What to Expect After Laser Eye Surgery
Author: Nicky Pilkington
Just as each person is different in many ways, the symptoms after laser eye surgery can be different for each person. Many people are now opting for this procedure as a way to see clearly without the aid of glasses or contact lenses, but some expect to walk out of the office with perfect vision and no complications or symptoms. The one thing that you must remember is this is a surgery procedure and all surgeries have risks.
The most common symptoms following laser eye surgery include the fluctuation of vision. During the first few hours after surgery, your vision will not be clear. It can fluctuate from clear to blurry for at least the first couple of hours and in some cases a bit longer.
Dry eyes are another complaint of some patients. The eyes will not have the natural tear producing characteristics for a few hours. This is the most common problem and can last for several days.
Many individuals see an indifference to light as well. When exposed to bright lights indoors or outdoors the eyes can feel aggravated. Your eye doctor will normally recommend that you wear an eye shield the first few hours after surgery to aid in helping the cornea to heal and to shield the eye from bright lighting.
Some individuals notice a glare or halo effect after surgery. In some cases, a second procedure must be done to correct this problem. However, in most cases, this symptom will also disappear over time.
If the eyes are not protected after surgery with an eye shield, dust and other objects can cause an eye infection, which will cause the eye to burn and itch.
Right after laser eye surgery, most individuals with farsightedness see a major improvement within 24 hours. Objects that are far away may still seem a bit blurry but over the next few days, this will improve. Persons with nearsightedness have noted improvement in their vision within one hour after surgery. However, some have had a few problems in reading shortly after surgery until their eyes have had time to heal. In some cases, reading glasses are prescribed until the eyes have had sufficient time to heal.
Bring someone along with you the day of your laser eye surgery. You will not be able to drive for a few hours after surgery. A flap is created in your cornea so surgery can be accomplished and this flap needs time to heal properly before you can take off the protective eye shield.
Remember, to keep all your appointments with your eye doctor to ensure that your vision is better.
What to Expect after LASIK Eye Surgery
Author: Ryan Arsendatama
The latest in eye surgery, LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) is used to correct your vision and reduce your dependence on devices, such as, contact lenses and glasses. It corrects refractive errors of the eyes, such as, Myopia or nearsightedness, where you have more difficulty seeing distant objects, Hyperopia or farsightedness, where you have more difficulty seeing near objects, and Astigmatism, where the image on the retina is distorted due to imperfections in the cornea.
Though the actual surgery is painless and quick, you need to know what to expect after LASIK eye surgery. Whatever you may have heard about going back to your routine schedule within 24 hours after LASIK eye surgery, it may not be the case always. You may have burning and/or itching sensation in your eyes. In some cases, there is a mild pain and you may be required to take pain killers. Your eye may water and you may have a blurry or hazy vision for a few days. Whatever you feel, do not rub your eyes.
Your eye may be sensitive to light; you may be seeing ghosts, haloes and starbursts. Normally these symptoms would disappear after a few days. If not, it is better to consult a doctor immediately. For your dry eyes, you may be required to take antibiotics, steroids and other medications. You need to use protective shields to keep anything from getting into your eyes.
After the surgery you will be able to put away your eyeglasses or contact lenses. Nevertheless, there are a number of things you should apply to speed up the recovery time:
The First Week
While showering, do not let water strike you directly on the face. Stop soap and shampoo from entering your eye. You may do light exercises but keep sweat out of your eyes. Regularly use the prescribed eye drops for infection, inflammation, and for lubricating your eyes. Avoid swimming, using whirlpools and hot tubs. Do not use lotions, creams and eye makeup.
The First Three Months
You may start strenuous exercises, but keep sweat away from your eyes. You can start swimming, but with eye protection. Unless otherwise advised by your doctor, you can start using lotions, creams and eye makeup.
Three to Six Months
Fluctuating vision is part of the recovery from LASIK eye surgery. It will take this much time for the vision to clear up.
You might need re-surgery to correct certain anomalies. If further correction is necessary, you need to wait until your eye measurements are consistent for two consecutive visits, at least three months apart, before re-operation.
Laser Eye Surgery Price - Know What You’re Paying With These Handy Tips!
Author: Dean Caporella
Many people have received a fair shock when presented with their laser eye surgery price bill and could have avoided the tears by simply performing some simple due diligence during the pre-operative screening stage.
What you thought you were paying was probably the price advertised to get you interested; what you actually pay at the end of the experience could be something else again. However, let’s make it quite clear you should never choose to have treatment on your eyes simply because it’s cheap. That is only devaluing one of the most delicate and vital parts of your body. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t choose one heart operation procedure over another simply because it was on special, would you? So what things should you consider before price becomes a factor?
Before Price Becomes A Consideration
Due dilligence is something you’ll need to perform before eye surgery. If I was in need of the procedure, then some of the factors I would be interested in include the center and the surgeon to perform the operation, the quality of the surgeon and references from satisfied patients; what screening procedures are involved and how thorough they are; what the risk is and how risk there is plus what sort of post-operative care and follow up was involved.
Furthermore, what level of procedure would I need and would I qualify. Once this has been established then the price factor comes into play. Remember, I haven’t decided whether I’m going ahead with the operation: I’m just testing the waters. In fact, I will probably see several different surgeons before I decide.
Careful Of Red Flags!
Be wary of clinics claiming to have performed thousands and thousands of procedures when responding to advertisements. They may very well be legitimate but if they are offering what appear to be bargain-based prices, then be sure to check if there are any hidden costs associated with this. Extra costs may include pre-examination and second opinion checks involving other surgeons who may charge a fee for their time.
So How Much Can You Expect To Pay?
Laser eye surgery price will depend on the severity of the procedure. Basic LASIK procedure per eye usually ranges between $1500-$2000. This has risen steadily over the last five years and will probably continue to rise as newer technologies are introduced. Custom LASIK procedures generally costs much more. This involves checking and recording any abnormalities in the field of vision and can add up to $1000 to the cost of the operation.
What Could Push Your Price Up?
We’ve established a base price of between $1500-$2000 per eye but what other costs are associated with this? Different types of equipment can have a bearing on final cost. Post operative care including medication and follow up visits will add to the bottomline and while some of these factors obviously can’t be avoided, it’s good to know for peace of mind.