If you are one of the people who wear contact lenses and eyeglasses because you have to and not because you want to, read on. Have you ever experienced being unable to fulfill your duties and responsibilities at work because you forgot your eyeglasses at home, or that you ran out of contact lens solution and your lenses are causing your eyes to hurt every time you blink? The good news is that you do not have to be stuck wearing eyeglasses and contact lenses for the rest of your life. Thanks to the improvements of modern technology in terms of health care, there is laser eye surgery.

What is laser eye surgery?

Some people may have a vision of scalpels in mind - this does not apply with laser eye surgery. As the name suggests, the surgery is conducted with the use of lasers, sometimes called LASIK or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. In a nutshell, what happens during the surgery is that your corneas are reshaped, allowing them to focus more and give you clearer eyesight.

Is laser surgery right for you?

Laser surgery is still surgery, and all forms of surgery have risks. Having said so, only a qualified ophthalmologist can determine whether laser surgery is right for you. The best and easiest way to know is to visit a clinic which offers laser surgery, book an appointment with an ophthalmologist, and go through the different rigorous tests to determine whether you need the surgery or not.

What are the advantages of laser surgery?

Since your corneas will be reshaped to give them more focusing power resulting to better vision for you, then you may be able do away with your eyeglasses and contact lenses, and enjoy clear vision from the moment you open your eyes. Since the process is laser-assisted, the chances of getting your eyes infected with any form of bacteria are next to none because the lasers can kill off any bacteria. Plus, the procedure is generally painless and a lot of people opt not to have anesthesia administered, although eye drops containing local anesthetics are given to make the whole process as comfortable as possible.

This procedure calls for a very short period of rest, and you can be up and about in your normal routine in no time. Some patients may experience discomfort in the following days directly after the process, but painkillers are usually more than enough to minimize the discomfort.

What happens after the laser eye surgery?

A lot of people may be wondering what happens next after having laser surgery. Well, after you get enough rest, you can go back to your normal routine without the eyeglasses or contact lenses that you used to have. You will be enjoying a clearer vision without the need for any devices to help you do so. However, this does not mean that you will never need eyeglasses again. As you and your eyes get older eventually, you will need reading glasses to help you read the fine print in newspapers and other smaller print. The procedure gives permanent results, but your eyes age as you do, so at some point you will need to wear reading glasses.

How to Choose a Laser Eye Surgeon

Choosing where to have your laser eye surgery done and by whom needs serious thought and consideration. You should make it a point to research different clinics which offer laser eye surgery. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions you may have - one mark of a good clinic is the fact that they want to please you, get to know you, and they want to gain your trust to make the whole experience more comfortable. Ask how much experience they have in performing laser surgery, what preparations you should do, and if they can provide you any references you can contact. A good clinic will never have any trouble providing you with references you can call to ask about how their laser eye surgery went as their clients will definitely be happy and willing to share the good news to others.

Get in touch with different eye doctors so that they can professionally assess whether you need laser eye surgery or otherwise. This type of surgery is not just for vision problems - it can also help in cataract surgery. So if you have any elder relatives who may be in need of such a procedure, visit a clinic together and find out how laser eye surgery can enhance your vision permanently.