What It’s Really Like to Have LASIK: Patient Testimonial

The appeal of LASIK is simple: to be able to see without glasses or contacts. For Kristyn, it was about waking up to see what time it was without needing corrective lenses. She says, “I decided to come to Ocala Eye to take that leap just to see if I could get the LASIK procedure.” Her goal at first was simple exploration to see if she was a candidate and if she could actually benefit from the procedure.

Three of the main reasons people may consider LASIK surgery are to improve their quality of life, protect their annual finances, and reduce the inconveniences of glasses and contact lenses.

Quality of Life

If you’ve ever misplaced your glasses, you know how annoying it can be to depend on them for daily life. Keeping track of your contact lenses can also be a chore. You may also consider LASIK because you like the way your face looks without glasses. Finding the right frame to fit your facial structure isn’t nearly as fun when you have to do it because you can’t see without glasses.

Finances

Cost also comes into play, particularly if you get new glasses each year. Frames, lenses, and contacts cost you money every season. LASIK is a one-and-done procedure, eliminating the annual financial burden of replacing your glasses or contacts and buying contact lens solution and other items required for their upkeep.

Convenience 

LASIK is also about convenience. It’s not healthy for your eyes to fall asleep with your contacts in. Your glasses can fall right off your face and break. All of these reasons are good ones if you’re considering LASIK surgery. 

Ultimately, Kristyn was a good candidate for LASIK for these reasons. She says, “It’s just an amazing feeling to know that I don’t have to struggle with contacts in the morning.” 

If you’re thinking about the procedure, the first step is to research more about the procedure, its benefits, and the risks associated with it. The next few sections of this blog can help you get started in that direction.

LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It’s a procedure that uses a cutting laser to reshape the cornea of your eye. Today, LASIK is one of the most popular vision correction surgeries in the world. It also has one of the best patient satisfaction ratings of any surgical procedure in the United States.

The cornea is the clear dome at the front of your eye. Light passes through the dome and as it does, the cornea bends, or refracts, the light so it hits the retina at the back of the eye, where what we see is processed as an image by the brain. When the light is bent incorrectly, myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) or astigmatism, which is both, cause your vision to become blurry.

Contact lenses and glasses can correct how the light hits the eyes and, ultimately, your vision. However, LASIK allows a trained surgeon to carefully reshape the eye precisely so you no longer need these corrective tools to see well.

All surgeries have risks but LASIK has higher success rates and lower complications than almost any other procedure. In very rare cases, a LASIK patient may experience:

• A decrease in tear production or dry eyes
• Double vision, halos around lights, or glare
• Flap issues with the surgery area
• Overcorrection or undercorrection of vision issues
• Vision loss or vision changes

Over the years, LASIK surgery has continued to improve. Today, it is perhaps the safest procedure in all of ophthalmology because of how rare the complications from the surgery are.

Kristyn says, “Recovery time was really quick.” LASIK typically takes just 15 minutes or less per eye, and as Kristyn says, patients can often see perfectly “the day of.”  Unlike Kristyn, you may have blurred vision after the procedure, but some patients experience an immediate improvement in their vision after the procedure. 

You may experience some temporary light sensitivity, burning, or eye tearing up to four hours after the surgery. You may not notice it at all or it may be bothersome; every patient is different. Here are some suggestions to help you have a smooth recovery from LASIK:

• Have someone drive you home
• Consider napping after the procedure; you will basically sleep through any discomfort.
• Do not rub the area even if there is a slight sense of irritation. Touching your eyes will only make the irritation worse and impact your recovery.

Your doctor will send you home with eye drops for any dryness and redness that may occur. Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully to prevent infection and inflammation. You’ll go back for a recheck about a day after surgery and then several times over the next year. During that time your eyes will continue to improve. 

While you may feel great right after surgery and want to get back to your routine, make sure to avoid:

• Garden work, eye makeup, and smoke for about a week
• Swimming or the hot tub for about two weeks
• Staring at the computer for long periods; consider increasing the frequency of your breaks

Use the lubricating eye drops as your doctor recommended. Also follow any instructions about exercising and contact sports to the letter.

Kristyn says there was “no downtime” for her procedure. While results can vary, her experience was a typical one.

If you’ve struggled with the desire to dump your corrective eye gear, consider what Kristyn has to say about LASIK surgery. She says, “I would definitely recommend Ocala Eye for all your LASIK needs. To find out more visit Ocalaeye.com.”

To schedule an appointment, please contact our team. We’re excited to work with you to determine the best way to address the vision problems that keep getting in your way.