Questions to Ask Your Laser Eye Surgeon – Part 2
In our previous post on this topic, we explored five questions that should be part of any consultation with an eye surgeon. Most of those questions had to do with a surgeon and his/her qualifications, experience, and surgical choices.
Today, we’re adding more questions about laser eye correction to your list, but these are focused on the most important part of the process: YOU.
7 questions to ask about corrective laser eye surgery
The previous five questions addressed the qualifications of your surgeon and the procedure he/she would be performing. These questions have to do with you, the patient:
1. Am I a good candidate for laser eye correction surgery?
If you are between the ages of 21 and 45 with no major underlying health issues, you are likely to be an excellent candidate for femtosecond laser eye surgery or other laser eye surgery treatments. If you are over 45, a refractive lens implant is likely a better solution for you. This is a decision that you and your eye surgeon will make jointly.
2. What conditions can laser eye surgery correct?
Laser eye surgery can correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. Dr Genge has performed eye surgery on pilots with astigmatism and helped them to regain 20/20 vision after the surgery.
3. Is laser eye correction surgery painful?
No. You won’t feel the laser. You may be aware of a support, which helps to hold your eye open, and a slight pressure may be felt during the procedure, but the procedure is generally pain-free. The majority of patients experience no significant discomfort.
4. Will I receive sedation and/or anaesthesia for laser eye correction surgery?
Prior to the procedure you would typically be offered a very mild oral sedative that alleviates anxiety and helps ensure that you are comfortable and relaxed as the surgeon moves on with the procedure. You need to be alert and able to follow directions for the duration of their procedure, so general anaesthesia is not used nor is it necessary for this fast and pain-free procedure.
5. What are the risks and side effects of laser eye correction surgery?
Side effects are generally minimal following laser surgery since most of the surface of the cornea has not been affected by the procedure. You may experience light sensitivity and glare.
Dr Genge performs femtosecond (also known as bladeless) laser eye surgery. This technique does not involve the use of a blade, which eliminates the risk of intraoperative flap-related problems.
6. How soon after Laser eye surgery can I resume normal activities?
There are some minimal restrictions in the first weeks following laser surgery. Vision corrective results from femtosecond surgery are typically very rapid, and you should be able to see incredibly well 24 hours after surgery.
Your vision will continue to improve over several months. Dr Genge recommends that his patients wait two weeks or so before resuming certain activities, like swimming or contact sports, and refrain from using eye makeup.
7. What is an enhancement and when is it necessary?
An enhancement is a second procedure that is necessary for approximately 2% of patients. Dr Genge performs this procedure at no cost for those whose initial surgery left a small degree of residual glasses prescription. Recent results of 100 Contoura Vision patients found that 100% of primary LASIK patients achieved 20/20 vision on the first treatment, with no enhancement required.
If you’d like to know more about how Dr James Genge and the team at Freedom Eye Laser can help restore your vision with eye correction surgery, we hope you’ll contact us today for a consultation.
More on this topic: Questions to Ask Your Laser Eye Surgeon During Your Initial Consultation – Part 1
