You may have read about LASIK in Orange County, and even understand the ins-and-outs of how it’s performed. But have you ever wondered what it really feels like to have LASIK eye surgery? Here is a step-by-step guide to how LASIK really feels, including the surgery itself and the emotional journey. Visit Advanced Eye Medical today and consult with Dr. Ghosheh to learn about your options for LASIK in Orange County.
How the Surgery Feels
Step 1: Numbing Your Eyes
The first thing your surgeon will do is administer anesthetic eye drops, which will numb your eyes so that they don’t feel anything during the surgery. When you blink, the numbing agent will distribute across your eyes “much like windshield wiper fluid.” There won’t be any more burning or stinging than you experience with regular eye drops.
Step 2: Holding Your Eyes Open
Once the numbing eye drops have taken effect, you will be guided to lie down in the laser suite (your doctor may administer a few more eye drops at this point to further numb your eyes.) Then, you will feel your doctor use an instrument similar to a speculum to hold your eyes open for surgery. If you have ever held an eye open with two clean fingers to put in a contact lens, you will be familiar with the feeling of not being able to blink. This is a lot like how you will feel during LASIK surgery.
Step 3: Creating the Flap
To create the flap, your doctor will use a suction device. This is the most uncomfortable part of the surgery, as you may feel pressure from the suction. Many patients describe an “awkward feeling” during this phase.
Step 4: Reshaping the Cornea
During the reshaping of the cornea, also known as the excimer part of the procedure, you will not feel any sensation in your eyes. You will be asked to look at a light while the laser is working, but you still will not feel anything during this part of the treatment.
Step 5: Recovery
You may feel some burning, tearing up, or general discomfort in your eyes in the hours post-surgery. It is nothing to worry about. This irritation will go away gradually as your eyes heal.
The Personal Journey
Thinking about Getting LASIK Eye Surgery
Maybe you’ve had to wear glasses since you were a young kid and can still remember the embarrassment of feeling different or being teased. Maybe you have worn them for years as an adult and are sick and tired of them:
• Smudging
• Scratching
• Falling off
• Breaking
• Getting lost
• Etc.
Maybe you are fed up with the complexity of wearing contact lenses. In any of these cases, LASIK eye surgery represents a solution to your problems, and huge relief to those who have been frustrated by eyewear issues.
All Your Friends are Doing It
Since LASIK surgery was approved for treatment in 1995, an increasing number of patients have taken the opportunity to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. Now, over 20 years later, it has become a very common surgery, one that no doubt at least some of your friends or family have undergone. Talking to people you know personally who have experience with the procedure can make you feel more comfortable/confident making the choice for yourself.
Your Chances of Improved Vision are Through the Roof
98% percent of people who get LASIK eye surgery come away with perfect or near-perfect vision. If you have an astigmatism, your odds are more like 96%- still excellent. That’s something to feel good about.
Financing
There is no doubt LASIK eye surgery is a wise investment. Still, it is worth asking people about ways they have found to reduce the cost of the procedure. Some ideas are:
• If you are a member of a union, some union-sponsored insurance plans will partially cover LASIK surgery.
• If your employer offers an FSA (Health Flexible Spending Account) as part of their health plan, you can spend your FSA dollars (pre-tax money) to cover as much as half the cost of the procedure.
• Many surgeons/centers offer a referral discount. So, make the most of your friends and family who have had the procedure.
You may also feel better about your choice of doctor when you choose one who a friend or family member has had experience with and recommends. Making wise financial decisions reduces some of the stress associated with surgery.
LASIK in Orange County
At Advanced Eye Medical in Mission Viejo, CA, we use the iLASIK procedure, combining the Intralase laser and the VISX STAR S4 to restore your vision. NASA uses the same procedure for it’s astronauts! Because of it’s amazing accuracy, iLASIK makes it possible to treat patients who were previously thought unsuitable for LASIK treatment. For additional information on LASIK in Orange County, call 866-997-2020 or Visit our Website to Contact Us today!