The decision to modify the cornea as a permanent solution to glasses and contact lenses is potentially very rewarding, but you might be scared of the delicacy of the operation. You can defeat operation jitters by reading about LASIK and learning how you can prepare for this type of surgery.
Finding a Surgeon
Laser vision correction has been around for years now, and most practicing doctors are highly experienced. LASIK is no longer an experimental procedure filled with fresh college graduates. The vast majority of operations are successful, and you can find a good surgeon who has has a long list of satisfied patients. You should feel secure knowing that you have trusted your eyes with professional hands, and you do owe it to yourself to find the best doctor.
Contact and Glasses Use
Virtually all eye surgeons will ask you to remove any contacts you might have for at least a month prior to surgery. Contacts will slightly compress the cornea and affect its shape for a few days. To that end, it is best to stop weeks ahead of even receiving an examination. This is to make sure all measurements are as accurate as possible. The distortions that affect vision are very small, and surgical corrections of this nature are microscopic.
Wearing glasses has little to no negative impact on the shape of the cornea. A bad pair of glasses can affect the tension of the muscles controlling the iris, but the cornea cannot change its shape naturally. This means you must accept wearing glasses for a few months. While they might be less aesthetically pleasing, they are safer and less complicated than contacts. A cheap pair can be ordered for the surgery if a recent prescription is not owned.
Facial and Body Care
The surgeon should already be aware of all your medications, and no perfume or lotion of any sort should be worn on the day of surgery. Because all surgeries involve the risk of infection, all measures that can remove particles around the eyes are important. This means cleaning and scrubbing eyelashes to remove dirt, loose hairs, and the remains of eyelash enhancers. Meticulously wash your face to remove dust and loose skin cells.
Financial Preparations
Your final preparations have to do with finances and your employer. This means that the bill must be tallied and paid through insurance minus the deductible. Employers should be informed of the procedure far ahead of time and asked for time away from work. The surgery itself lasts little more than half an hour, but the surgeon might prescribe rest and even cover the eye with a gauze. Jobs that require depth perception or excellent vision cannot be performed while the eye is healing. This is why financial preparations must be begun far in advance, meaning you must make some decisions about your job.
