The best person to discuss your health related questions, fears, and apprehensions, is your doctor. While we often think talking to our friends and family will help us the most, remember that it is only your eye doctor who can give you an objective opinion about any health related decision, especially when it comes to surgery. This is why should you talk with your eye doctor before LASIK eye surgery.
What should you discuss with your doctor before LASIK eye surgery?
Ask your eye doctor if you are eligible for LASIK eye surgery: You eye doctor will discuss your eye health and other health related issues before ordering a comprehensive eye evaluation and some extra tests before deciding if you are eligible for LASIK or not. These tests include:
Testing your vision with and without glasses. In case you wear contact lenses, you will be asked to discontinue them for around two weeks before surgery.
Mapping the shape and thickness of your cornea called corneal topography
Screening for eye diseases, including glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and any corneal abnormalities like opacity or keratoconus
Assessment of tear film, eye movement and pupil size
Assessing the back of the eye or retina for any holes or breaks
Ask your eye doctor which LASIK eye surgery is the best suited to your needs, eye health and pocket: There are several variants of LASIK eye surgery. All of these have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages. These are listed here in the order of increasing sophistication, safety and also expense. You must discuss the pros and cons for each of them by talking with your eye doctor before LASIK eye surgery.
Conventional LASIK
Custom Q LASIK
Sub Bowman’s Keratomileusis, SBK
Femto LASIK
SMILE
Contoura Vision
Ask about safety, side effects and efficacy of the recommended LASIK eye surgery: You should also talk with your eye doctor before LASIK eye surgery about the safety and side effects of each of the surgeries, so you can choose wisely. In fact, your doctor’s opinion about which is best for you must always be considered very seriously, but that does not mean you should not ask why he or she is recommending one procedure over the other. In fact, sometimes doctors may not recommend a certain procedure because they may not have access to that particular technology, and you can always ask them to refer you to a center which is the best for that particular surgery. This is particularly true for Contoura Vision, the most sophisticated technology for LASIK eye surgery which is, at present only available at AIIMS and Eye 7 hospitals.
Ask about the procedure, surgical time and recovery time: You must also talk with your eye doctor before LASIK eye surgery about the exact course of events on the day of surgery and what to expect after LASIK eye surgery. This will mean that you will not be anxious, and will actually be better prepared for the surgery mentally and emotionally. This conversation with your doctor will also help you plan your leaves from college or work better.
Ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist: In case your regular eye doctor is not a LASIK surgeon, you can always ask them to refer you to a trusted colleague for the surgery. In fact, you can always do your research online, and go back to discuss your doubts with your eye doctor before ALSK eye surgery.
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