Is LASIK Right for You?

If you are considering LASIK, you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available on the internet and other sources. Ultimately, you'll have to go to an eye surgeon to find out if you are a candidate. There is simply no other way to know for sure; however, there are a few main candidacy factors you can think about when preparing for a consultation:

How long has your prescription been stable?

The planning of your LASIK surgery is based on the shape of your cornea and your specific vision disorder. In order for LASIK surgery to be successful, your corrective lens prescription must have been stable for the past year. For most people, this vision stabilization occurs in their 20s.

Talk with your ophthalmologist about your medical history.

Autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases like HIV and rheumatoid arthritis can impair your body's ability to heal and may increase risks. In some cases, these types of diseases may increase your risk of infection or poor healing after LASIK. If you have a health condition, discuss it with your eye surgeon. In some cases, you may be able to manage your health in order to become a good LASIK candidate.

Do you have chronically dry eyes?

If you have dry eye syndrome, LASIK may make it worse. Talk with your eye doctor about any dry eye experiences. You may be able to treat the condition, or it may not be so bad as to rule out LASIK as a possibility.

The most important part of determining your candidacy is having an open, frank conversation with your eye doctor. Make sure your questions are answered and that you feel confident in your final decision.

To learn more about LASIK, please contact an experienced eye doctor in your area. 

Steady Decline in Number of LASIK Surgeries

According to an annual survey, the number of LASIK surgeries performed has been in steady decline since 2001. The International Society of Refractive Surgery Survey asked eye surgeons who perform at least 75 LASIK surgeries a month to answer questions about this, as well as other types of eye surgery.

The survey results showed 9% of survey respondents performed 75 LASIK surgeries a month, which an ISRS board member says is an arbitrary and high number picked at least 15 years ago. However, it used to be that 27% of respondents had done this many surgeries a month; the number peaked in 2001. It has continued to decline since then.

This does not mean that fewer people are undergoing laser vision correction. While LASIK is the preferred eye surgery for most candidates, phakic intraocular lenses and surface ablation are also popular.

LASIK continues to be a pretty affordable option for people who want 20/20 vision, especially for those who are sick of wearing glasses or contact lenses. While it's true that LASIK is not a repeat-customer surgery, there are still plenty of people coming of age whose vision is less than perfect.

If you are interested in LASIK, please contact an experienced eye doctor in your area through the LASIK Directory today.

Steep Corneas and LASIK

When determining your LASIK candidacy, your ophthalmologist will examine various aspects of your eye health, your vision disorder and the anatomy of your eye. Fortunately, there are many different techniques and procedures, so that just about anyone can receive laser vision correction.

If you have been told you have steep corneas, a traditional LASIK procedure may not be right for you. In such a case, it may be difficult to create a flap in your cornea, because there may not be enough tissue. A steep cornea may mean your ophthalmologist will not perform a traditional LASIK procedure, in which a device called a microkeratome is used. This blade device requires a certain amount of corneal tissue to make the flap.

On the other hand, you may be a good candidate for an all-laser LASIK procedure, even if you have steep corneas. With this technique, a laser is used to create the corneal flap.

There is no way to know whether LASIK is right for you without consulting an experienced eye doctor. After examining your eyes, the doctor can explain all of the options available to you, and their likelihood of achieving a successful visual outcome.

To learn more about your candidacy for LASIK, please contact an experienced eye doctor in your area through our directory.

Rates of LASIK per Month Decreases among Surgeons

Since 2001, the number of eye surgeons performing at least 75 LASIK procedures per month has been decreasing, as reported in US Tends in Refractive Surgery: 2012 International Society of Refractive Surgery Survey, according to an article from healio.com.

 The online survey was sent to 1,150 International Society of Refractive Surgery member doctors. Only 376 opened the email, and then another 127 completed and returned the survey. According to the results, many surgeons are performing intraocular lens procedures, often at rates close to those of LASIK.

Eye surgeons tend to view 75 LASIK cases per month as "high volume." The survey showed 9 percent of the doctors who responded performed more than 75 LASIK procedures a month – the same rate as 2011. In 2001, about 27 percent of surgeons were performing a high volume of LASIK.

There are many options available to people who want to improve their vision. In addition to LASIK, laser vision correction includes:

• PRK
• Epi-LASIK
• LASEK

Judging from this survey, it seems many surgeons are performing IOL procedures. Intraocular lenses replace the real lens of your eye. They're basically permanent contact lenses.

Each patient's case is unique. The only way to know which vision correction option will best fit your expectations, budget, and vision error is to meet with an experienced eye surgeon.

To find out whether laser vision correction is the right way to improve your vision, please contact an experienced eye surgeon in your area.