Improving Eyesight One LASIK Surgery at a Time

There are many solutions when it comes to correcting vision problems. Some individuals choose to wear contacts and glasses to make their day to day sight better while others investigate more convenient vision correction methods such as laser vision correction including: LASIK, PRK, and LASEK. There are a number of benefits that come with choosing surgery to correct their vision on a more permanent basis. Although glasses and contacts have been the solution for vision problems since the 1300’s, laser eye surgery offers an innovative approach that allows users proper vision without the use of daily aides.

As with any surgery, the benefits must outweigh the drawbacks or people would not opt to participate as is the case when it comes to laser vision correction surgery. If patients have specific questions, detailed to their vision situation directly, they should meet with an eye surgeon for a consultation. Below we will focus on the benefits that most patients receive after correcting their vision with LASIK, LASEK, or PRK.

Improved Eyesight

In studies that have been performed LASIK has proven to be effective, meaning patients have improved vision after the procedure. For over eighty-five percent of patients 20/20 eyesight returns while over ninety-five percent achieve 20/40. Irrespective, the results received through laser vision correction surgery are quiet stunning. For most participants an impressive upgrade in vision is had.

Lasting Results

Perfect vision is not obtained instantaneously after LASIK, in fact it may take several months for your vision to adjust to its new normal. However, once your vision has settled into its new normal the change will be permanent. Eyesight deterioration from age is possible later down the road but is easily corrected with a follow up surgery.

Quick Recovery

Although you won’t be driving yourself home from the surgery most LASIK patients return to life as normal in as little as twenty-four hours. Unlike most types of surgery, eye surgery is relatively simple as far as the recovery process is concerned.

Barrier Free Vision

Although there is a cost associated with laser vision surgery, it is far less than the amount of money individuals will spend over a lifetime paying for eye exams, glasses, and contacts. Each year individuals need to replace glasses and contacts. This can add up over time not to mention can become quite a hassle if misplaced or broken. With LASIK you will never have to worry about losing a contact, breaking your glasses or what not.

People started to become aware of the benefits of LASIK around the 80’s with an increase in popularity in the mid 90’s. LASIK is a common procedure that gives patients the freedom of vision without eyewear. With this surgery there is no need to be concerned with glasses and contacts and how they will affect spur of the moment plans like swimming.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including LASEK, PRK, AK, CK, Cataract surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/ to schedule an appointment.

What to Expect After LASIK?

Laser vision correction is a surgical procedure used to reshape the cornea with an excimer laser. This type of surgery can be used on patients experiencing short sight, long sight or astigmatism. Laser vision correction is not an ideal solution for everybody and some people are not candidates for this type of surgery because of the severity of their problem or because of another medical issue. The best laser vision results mean that glasses and contact lenses will no longer be needed by the patient.

The Process of LASIK

One of the most common types of laser vision correction is LASIK or Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. In a typical LASIK procedure, the patient will have numbing eye drops placed in the eye and then a lid holder applied to keep the eye open. A microkeratome is used to create a flap in the cornea, which is then bent back to expose the inner corneal tissue. The laser sends pulses of light to remove parts of the cornea while the patient focuses on another light to keep the eye as still as possible. The actual laser exposure time is usually less than a minute.

After the laser treatment, the corneal flap is repositioned. No stitches are needed because the flap will hold itself down when repositioned and heal itself. The patient is given an eye shield and eye drops and told to come back within a day or two, so the doctor can see if the eye is healing and whether there are any problems. The eye has great healing powers and it would be of great comfort to know that all corneal procedures, even complete transplants, do heal ultimately.

What to expect after the LASIK eye surgery

The post LASIK eye surgery period is just as important as the surgery itself. The cornea should completely heal. This takes time and requires a lot of aftercare, which should be done meticulously.

The average healing period after the LASIK eye surgery is approximately six months. During this period any vision problems that you may have been experiencing should have completely disappeared or at least considerably lessened. Complete healing of the corneal flap could take a bit longer, sometimes up to two years. But this should not give you any cause for discomfort or concern. Healing of the cornea is an ongoing process that does not or should not interfere with your vision or your daily life.

Usually there are a minimum of five follow-up visits are scheduled for most patients, post LASIK eye surgery. The first visit will most likely be within 24 hours of the surgery. It is of utmost importance to keep all these visits so that the doctor can keep track of the ongoing healing process and rectify any problems that may arise as you go along.

After LASIK eye surgery, it is natural to expect a little discomfort in your eyes, though you should not feel any pain. Part of the aftercare involves using eye drops to help alleviate this discomfort. This will have to be done for a minimum period of two to four weeks after the surgery.

Other common reactions that are common after undergoing LASIK eye surgery are a slightly blurred vision, feeling of dryness in the eyes, minor swelling and redness of the eye, sensitivity to bright light and watery eyes accompanied by a runny nose.

Tips to make this period more comfortable:

To get over the minimal discomfort that comes along with LASIK you can take any over the counter pain medication that does not contain aspirin such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen.
Give your eyes sufficient protection against sunlight or any bright light by wearing sunglasses when going out in the day.
Give your eyes as much rest as possible by getting some extra shut-eye for at least two to three days post-surgery.
The eye mask that was given to you needs to be worn immediately after the surgery for a minimum two to three hours and then during the next three to four days, it should be worn while sleeping.
During the first two weeks, all water sports, as well as all water-related activities such as whirlpools or hot tubs, should be avoided. Scuba diving should be avoided for a minimum of six weeks.
Your risk factor and the possible need for post-surgery rectifications depend on various factors, the most important one is the condition of your vision pre-surgery. If your vision had deteriorated there are higher chances that there will be some degree of complication in your surgery and you would be dissatisfied with the outcome. Also, if a small degree of astigmatism was present, the results could turn out to be unsatisfactory. Touch-up surgery is common and is normally covered by the initial cost, but the additional surgery is still an unpleasant thought.
As with any other surgery, there are no absolute guarantees with LASIK eye surgery too. Complete success is determined by many factors acting together, most important of which is each individual healing powers.
There are a few factors that act as a deterrent to anyone considering LASIK eye surgery. Anyone between 19 to 24 years of age is considered an unsuitable candidate for this procedure. As also anyone suffering from a condition such as diabetes, HIV or herpes or pregnant and breastfeeding women. LASIK eye surgery is not ideal if your eyes have been found to have thin corneas, refractive instability, or large pupils

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/ to schedule an appointment.

Which Type of Laser Surgery is Best for You?

Over the years many types of vision correction methods have been evolved. These include laser vision corrections or laser eye surgeries and other methods that include implantation of the lenses.

Since eyes are our most precious and by far the most delicate organ of all, we must practice due caution before going for the surgery. In most cases, because of not having a proper know-how of the type of eye treatment, many individuals run into life threatening risks. Therefore, to stay on the safe side as well as have your vision corrected, you need to choose the best kind of procedure out there. But before that, you should know about them.

1) LASIK

In this type of surgery, the main aim is to reshape the cornea of the eye to give it suitable curvature depending on the needs of the patient. Surgeons mainly prefer this surgery method because it is less time-consuming. The surgery only takes minutes.

LASIK or the laser assisted in situ keratomileuses is the common method used to cure myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. There are different versions of this surgery as stated below:

LASEK – it involves the creation of a thin-flap right in the outer epithelium of the eye. However, this flap floats away from the eye by the application of alcohol.

Epi-LASIK – it is like LASEK, and only differs in the mechanism.

Bladeless LASIK – this LASIK type eliminates the need of using a blade. Instead, a directed laser is used to create a corneal flap before reshaping of the cornea.

Wave front LASIK – Excimer lasers are used in wave front LASIK because of their ability to utilize the modern analysis called “wave front” in the vision correction.

2) Photorefractive Keratectomy (PKR)

The procedures used for PKR is somewhat like the ones used in LASIK. However, the main difference between the two is that in PKR, instead of creating a flap in the outer epithelium of the eye, the surgeons completely remove the outer layer. The exposed cornea is then shaped with lasers to correct the vision to its utmost degrees.

Certain candidates that would not qualify for LASIK would do for PKR because it can provide treatment in several eye-conditions such as dry eyes and irregular astigmatism. However, the patients treated with this method, sometimes, do not recover as expected. Also, the recovery time is greater than the previously explained method.

3) Implantable Contact Lenses or Visian ICL/Verisyse

Visian ICL is performed to give the patient a permanent treatment. However, upon a change in the prescription, he or she might have to experience the overall procedure again.

It is not a laser surgery. What happens in this vision correction method is that lenses are inserted just above the cornea. Patients receiving this treatment experiences vision relief almost immediately.

4) Conductive Keratoplasty

Used to cure farsightedness, presbyopia, and another type of vision problems, CK uses low heat radio waves to steepen the cornea according to the needs of the patient. This treatment can also be used for patients who have done LASIK and want to enhance near vision.

So, these were all the different types of laser treatments available out there. Depending on your age, eye conditions, and prospects, your practitioner would recommend the best procedure suitable for you. For people that have diabetes or other diseases that could affect the healing process, many of the surgeons recommend PRK or LASEK laser vision correction or laser eye surgery methods.

How does PRK laser eye surgery differ from LASIK?

PRK and LASIK vision correction methods are the most popular modern procedures for the correction of astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. While their outcomes are ultimately similar, their procedures differ. Ophthalmologists usually determine the best procedure for a patient depending on the unique laser vision correction needs of the individual. But how does PRK laser eye surgery differ from LASIK?

PRK Laser Procedure

PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) Laser Procedure was the first eye surgery vision correction method – direct predecessor of the LASIK procedure. This procedure involves the removal of the thin outer layer before reshaping the corneal tissue using an excimer laser. Within a few days after the eye surgery, the epithelium repairs itself, growing back over the surface of the cornea.

LASIK Procedure

Lasik is a procedure which involves the creation of a thin flap on the cornea with the aid of a femtosecond or microkeratome laser. The thin flap is lifted in order to expose the corneal tissue, after which it is replaced following the reshaping of the cornea using an excimer laser.

PRK vs. LASIK

A major difference between PRK Laser surgery and LASIK is in the first part of the procedure. While LASIK involves the use of a thin flap at the corneal surface, PRK does not. Hence, so long as an individual is a candidate for LASIK, he/she would also be a candidate for PRK. However, a PRK patient may not necessarily be a LASIK patient. PRK is recommended for patients with thin or steep corneas, large pupils, irregular astigmatism, and history of eye syndrome or eye surgery.

The end results of both procedures are very similar – the difference is in the healing process. The initial recovery of PRK procedure is slow because it takes a few days for regeneration of new epithelial cells to take place so the surface of the eye will be covered. The risk of eye infection and vision haziness is also increased in PRK surgery in the few days after the eye surgery and the final outcome is gradual and could be achieved after several weeks. On the other hand, LASIK patients usually experience less discomfort with quicker stability of vision.

Although the healing process of PRK is a lot slower than LASIK, the procedure has some unique benefits. Since PRK surgery does not involve the creation of a thin corneal flap, applying treatment to the thick area of the underlying stroma is possible. This is especially beneficial to patients with thin cornea (who are not qualified for LASIK) and those who have previously undergone a LASIK eye surgery. PRK is also beneficial because the patient is not exposed to the risks of removing too much cornea or potential flap complications.

Can I Have Lasik Eye Surgery If I Have an Astigmatism?

It is a general belief that people suffering from astigmatism do not necessarily need LASIK eye surgery. This might be acceptable in cases of mild astigmatism. When the case is either severe or mild, then LASIK eye surgery is a recommended way of having a vision correction.

Astigmatism is actual an abnormal or irregular curvature of the cornea. This, in turn, gives lights multiple entrances into the eye thereby causing a blurred vision. Eye doctors unanimously shared the opinion that an eye laser surgery can correct astigmatism (even if it is not the inherited type).

Astigmatism is very common, one in every three persons have it. And some of the symptoms can be blurred vision, headaches, eye strain, and fatigue after reading. These symptoms are severe in some patients while it is mild in others, depending on the severity of astigmatism in an individual patient.

Choosing LASIK

LASIK is just one of the many eye laser surgery options available for correcting eye defects. Its effectiveness is responsible for its popularity amidst eye laser surgery and vision correction methodology available. It has a success rate of 99% in eliminating astigmatism. So, if your question is still can I have a LASIK eye surgery if I have astigmatism, then your answer is YES!

It should be tentatively noted that LASIK eye laser surgery is not limited to just treating astigmatism. It is very effective in other eye defects. Ranging from short-sightedness to long-sightedness, LASIK is a very potent and fast means of having vision corrections.

It can also be used extensively for treating (removal) of cataract from the eyes. Having the freedom to participate in all event without having to reach out for the glasses or perhaps contact lens (not so cool).

Procedure

Before the eye laser surgery, the eye doctor uses an aberrometer laser beam to produce a 3D of the exact shape of the cornea on a monitor. This helps him to find where reshaping of tissues should be done. LASIK involves scraping or lifting of the cornea and using a laser beam to re-shape the tissues beneath the cornea.

It is painless (aside from minor stinging) and takes about 20 minutes to complete. The patient might experience blurring vision and increased light sensitivity which are normal and would clear up in 3-4 days. Eye drops, and oral medications are given to counter side-effects and prevent infection. Recovery time is a meager 4-5 days.

Side Effects and Choosing Right Doctor

It is important to understand that just like any other surgery, there is risk involved as well. Side effects include glare, dry eye, halos with night vision, and rarely, permanent vision loss.

As much as LASIK can treat astigmatism and other eye defects permanently, it is imperative to understand that having a good ophthalmologist reduces the rate of risk and mitigates side effects.

What is Myopia and What are the Correction Options?

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the most common refractive error of the eye a situation where the eye does not refract light or bend properly to a single focus to view images clearly. In this case, close or near objects look clear while there is poor distance vision which causes distant objects to appear blurry. However, myopia is not an eye disease, but an eye focusing disorder.

Although myopia has a genetic link, its effect is usually more driven by environmental stress associated with near work such as computer use, reading, hand games, and a lack of quality outdoor time. In fact, an increasing cause of myopia is because of the adaptation of the eyes to prolonged periods of near work. Therefore, myopia is referred to as a “nearsighted” disorder one that impacts between 25-40 percent of the total U.S. population today.

Myopia – Correction Options

Myopia is a major health concern today with increasing prevalence over time. The main correction or treatment options include the use of glasses, contact lenses, and LASIK surgery.

Glasses

The use of glasses is the most common correction option for myopia especially with children. Correction glasses correct the angle through which light hits the retina. An eye doctor, ophthalmologist or optometrist, is best placed to examine your eye, testing your vision with the use of focus exercises and eye charts to arrive at the exact prescription for the disorder.

Contact Lenses

Eye examinations and vision tests are also used to determine the exact lens prescription for a patient just as they do for glasses. The mechanism of operation of contact lenses is like that of glasses they change the direction through which light enters the eye. However, contact lenses are immensely thinner than glasses due to their proximity to the cornea. There are two different types of contact lenses, soft lenses, and rigid gas-permeable lenses.

Soft Lenses

Soft lenses are designed with flexible soft plastic that allows it to adhere to the eye surface easily. Soft lenses cover a large portion of the eye including the iris, pupil, and even extending to the white. While some soft contact lenses are designed to be worn for a specified period before they are disposed, others can be taken out after use, cleaned, and stored properly overnight for use again.

Rigid gas-permeable Contact Lenses

In comparison to soft lenses, rigid lenses are a lot smaller covering the pupil and slightly extending into the iris. Rigid lenses are made of a thin rigid plastic and they float on the eye tears like soft lenses, while oxygen passes through the lens to the eye surface. It may become necessary to clean the lenses when an eyelash or dust particle gets between the eye and the contact lens.

LASIK (Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) Surgery

Although contact lenses and eye glasses are myopia correction options, they are only temporary. Distant objects would still appear blurry if you are not using them. Laser surgery on the other hand, is a permanent myopia correction option which does not require any daily cleaning or corrections. It is the most common refractive error treatment option which adjusts the shape of the cornea to allow passage of light through it, while light hits the retina just at the right angle.

Is LASIK Safe For Seniors?

If you have some or a combination of the most common eye annoyances such as blurry vision, spots or night glares, then it is worth seeing an eye doctor or an optometrist who will examine your eyes for both vision and health problems. In some cases, eye doctors may provide low vision care or vision therapy, or correct refractive errors by prescribing contact lenses and or eyeglasses.

An ophthalmologist, on the other hand also specializes in vision care and will also perform eye exams, diagnose and treat disease, prescribe medications and perform eye surgery. An optician will use prescriptions authorized by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist to fit and sell your eyeglasses.

Understanding LASIK

So, when is LASIK vision correction necessary, who performs the procedure, what vision problems can the surgery treat, and most importantly, is it safe especially for seniors? Short for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileuses, LASIK is an FDA approved procedure that has proven to be a very safe and effective way to treat and correct common vision problems such as astigmatism, near and farsightedness.

While LASIK may not be suitable for people with strong lens prescriptions, such as a high degree of short-sightedness, however, the eye laser surgery can also be used to correct an aging effect that makes it hard for an individual to focus on things up-close using a technique known as monovision LASIK.

What To Expect During LASIK Procedure

The most important goal of eye laser surgery is to alter the shape of the cornea, so it does a better job of focusing images onto the retina for sharper vision. An eye surgeon performs LASIK using a cool, non-thermal beam of light that is computer controlled. The procedure doesn’t hurt because the surgeon places anesthetic eye drops in your eye first, then proceeds to cut across the cornea of the eye, raises a flap of tissue and carries out reshaping to correct your vision. While the entire procedure takes approximately 15 minutes per eye, the laser treatment only takes less than a minute.

People who qualify for eye laser surgery report an immediate improvement in their vision with no complications or side effects and because there’s usually no stitches or bandages required after eye laser surgery, recovery is also very quick. Therefore, anyone over 18 years and meets the requirements can benefit from LASIK procedure, this includes seniors too.

Are You Eligible For LASIK?

An eye care specialist can help you determine your eligibility for LASIK, but the general guidelines are:

You must be 21 years and older and have healthy eyes, which means your eyes must not have any conditions that will affect postoperative healing, including eye infections, severe dry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, a degenerative or autoimmune disease
Your vision must also be stable for at least a year before surgery
Pregnant or nursing women are not eligible as hormonal levels can affect the shape of the eye

Therefore, consider eye laser surgery if you are tired of fumbling with contact lenses or eyeglasses and you meet the above requirements.

What is Hyperopia and What Are the Correction Options?

Having the ability to see well is one of the essential requirements of living but few people actually have 20/20 vision. One of the most common problems is Hyperopia. Hyperopia is basically farsightedness. It’s one of the most common eye problems. It can not only affect your vision but also your overall well being and your quality of life, as your daily efficiency is decreased. Basically, you’ll be able to see objects well in the distance, while your vision will be blurrier closer up. This is also a problem that develops as you get older.

It may be time to visit an eye doctor to see how this problem can be corrected. Eye doctors will diagnose your Hyperopia. This condition can develop when the distance between your cornea and retina is too short. This basically displaces light rays instead of the image settling onto your retina; it will place it behind it. This creates vision problems. This condition can also be hereditary, so if your parents have farsightedness, most likely you do too. Usually people get this condition in their childhood.

Hyperopia Symptoms

If you are having any of the following issues, a trip to the eye doctors may be in order. Do you have a hard time reading books? Perhaps you have trouble when doing sewing, crafting, or cooking. You can have severe headaches and nausea when trying to complete these tasks. Yet you may still be able to see mountains in the distance. You may have no trouble driving, as you can see street signs, lights, and other vehicles easily.

Choosing LASIK

Eye doctors will test your eyes to diagnose your condition. You may be prescribed eye glasses or contact lenses for vision correction. One other solution, which is more permanent, is to have eye laser surgery. LASIK surgery is one option that can be done at the eye doctors’ clinic. It can not only correct Hyperopia but myopia and astigmatism too. Basically all of these conditions are caused by the shape of the eyes.

One thing that eye laser surgery still isn’t good at correcting is Presbyopia, which is caused by the hardening and thickening of the eye’s lenses. Perhaps one of the best reasons for vision correction by eye laser surgery is so that you can read again without using glasses or contact lenses. You’ll also discover how your headaches and nausea will go away.

Modern LASIK surgery will correct reading problems. Some people have different vision problems in each eye, so each will be carefully evaluated. One eye may require different treatment than the other. Your eye doctors will advise you on the best course of treatment so you can regain your 20/20 vision.

Looking for the Right Solution

If you are suffering from Hyperopia and tired of not being able to see up close without reading glasses, or you are always feeling unwell, please book an appointment at our eye doctors today. Eye laser surgery will correct your vision so you can now focus on the world both sharply and clearly.

Are You Ready For Laser Vision Correction Surgery?

Any type of surgery can be nerve-wracking no matter how minor or major it is including laser vision correction surgery however it doesn’t have to. Pre surgery anxiety can be eliminated with a little bit of preparation. By guaranteeing your eye examination is complete and is set up with enough time in advance of the surgery, you can comfort your brain in the days paving the way to laser vision correction.

Guarantee you are eligible for laser eye treatment surgery

Have a full assessment by your eye specialist to decide if you’re reasonable for laser eye surgery. This will in all likelihood incorporate various tests, for example, thickness of the corneal and mapping, vision and medicine testing, eye weight and student expansion. These tests may sound scaring, yet they are simple and effortless. You have to guarantee you get the most ideal treatment and the more you think about your eyes and the strategy, the more casual you will fondle in the number one spot to your operation.

Request an information pack

Ensure your specialist knows about your restorative history With regards to examining your wellbeing with your specialist, there is no such thing as a lot of data. Ensure he or she knows about eye-related medical problems, and in addition more broad wellbeing concerns or issues, over a wide span of time. Guarantee your specialist knows precisely what pharmaceuticals you go up against a consistent premise, and in addition any drugs you might be hypersensitive to.

Quit wearing eye cosmetics

For one to two days before your laser vision correction surgery, you should keep your eye region clean and cosmetics free. Any trash left along the eyelashes can expand danger of contamination. Tenderly however altogether wash your eyes in the days paving the way to laser eye surgery to guarantee there is no cosmetics left waiting.

Change from contact focal points to glasses

On the off chance that you wear delicate contact focal points, it is fundamental that you take them out no less than one week preceding having laser eye surgery. Hard (unbending gas penetrable) focal points ought to be expelled three to a month preceding surgery. This is fundamental. Wearing contacts changes the state of your corneas. Wearing contact focal points excessively near your laser eye surgery may bring about incorrect estimations, making your outcomes less successful. It is important that before your LASIK surgery that you plan to wear your glasses instead of contact lenses.

No creams, aromas or moisturizers

In the days paving the way to your laser eye surgery take good care to keep your facial skin totally free of any creams, aromas or establishments. On the off chance that these come into contact with the eye, your danger of disease may increment.

Guarantee you design the day of your operation well ahead of time. Sort out to have somebody take you to and from your arrangement. As you will probably have a pre-surgery narcotic and shields to ensure your eyes secured after your system, you are not allowed to drive upon the arrival of your surgery. Your eyes must recuperate before your specialist will exhort you are protected to drive, ordinarily the morning following your laser vision correction surgery methodology.

Since its best practice to keep the laser innovation at temperature that is low, it may become frosty in laser eye treatment room, so wear something warm, ideally something that you don’t have to pull on and off finished your head. Anything that is feathery is best to be maintained a strategic distance from.

Download podcasts or perusing books

It is essential on the night of your laser eye treatment surgery that you rest your eyes and keep them shut. This implies you won’t utilize your versatile, PCs, perusing or sitting in front of the TV. You will in all likelihood rest yet it is best to be arranged and have a remark you amid your recuperation, especially on the off chance that you are having the ASLA method. Having music or other sound diversion arranged is suggested.

Cataract Surgery Procedure and What to Expect

Cataracts are one of the most common eye-related problems in the world today. It occurs when the eye lens becomes cloudy, leading to misty and hazy vision. Occurring naturally due to age, anyone that develops cataracts will eventually see a significant loss of clear vision, which can only be addressed through surgery.

Cataract surgery happens to be a very straight-forward procedure. Completed on hundreds of thousands of patients annually, cataract surgery helps to restore vision, preventing blindness from eventually developing.

Here’s everything you need to know about cataract surgery:

When is cataract surgery necessary?

A loss in vision is common in aging people, with many suffering from cloudy vision at some stage of their later years. Cataracts can take years to fully develop however, allowing people to live with it for quite some time before vision is impaired.

However, cataracts eventually develop into a much more significant problem over time. The only way to rectify the issue is by surgical procedure, where the cataracts are removed from the eye.

Should your vision not be impaired by cataracts, then you can hold off on surgery. It’s only truly necessary once it starts to have a negative impact on your day-to-day life. For instance, if you can no longer read, drive, or struggle to see in most conditions, then surgery is advised.

What does cataract surgery involve?

Cataract surgery is quite a simple routine. You are provided with some local anaesthetic and some eye drops, after which the eye surgeon makes a minor incision on your eye. If you are feeling anxious about the procedure you may be given a minor sedative to stay relaxed.

The eye lens is then removed and replaced with an artificial implant lens known as an intraocular lens, after which the surgery is complete!

What you can expect from cataract surgery

There are a few things to expect from cataract surgery, none of which should give you any concern.

The procedure is very simple and shouldn’t take longer than an hour, so expect a total surgery time of around 20-40 minutes in most cases. Only one eye is treated per surgery, so you will likely require two procedures should you have it in both eyes, which will take place a few weeks apart.

So, you can also expect to go home that day. Remember, you are only under local anaesthetic, which means you will be awake for the entire procedure. Don’t worry; you won’t be able to feel a thing! Most patients are home just a few hours after surgery, so it’s not too taxing of a day.

Also, your vision may be quite blurry for a few days after the surgery, although some people see their vision improve that same day. Don’t have high expectations of this however, as it’s best to assume you will need a few days to fully recover.

Are there any risks with cataract surgery?

Serious risks from cataract surgery are very low. The procedure is one of the safest and most straight-forward administered to patients, although there are some minor risks worth knowing. For instance, inflammation in the eye may occur, while more serious problems such as a detached retina are possible.

However, chances of complications remain low. Serious complications are reported in around 1 percent of cataract surgeries, so you should be completely free of risk!

At Rohr eye and laser center we offer cataract surgery with Tecnis IOLs or Toric IOLs. Don’t let cataracts affect your vision. We recommend you get a eye exam each year to insure your eyes are healthy. If you are worried about your vision and need a check up or would like to schedule a surgery, give us a call at 877-579-0202. You can also visit our website at www.michiganlasik.com. Our office is located in Grand Blanc, Michigan.