Lasik surgery

Laser surgery, called Lasik, is indicated to treat vision problems such as up to 10 degrees of myopia, 4 degrees of astigmatism or 6 of hyperopia, it only takes a few minutes and has excellent recovery. This surgery serves to modify the curvature of the cornea, which is found at the front of the eye, improving the way the eye focuses on images, allowing for better vision.

After surgery, the person may stop wearing glasses or contact lenses and should only use the eye drops indicated by the ophthalmologist for the time recommended by him, which can be 1 to 3 months during recovery. Know the types of eye drops and what they are for.

How is recovery

The recovery is very fast and on the same day the person can start to see everything without needing glasses or contact lenses, but in the first month after the surgery it is necessary to follow some precautions to avoid infections. Some important precautions include not rubbing your eyes, wearing eye protection for 15 days, resting and resting to recover faster and put the eye drops indicated by the doctor. See what are the essential eye care.

In the first month, the eyes should be more sensitive to light, and it is recommended to wear sunglasses and not to wear makeup, in addition it is recommended to avoid frequenting places full of people and with little air circulation, such as cinema or shopping mall, to avoid infections. It is also indicated:

• Protect the eyes, thus avoiding eye trauma; Do not enter the pool or the sea; Do not wear makeup for 30 days; Wear sunglasses; Use lubricating eye drops to prevent dry eyes; Do not rub your eyes for 15 days; Clean your eyes with gauze and saline daily; keep your hands always clean; do not remove the lens placed by the doctor.

In the first 6 hours after the surgery, the ideal is that the person can sleep lying on his back so as not to press his eyes, but the next day it is possible to return to exercise as long as it is not a team sport or contact with other people..

Risks and complications of Lasik surgery

The risks of this surgery are inflammation or eye infection or worsening vision problems. After surgery, the person may have some side effects such as blurred vision, circles around the lights, sensitivity to light and double vision that should be talked to the doctor who can indicate what to do.

How Lasik surgery is done

Lasik surgery is done with the person awake and fully conscious, but in order not to feel pain or discomfort, the doctor uses anesthetics in the form of eye drops minutes before the procedure.

During surgery, the eye is kept open with a small device and at that moment the person may feel a slight pressure on the eye. The surgeon then removes a small layer of tissue from the eye and applies the laser to the cornea, closing the eye again. This surgery takes just 5 minutes in each eye and the laser is applied for about 8 seconds. A contact lens is placed to facilitate healing.

As soon as the doctor indicates the person can open their eyes and check on their vision. It is expected that the person fully regains his / her vision without having to wear glasses since the first day of the surgery, but it is common for the appearance or increase of sensitivity to light, especially in the first days and therefore the person should not drive immediately after the surgery..

How to prepare

To prepare for the surgery, the ophthalmologist must perform several tests such as topography, pachymetry, corneal mapping, as well as pressure measurement and pupil dilation. Other tests that may indicate that a person needs personalized Lasik surgery are corneal tomography and eye aberrometry.

Contraindications for Lasik surgery

This surgery is not recommended for those who are not yet 18 years old, in case of pregnancy and also in case of:

• Very thin cornea; Keratoconus; Autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus; During the use of medications such as Isotretinoin, for acne.

When the person cannot perform Lasik surgery, the ophthalmologist can indicate the performance of PRK surgery, which is indicated for people with a very thin cornea or who have a larger pupil than the general population. See how PRK surgery is done and possible complications.

The price of Lasik surgery varies between 3 and 6 thousand reais and it can only be made by the health plan when there is more than 5 degrees of myopia or some degree of hyperopia and only when the degree has been stable for more than 1 year. It is noteworthy that the release of surgery often depends on each health insurance.