According to reviews of laser vision correction, this procedure perfectly restores vision, and also saves patients from the need to wear contact lenses and glasses. Today it is one of the most advanced high-tech areas of ophthalmology, which has proven itself in the services market. Every year, millions of people around the world use this procedure and again gain the opportunity to see well. Although, like all surgical interventions, there are some negative aspects.
Definition
As doctors say in reviews, laser vision correction is an effective and safe way to correct farsightedness, myopia and astigmatism of medium and low degree. The procedure is suitable for people who want to increase their vision and for many years forget about the need for optical correction with contact lenses and glasses. This is not always convenient, especially for people working in difficult jobs, such as police officers, firefighters and doctors.
The essence of the method lies in the fact that the cornea layer is pointwise corrected by the beam, thereby forming its correct curvature. Due to this, it is possible to change the refraction in the eye, focusing it without fail on the retina and getting a clear picture of the image at any distance.
The operation of laser vision correction is performed only on an outpatient basis, under drip anesthesia. Soreness at the time of laser operation is completely absent. Exposure lasts for 40-60 seconds. On the same day, the patient can go home and lead his usual lifestyle. Even before the procedure begins, the client will know what vision he will receive after correction.
pros
Each year, several million laser vision correction procedures are performed in the world. Over a 20-year observation period, such a procedure has proven to be very effective. Now you need to understand the main positive aspects of the correction. There are many of them, it is tempting enough for every person who uses lenses:
- Safety - a significant period of patient monitoring allows you to reliably talk about harmlessness, stability of results and effectiveness.
- It is used for any visual impairment, but only if there are no contraindications in patients. According to reviews, laser vision correction can help with almost all forms of myopia, astigmatism, presbyopia and farsightedness.
- Minimum age restrictions. Patients in the age group from 18 to 55 are considered optimal candidates for conducting.
- Operation speed. Correction time takes from a couple of seconds to a minute, all other time is spent on preparation, it is 10 minutes in one eye.
- Lack of pain. Anesthetics are buried in the eyes, due to which the pain syndrome is completely blocked. The patient only feels a sense of pressure and touch at some stages.
- Outpatient care. There is no need to keep the patient in a hospital. After an hour, the patient can go home.
- Quick results. According to patients in the reviews, after laser vision correction (after 2 hours), the client will be able to evaluate the initial results of the procedure. During the first 7 days, vision will be improved, and you can talk about the final result only after the final healing of corneal tissues.
- Predictability of results. After surgery, the shape of the cornea will be preserved long enough if the patient does not have progressive myopia.
Types of operation
There are many methods of laser vision correction. Reviews about them are different, so you need to understand their popularity and relevance:
- Super LASIK (“Super Lasik”) is the most common intervention to date. The procedure is performed only according to the personal characteristics of each patient, therefore, in the end, good results are obtained.
- LASIK ("Lasik") is the main technique, which just laid the foundation for the rapid development of correction around the world. The main disadvantage is that it does not take into account the individual characteristics of the structure of the cornea of each patient, therefore, in those centers where there is special equipment, it was completely replaced by Super LASIK.
- Femto LASIK ("Femto Lasik"). The only difference from the previous one is that a section of the cornea is performed by a special femto laser, where its name comes from.
- Femto Super LASIK ("Femto Super Lasik") is a similar standard method, but it is carried out with individual consideration of all the features of the client.
- Presby LASIK ("Presby Lasik") - the technology provides for age-related changes in patients after 40 years, due to which it performs an adjustment for vision at all distances without wearing glasses.
- PRK ("PRK"). This method is used if there are contraindications to standard procedures. For example, when a patient has too thin a cornea. The main disadvantage of laser vision correction is pain and discomfort in the first three days after surgery at the time of restoration of the corneal epithelium.
- Epi-LASIK ("Epi-Lasik") - another variation of the standard procedure, which is also used with a thin cornea, is used extremely rarely due to the high cost.
Stages
Almost all laser correction operations consist of 3 main stages:
- The formation of a superficial flap of the cornea, for this a laser or microkeratome is used. The resulting flap is laid aside as a page of a book.
- The shape of the cornea is measured with a laser beam, the individual parameters of each patient are set, and laser exposure occurs.
- The removed flap returns to the place and its engraftment without scars and sutures is performed.
According to reviews, after laser vision correction, if the clinic is chosen correctly, and also a standing doctor who carries out the procedure is initially selected, then everything goes well and painlessly, and eyesight quickly returns.
Indications
In addition to the basic desires of the patient, as well as for each operation, there should be medical indications for correction:
- persistent myopia up to 10 diopters;
- farsightedness for a long time up to +6 diopters;
- astigmatism up to 4 diopters is allowed;
- individual symptoms (partial correction is possible);
- due to the specifics of the work, it is impossible to use contact lenses or glasses.
Contraindications
As in any operation, there are limitations to which the doctor will not perform the procedure:
- the patient has not yet reached the age of 18;
- it is forbidden to intervene during lactation or pregnancy;
- do not perform corrections when the wear of the eyes is 0.5 diopters per year;
- if the patient has keratoconus (the cornea has a conical shape), inflammatory ailments;
- with reduced immunity, any surgical interventions are generally prohibited;
- if the patient has diabetes mellitus, anemia, as the rehabilitation process may be aggravated;
- when the client has severe forms of eye disease.
Negative reviews about laser vision correction are most often received when they do not adhere to the indications. This is done in new, still unknown clinics that want to earn more money.
Forbidden after correction
During the rehabilitation period, many doctors impose various restrictions on the patient's actions. But all of them almost always come down to one thing - to minimize the load and prevent aggressive effects on the operated eye. According to reviews, the consequences of laser vision correction can be different, therefore, in order to minimize the negative impact, it is necessary to adhere to certain recommendations:
- Almost all doctors say that you should not wash your eyes during the initial few days, which was subject to surgery. And also during this period you should not wash your hair, touch and, moreover, rub the living organ. Each mechanical impact during the recovery phase will lead to disastrous consequences. Not very clean hands and dirty water can cause inflammation.
- After the operation, you should not visit the pool, sea and river. Saunas and baths are dangerous at high temperatures. Doctors set such restrictions for the first week.
- In the first days after correction, it is strictly forbidden to visit the beach, as it is dangerous not only from dirty water entering the eye. It is required to limit the falling asleep of sand, as well as strong light and sunlight, so as not to provoke a burn. In the spring-summer period, doctors advise after the correction to cover their eyes with high-quality glasses with a high degree of protection. This is required even in cloudy weather.
- Considering postoperative reviews of laser vision correction and patient impressions, it is not recommended to sleep on the stomach. According to doctors, this restriction applies only to the first night. And some experts do not take into account or adhere to it at all. Of course, you don’t need to bury your face completely in the pillow, but the strict presence of the body in one position is not imposed.
- For the entire rehabilitation period, it is required to abandon excessive physical exertion. This does not mean that the patient should completely lay down. However, it is required to exclude: dance classes; trips to the gym; fitness; morning jogging; yoga and pilates; visiting sports sections, especially for certain types of sports.
- For women after laser vision correction, there are limitations. Makeup is prohibited for a week after surgery. After all, mechanical or chemical effects on the eyes that have just been corrected will not add to their health. A strict ban applies to hair sprays and various aerosols, which are potentially dangerous to the eyes.
- And also the girl is forbidden to become pregnant for six months after the procedure, since the increased hormonal background and the birth process itself can negatively affect the qualitative characteristics of the vision.
- To prevent tobacco smoke from entering the eyes, the patient is required to limit communication with smoking acquaintances, and also not to visit places where smoking is allowed. If the client himself has such an addiction, then it is required to refrain from it at least for a week.
- At the time of recovery, doctors recommend that their patients not drink alcohol. This is because such drinks dull the effect of antibiotics, and they are required after correction. And also at the time of intoxication, the risk of damage to the eye increases. Such a ban comes two weeks after the procedure.
- Do not skip the regular eye instills prescribed by the doctor. Thanks to this, the healing process will be much faster.
- After the operation, you don’t need to trouble the organ with long reading, working at the computer and watching TV. Starting from the second day, you can perform these actions, but only dosed.
From this procedure, there are pros and cons, reviews about laser vision correction are different, therefore, in order to reduce negative manifestations, it is required to adhere to the above recommendations.
Allowed after correction
During the first few hours after surgery, you should close your eyes as much as possible so that they can rest. There is no need to sleep, just just lie in the dark.
After laser vision correction, reviews and postoperative symptoms are different, it is required to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations to minimize them.
Most often, doctors admit:
- gradual build-up of loads aimed at the organs of vision through reading, watching videos, as well as various gadgets;
- sleep on your side;
- Using clean paper towels, it is allowed to blot the area of the healing eye when necessary.
Postoperative symptoms
Reviews about laser vision correction are different, so you need to know what symptoms a patient may expect after such a procedure. Of course, like any surgical or medical intervention, the operation has its consequences. Today, modern clinics lay the likelihood of complications in 1% of patients.
Main reasons:
- improperly installed equipment calibration, which is necessary for the operation, as well as failures in the operation of the vacuum system;
- incorrectly selected nozzle size for the procedure;
- overly split or thin cut.
All the facts above are related to the human factor or low-quality equipment.
Unfortunately, even if the equipment works without interruptions and the doctor has the best experience, complications may appear after a successful operation. Most often, their presence is associated with the individual characteristics of the patient, they cannot be prevented.
Often there are problems of this kind:
- redness and swelling of the tissues;
- various inflammatory processes;
- retinal disinsertion;
- visual impairment;
- sensations of "sand" in the eye;
- the need for reoperation due to insufficient recovery;
- diopters can go from minus to plus and vice versa.
Even after a long period of time (years, months), complications may arise due to the unpredictability of the human body, as well as an individual reaction to the intervention:
- the result comes temporarily, and then you have to repeat the whole procedure again;
- the impossibility of subsequent therapy if the patient is dissatisfied with the result;
- thinning of the tissue is formed due to the action of the laser, since at the moment of curvature correction, some part of the tissue is simply cut off;
- a huge likelihood of clouding of the cornea;
- the possibility of other eye ailments.
It is very important not to plan a pregnancy for six months during the rehabilitation period. Since during the expectation of a baby, a woman significantly decreases immunity, which must be kept at a high level for healing the cornea.
It must be understood that hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism are progressive diseases. With age, vision will certainly deteriorate, it all depends on how quickly everything happens.
Reviews
Those who did laser vision correction can talk about the consequences and sensations that were overwhelmed after improving vision. According to many patients, this procedure is completely painless and takes a small amount of time. After the operation, you need to take your health seriously so as not to aggravate a difficult situation. According to patients whose procedure was successful, it is a huge joy to refuse lenses and glasses. But those who were less fortunate and they had various kinds of complications do not recommend performing this procedure.
According to doctors, if you follow their recommendations, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of problems, but still complications can arise. This often does not depend at all on the doctor and his qualifications, the reason for this is the personal physiology of the person and his perception of surgical intervention. Each person must independently weigh the pros and cons, recognize the risks, and then make a decision on whether he really needs it.