Lasik eye surgery is a refractive surgical procedure that works wonders on the eyes of people suffering from nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia. It reduces a person's complete dependency on glasses and contact lenses. The full form of Lasik is Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that involves permanently changing the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye using an excimer laser.

How is Lasik surgery done?
The surgery should be done with great skill as it involves the most delicate part of human body. It is done with a knife called microkeratome and is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is done at one end of this flap and then the flap is folded back revealing the stroma, which is the middle section of the cornea. Instant pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap can be easily replaced.

How is Lasik advantageous over other surgical procedures?
Lasik eye surgery is quite advantageous over other surgery procedures because they often involve much less pain as an aftermath. Lasik unlike other eye surgeries also promise extremely good vision that can be achieved almost immediately or at least by the next day.

What to do in Lasik eye surgery?
But before you go for the Lasik surgery, you should have a proper test done by your physician. The optician will examine your eyes to determine their health, analyze the kind of visual correction needed and determine how much Lasik ablation is required. Risks like losing vision, developing debilitating visual symptoms, severe dry eye and large refractive errors are often associated with Lasik eye surgeries. So you consult a proper eye surgeon for the best results.

Once you are confident about undergoing the Lasik eye surgery you should follow certain rules to get quick results from the surgery.

Following is a brief history of what should be done before, during and after Lasik:

Before surgery

• Stop wearing soft contact lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses and hard lenses.
• Do not feel pressurized by your doctor, friends and family.
• Stop using creams, lotions, perfumes and make-ups.
• Keep removing all debris and residues from the eye surfaces.

During surgery

• Apply a numbing drop to your eye that will clean the area around your eye and create a numb feeling near your eyes.
• Wear the shield that holds the flaps in places. Wear it to prevent any sudden accidents or getting hit in your eyes.

After surgery

• Consult your doctor immediately in case of any itching, eye irritation, mild pain or sudden discomfort.
• Use eye drops given by the doctor to prevent infections or inflammations.
• Never wear contact lenses at least for next fortnight.

Lasik eye surgery is hassle-free but you should take proper care for your eyes. In spite of such care, if you face any worsening symptoms you should immediately contact your doctor to prevent any further eye-related problems.