How
To Decide If LASIK is Right For Me
There
are several factors that determine if LASIK eye surgery is right
for you.
1.
If you are scared to take risks -
Currently
there are no current procedures with long-term explanations in
LASIK. You
can avoid certain problems if you are scared to take risks.
2. Your Job –
You will
need to check with your employers to ensure that you qualify for
LASIK surgery.
Some employers, such as military employers, society, etc will
not allow
refractive LASIK surgery.
3. Medical Insurance –
Most of the
medical policies or insurance will have stipulations, clauses.
Look
in your insurance
plan to see if your policy covers LASIK surgery. Most do not.
LASIK is
an expensive process, so make sure that you can pay for the
procedures
if your insurance will not cover you.
Other factors to consider is that if you are required to change
your bifocal or contact lens prescription after one year, then
you will need to check the “refractive instability”
rules of engagement with your insurance providers and doctors,
or whoever requires the change. Who fits this criteria?
1.
Those twenty-years of age or younger fit the criteria.
2. Those
with diabetes, or other disease that cause hormone fluctuation
3. Those
who take medications that affect the eyesight
4. Those
who are breastfeeding or who is pregnant
If
you fit this criteria, it is important that you discuss any risks
with your doctor. If you have or on:
1.
Medications that affect healing of wounds, such as Retinoic, Steroids,
etc, or
have a disease
that hinders healing, such as autoimmune disorders, lupus,
arthritis,
rheumatoid, immunodeficiency HIV, diabetes, etc, discuss the risks
with your
doctor.
2. Wrestlers, boxers, martial arts, or those in contact sports
should discuss risks
with their
doctor prior to LASIK surgery if you qualify.
3. If you are under 18-years of age, you do not qualify for LASIK
surgery.
What
are the precautions with LASIK surgery?
This is a question you should ask your doctor. Mostly, patients
should consider their history of disease and discuss that history
with their doctor before LASIK surgery.
If
you have a history of:
1. Shingles,
Zoster or Simplex Herpes that affects your eyes –
2. Keratoconus
3. Previous
eye surgeries or injuries
4. Ocular
hypertension, glaucoma suspect, or Glaucoma,
5. Inflammatory
disorders of the eye, iritis, uveitis, or other eye disease
You
will also need to consider risks such as:
1. Large Pupil – Your doctor should evaluate your eyes in
a dark lit room if you
have large
pupils. Certain people who take medications, or younger people
pupils generally
are larger, which the pupils often dilate and become larger in
dimmer light.
Symptoms can develop from LASIK if you have this condition,
which these
symptoms include starbursts, halos, glare, double vision, and
so
forth. Debilitating
can develop also. This could mean that you will not be able
to go out
in foggy weather, at night, etc.
2. Inflammatory eye conditions of the eyelids where as the eyelashes
are crusty
is known
as
Blepharitis.
LASIK surgery could increase your risks of inflammation or infection
of the eye’s
cornea.
3. Cornea Thinning is a condition that emerges when thin covers
of transparent
around the
eye and about the iris, which is the part of the eye that is
covered.
Since LASIK is designed to reshape the cornea, remove tissues,
thus
those with
thin covers are at risk of blindness, including permanent blindness.
4. If you have had other LASIK surgeries in the past, you should
discuss LASIK
with your
doctor. If you had LASIK, PRK, or RK surgery you may not qualify
for
another LASIK
procedure.
5. IF you have dry eye conditions, LASIK surgery may not be recommended
as
the surgery
can agitate your eye problem.
To
learn more about LASIK, speak with your doctor or read other articles
on the Internet.
