Those who have gone through Lasik surgery often complain of mild to severe headaches and other issues. In most cases, such issues are normal but at times they are not. A lot of people think of Lasik as cosmetic surgery. A procedure to remove the need for glasses or contacts. While it does have cosmetic benefits there are also health risks. Thus, It is very important to understand what Lasik is and what it does.
What is Lasik?
Lasik is short for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. Simply put, it is a type of non-invasive laser eye surgery for correcting eye vision. The procedure only takes about fifteen minutes. And it is highly dependent on precision.
Reasons people undergo Lasik
A lot of people don’t have 20/20 vision. For them, wearing glasses or contacts is necessary. However, such accessories are not always comfortable for many. Often they can be an inconvenience. While some undergo Lasik for cosmetic reasons to boost self-confidence. Others may get it for medical or professional reasons like sports.
How Lasik Works?
Lasik surgery works by correcting the refracting errors in our eyes. Refraction is the bending of light rays through lenses. Those errors occur due to various reasons. Like the length of the eyeball and the shape of the cornea. The surgery fixes the problem by changing the shape of the cornea. Which is the clear tissue at the very front of our eyes. There are many refractive eye surgeries but Lasik is the most common and well-known.
When Lasik is not Suitable for you?
- If you are having trouble wearing glasses or contacts, Lasik is a great way to correct your eyesight. However, it only works best on people who have mild to moderate issues with their vision. Those with a severe condition of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism are not suitable for the procedure.
- Myopia is also called nearsightedness. People with this condition can see clearly when objects are close. But have trouble seeing things that are in the distance. On the other hand, hyperopia is the exact opposite of myopia. Meaning, people with hyperopia can see things well in the distance. But have trouble seeing objects that are at a closer range. Hyperopia is also called Farsightedness. Meanwhile, astigmatism is the condition where people suffer from overall blurry vision. People with astigmatism have trouble seeing clearly, whether objects are close or in the distance.
- Moreover, Lasik can be dangerous for people with eye diseases. Such as cataracts, glaucoma, keratoconus, dry eyes, etc. Infections like herpes, inflammations like keratitis, uveitis, and other eye diseases are also risky. Some other non-eye-related health issues can have an adverse effect on you after Lasik. Diseases like diabetes and HIV that compromise the immune system increase the risk factors.
When Lasik is Suitable?
- In short, people who are suitable for Lasik are those with mild to moderate vision issues. Those who don’t have any severe vision problems, and have no other eye diseases. And people who don’t have any health conditions that can make things worse. Other than these, you must be above the age of 18. And your eyesight condition must be stable for the past six months.
- The last requirement for Lasik is whether you can afford it. The cost of Lasik surgery in India can vary from as low as 45,000 INR to more than 1,00,000 INR. The cost of Lasik depends on various factors like the type of surgery, the complexity of your condition, hospital, the city, the state, etc.
Side-effects, Risks, and Complications
Experiencing temporary side-effects
- Some of the side effects after Lasik include headaches, dry eyes, double vision, and glare. These are temporary side-effects while the eyes adjust to the changes. These usually go away after healing. Post-Lasik headaches and other side-effects can last for a few weeks to a couple of months. However, if they continue long after the procedure, it is better to consult an ophthalmologist.
- Experiencing headaches post Lasik is very common because our eyes are directly connected to the brain. The procedure and adjusting through the healing process may cause strain to the nerves connecting the two. Make sure to take proper rest after the surgery. And stay away from activities that can strain the eyes further. Such activities include reading, writing, watching television, driving, using a phone or computer, and staying in a dimly lit room. Don’t overexert your eyes and let them relax while they heal.
- Dry eyes are another very common side-effect that can last up to six months after the surgery. Eye drops can help deal with the condition. Some other discomforts like itching and burning are also temporary. They will go away once you are healed.
Risks and complications
- Most people feel satisfied with the outcome but for some things get worse. Some may experience pain or lower visual quality than before, due to complications or other reasons.
- Complications in Lasik include under-correction, over-corrections, astigmatism, corneal ectasia, infections, etc.
- Under-correction is when not enough tissue is removed from the cornea. This requires another surgery to correct the procedure. While in over-correction, the cornea loses more tissue than necessary. It is a bit difficult to fix this issue. Meanwhile, astigmatism occurs due to uneven removal of the tissue. Another surgery can fix this problem.
- Corneal ectasia is one of the serious risks of the Lasik procedure. In this, the corneal tissue starts to bulge unable to handle eye pressure. This also affects the vision. This happens when the procedure removes too much tissue from the cornea. Resulting in the cornea becoming thin and weak.
- Some other risks of Lasik are nerve damage, inflammation, infection, chronic pain, severe and constant headaches. Some of these might be temporary but other times, things can also become a serious health concern. It is possible to lose your vision completely after Lasik in extremely rare cases.
Nevertheless, these risks are very rare. And the success rate of the surgery is pretty high. If you are thinking about getting Lasik, consider all the possible risks and side effects carefully. Do thorough research and talk to a professional before making any decisions.
You can contact eyes doctor in Delhi here: https://www.visualaidscentre.com/service/eyes-specialist-delhi/
