He will assess your mental and physical health and discuss the overall costs of the procedure. The initial examination performed will take about 1-2 hours.
The Pre-LASIK eye examination will include the following:
Microscopic examination for the eye using the slit-lamp biomicroscope, paying special attention to the cornea and pupil size.
Instillation of dilating drops for dilated pupil examination of the eye, paying special attention to the clarity of the crystalline lens and the health of the retina.
Computerized testing of the eye power following relaxation of the focusing muscles with eye drops (cycloplegic refraction) to diagnose any spurious (pseudo) myopia content.
Measurement of the cornea thickness (pachymetry) to determine the safe limits of the myopia correction.
As dilation of pupils using eye drops will be carried out, your eyes will be light sensitive and vision slightly blurry. Therefore, you should not drive, and bring along a pair of sunglasses. It is necessary to be accompanied by a friend to this consultation. The eyedrops will wear-off in about 4 hours, and your usual vision will return.
How Often Must I Come Back For Review?
After the LASIK procedure, your doctor will want to monitor your health and visual development. Generally, most doctors will see their LASIK patients the following day, at one week, one month, three months, six months, and then yearly, if there are no complications.
Can Both Eyes Be Treated At The Same Time?
Yes, Research data have shown that bilateral LASIK is safe and convenient. This practice is in fact now routine in many centers around the world. In fact, bilateral surgery is preferred by many patients and surgical centers for the following reasons:
Some surgical centers and patients may elect to have eyes treated separately for the following reasons:
