Your Eyes Are Unique To You
Did you realize that your eyes are as unique as your fingerprints? Keeping that in mind, Dr. Long believes that the best LASIK results are achieved when treatment is customized to your individual eyes using wavefront technology.
What does all that mean and what is Lasik eye surgery? Let’s take a few minutes to discuss the Laser eye surgery procedures, qualifying criteria as a candidate, and what is important to you if you are considering having the Lasik procedure done.
Your Eyes Are Unique!
LASER EYE SURGERY
LASIK is a surgical eye procedure that is performed to correct one’s eyesight, thereby reducing the need for glasses or contact lenses. It’s popularity has steadily increased in the last few years as the prospect for many to not wear glasses is extremely appealing.
The LASIK procedure permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. By reshaping the cornea, the refractive error is corrected and vision is improved.
Your Eyes Are Unique!
Your eyes are as unique as your fingerprints because there are no two eyes that are the same. Even your two eyes are different from each other. The recommended eye surgery for you will be based on a visual eye exam by Dr. Long. After Dr. Long completes the examination your eyes, he will be able to tell you whether you are a good candidate for either conventional or custom LASIK eye surgery.
If you do not meet patient criteria for LASIK, you may qualify for other laser eye surgery options which can be discussed at the time you have your consultation.
Am I Going To Be A Good LASIK Candidate?
LASIK eye surgery has successfully treated many individuals with refractive errors, and unfortunately, there are some people who are not good candidates for the procedure. Before LASIK surgery is performed, Dr. Long will conduct pre-op tests and exams to make sure you meet the criteria for LASIK eye surgery.
Determining if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery is the most important factor in determining the outcome of surgery. Dr. Long believes that many problems can be avoided by properly screening his patients.
You may be asking about this procedure if you currently wear contact lenses. If you do wear contact lenses, you will want to stop wearing them before your initial LASIK exam. Since all contact lenses change the shape of the cornea, the eye surface needs proper time to settle into their natural curvature. It is extremely important to allow enough time for your eyes to stabilize before proceeding with LASIK procedure; otherwise the measurements will not be accurate and the results could be disastrous. Dr. Long can discuss proper time needed with you at the time of your initial examination.
What About My Age To Have Lasik?
An individual’s vision should be stable for at least a year before laser eye surgery is performed. Some children and teens who have refractive errors want to have LASIK surgery, but because eyes continue to change until growth is complete, Dr. Long believes that a patient needs to be in the the early twenties before he will consider LASIK an option.
What About Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Women who are pregnant or nursing will need to wait until hormone levels return to normal and the eyes stabilize before having laser eye surgery. Dr. Long can discuss additional questions regarding your specific needs at any time during the initial consultation
Important Information You Need To Be Aware Of
In most cases, Dr. Long and a qualified nurse will be performing your LASIK surgery. We will prepare our discussions to make note of any conditions or results that that you need to be aware of in order to make the best educated decision before you undergo laser eye surgery. Here are a few of the most important things for consideration that Dr. Long is happy to provide you with so you will comfortable in your decision making process.
- Selection of a qualified surgeon.
- Proper education.
- Whether you are a qualified candidate based on your eye health
Choosing LASIK is your decision. Dr. Long wants to make sure that you have all the information you need to make your decision. Although laser eye surgery is considered a relatively safe procedure, it is still major medical surgery and needs to be treated as such.
As an elective procedure, all prospective patients like youself should become informed about the LASIK procedure and learn everything you can about the options, benefits, risks and complications. It is important for patients to get an explanation of the procedure from the doctor in order to know what to expect before, during, and after LASIK surgery. Overall, the decision to undergo laser eye surgery involves choosing the best procedure, finding a qualified doctor, and determining if you are a good candidate for laser eye surgery.
If you are interested in finding out if you are a qualified candidate for the LASIK eye surgery procedure; please call us right now at (903) 892-2020. A qualified staff member will be glad to set up an appointment for you to find out if you are a good candidate for LASIK.
