How To Eliminate Your fright of Lasik

Thinking about eye surgery using a Lasik method is a big step, and many people are a little uncertain to ask the questions that they have.  The Lasik method, though widely talked about, is not discussed in detail, and people tend to fear the unknown.  This report addresses some of the more commonly held fears, and talks about the experience for the vast majority of people that undergo a Lasik method.

A most common fear when thinking about a Lasik method, or really thinking about any surgery in general, is the possibility of pain during or after the operation.  Since the Lasik surgeon works on patients that are conscious, this is a widely held apprehension.  In every operation the Lasik surgeon applies numbing drops into the eyes before the procedure starts, and the patient is also given a mild sedative to relax them and make sure that they are comfortable.   Though a small pressure to the eye may be felt during the Lasik method, the process itself is relatively pain free.
The surgeon does use a laser in the eye to help reshape the cornea during the Lasik method.  Many folks are worried about the laser being shone directly into the eye, or that they might look away and, due to this, develop a serious complication with their eyes and the Lasik laser beam effects.  In actuality, the laser is only active for ten to fifteen seconds for each eye, and the Lasik machine has a tracking system that allows the beam to be on only when the eye is in the correct position.

Another general fear for people contemplating a medical procedure is fear of “the scalpel”.  Any Lasik method uses only a very small microkeratome blade to approach the eye, or some more recent Lasik innovations have the laser itself created the flap and avoid using any hard surface at all.  There is no reason to be concerned about a scalpel, for the Lasik physician does not use one.
Many wonder about the horror stories they hear about this or any other operation, and wonder about serious consequences like going blind.  According the government statistics taken by the FDA, there are no reported cases of blindness due to a Lasik operation.  Actually, the risk of a serious permanent complication due to the Lasik method is less than 1 percent, and the risk of any permanent complications even if not serious (such as light halos) is 3 percent or less.  It is extremely rare for a patient to not have improved vision after a Lasik method.

If the thought of being awake and having your eyes open during the Lasik method bothers you, remember that you will be given a mild sedative for the procedure, and that your eyes will have numbing drops administered to them.  If the thought of actually seeing the Lasik physician’s hand approaching your eye is bothersome, be comforted that the surgeon applies drops to the eye that blacks out the vision in that eye for ten to fifteen seconds, which is long enough for the procedure to be done for that eye.

This introduction has expectantly addressed the most common suspicions about the Lasik method.  For anyone that might gain a better life quality with improved vision, please visit your local Lasik clinic and discuss the procedure in detail with the professionals there.