LASIK Eye Surgery – Precautions Before Having Surgery
As mentioned earlier, the LASIK eye surgery procedure is not for everyone. If you have any of the conditions below, you are probably not a good candidate for refractive surgery.
LASIK Eye Surgery Cost
Are you one of those who often worry of the LASIK eye surgery cost? You should understand in the first place that most medical insurance will not pay for refractive surgery. And, although the cost is coming down, it is still one of the most significant factors to consider.
Not a Risk Taker
When it comes to LASIK eye surgery and other refractive surgeries, certain complications are unavoidable, and this happened in a percentage of patients. Aside from that, there are no long-term data available for LASIK eye surgery procedure. So, if you are not a risk taker, then LASIK eye surgery is probably not for you.
It Will Jeopardize Your Career
As you may know, some jobs these days prohibit certain refractive procedures. Therefore, it is significant, if you are working, to be sure to check with your employer service before undergoing any LASIK eye surgery procedure.
Refractive Instability
Refractive instability is a condition in which you required a change in your contact lens or glasses prescription in the past year. The patients who are more likely to have refractive instability are those who are:
- In their early 20s or younger
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Taking medications that may cause fluctuations in vision
- Whose hormones are fluctuating due to disease like diabetes
Experts suggest that those people should discuss the possible additional risks with their LASIK surgeon or doctor.
With a Disease or On Medications that Prevent Healing
You are not qualified to take a LASIK eye surgery procedure if you are suffering from certain conditions that may affect wound healing. Included in the list are those autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as immunodeficiency states like HIV and diabetes.
You are not also qualified for the LASIK eye surgery if you are taking medications like retinoic acid and steroids as they may prevent healing after a refractive procedure.
Contact Sports Participant
If you are actively participating in some contact sports like boxing, wrestling, martial arts or other activities in which blows to the face and eyes, then you are not a candidate for LASIK eye surgery.
Not an Adult
Are you still below 18 years old? If so, then you must know that currently, no lasers are approved by the FDA and other organizations for LASIK eye surgery on persons under the age of 18.
Aside from those above mentioned conditions, there are also some precautions that you must take note before considering a LASIK eye surgery procedure. Note that the safety as well as effectiveness of refractive procedures like LASIK eye surgery has not been identified in patients with some diseases.
If you have a history of any of the following, don’t forget to discuss with your doctor or LASIK surgeon:
- Glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, or ocular hypertension
- Herpes simplex or herpes zoster or shingles involving the eye area
- Eye diseases such as uveitis/iritis, commonly known as inflammation of the eye
- Keratoconus
- Eye injuries or previous eye surgeries
Other Factors
Before jumping headfirst to a LASIK eye surgery, your doctor should examine you for the following conditions. Note that these are indicators of risk:
- Thin Corneas – Probably you all know that the cornea is the thin clear covering of the eye that is over the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. Well, most of the refractive surgeries change the focusing power of the eyes by way of reshaping the cornea. An example of this could be the removal of tissue. So, performing a LASIK eye surgery, which is refractive, on a cornea that is too thin may result blinding complications. If you have thin corneas, then LASIK is not for you.
- Dry Eyes – The Dry Eye Syndrome is actually one of the most common complications after LASIK eye surgery. Well, it is not exclusive to people who have had refractive surgery, but it has developed into the most common complication after laser vision correction.
- Large Pupils – When taking an eye examination, be sure that the evaluation is done in a dark room. A reason for this could be the fact that younger patients, as well as those who are on certain medications may be prone to having large pupils under dim lighting conditions. According to some experts, this can trigger symptoms like halos, glare, ghost images (double vision), and starbursts to occur after LASIK eye surgery. Most patients consider these symptoms debilitating. Perhaps one specific example of this is a patient who cannot take anymore to drive a car at night or in certain weather conditions, like fog.
- Previous Refractive Surgery – Most surgeons do not recommend additional refractive surgery once you have undergone a particular procedure. Accordingly, the decision to have additional refractive procedure must be made in consultation with your doctor after careful consideration of your situation.
- Blepharitis – One of the factors that trigger to increase inflammation or infection of the cornea after the LASIK eye surgery is blepharitis, which is an inflammation of the eyelids with crusting of eyelashes. So, if you have this condition, better not consider refractive surgery.