Ever since the late 1990s, optometrists all over the world have recommended LASIK surgery to treat issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The team of optometrists at Bronx Eye Associates works with men and women living in or around the Bronx in New York City to find the best solutions to their vision issues and effective ways of reducing their patients’ dependence on glasses and contact lenses. Call or go online today to learn more about what LASIK surgery can do for you.
Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis surgery, otherwise known as LASIK, is a procedure that improves eyesight by permanently reshaping your cornea. In the late 1990s, researchers identified a laser that could alter eye tissue without impacting the adjacent areas.
In 2018, LASIK surgery is the method of choice of safe and effective vision adjustments.
During your consultation with an optometrist at Bronx Eye Associates, you’ll discuss whether LASIK surgery is right for you. The practice doesn’t perform the surgery in-house, though a team member can refer you to somewhere that does.
The LASIK procedure is typically performed on a comfortable reclining chair. The surgeon gives you a calming medication before applying numbing eye drops. Surgeons generally use a speculum to keep your eyelids open during the procedure.
Using a laser, your surgeon creates a thin flap in the cornea, allowing a look at a deeper portion of the cornea. Your surgeon then blasts this area with pulses of ultraviolet light to remove various cells and reshape the cornea.
The goal of the procedure is to resolve any vision abnormalities like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.
Contact lenses are strictly prohibited in the weeks leading up to the procedure, as they may impact the delivery of oxygen to the cornea.
Before referring you to a surgeon, your optometrist at Bronx Eye Associates performs a comprehensive evaluation of your eyes and general health. Not everyone is an ideal candidate for LASIK surgery. You might not be a good candidate if you:
LASIK surgery is a permanent procedure. That being said, it comes with a series of risks, including:
The rarest complication related to LASIK surgery is vision loss, though this occurs in less than 1% of patients.
Contact a team member at Bronx Eye Associates today to find out if you’re a good candidate for LASIK surgery.