The vision correction you’ve been wanting…
the name you know and trust.
Thanks to laser vision correction, millions of people who wore glasses or contact lenses every day now enjoy the freedom of natural vision.
You can trust your laser vision correction to the name that’s stood for excellence in eye care for more than 30 years: MAHAJAN EYE HOSPITAL.
You’ll be treated by our surgeons with utmost care, to ensure the best results possible.
Introduction
Laser in-situ keratomileusis, or LASIK is generally a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of common vision problems. Specifically, it involves the use of a laser to permanently change the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye. LASIK is a quick and often painless procedure, and for the majority of patients, the surgery improves vision and reduces the need for corrective eyewear.
Patient Profiles
Who is Right for Laser Eye Surgery? While many individuals are considered good candidates for LASIK, there are some who do not meet the generally accepted medical criteria to ensure a successful laser vision procedure. Individuals that are not deemed good candidates can be considered for Implantable Collamer lens (ICL) or for INTACS. Based on various conditions and circumstances, all LASIK candidates will fall into one of the following three broad categories.
The Ideal LASIK Candidate
The ideal candidate includes those who:
- Are over 18 years of age and have had a stable glasses or contact lens prescription for at least 6 Months.
- Have sufficient corneal thickness (the cornea is the trans-parent front part of the eye). A LASIK patient should have a cornea that is thick enough to allow the surgeon to safely create a clean corneal flap of appropriate depth.
- Are affected by one of the common types of vision problems or refractive error – myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism (blurred vision caused by an irregular shaped cornea), hyperopia (farsightedness), or a combination thereof (e.g., myopia with astigmatism).
- Do not suffer from any disease, vision-related or otherwise, that may reduce the effectiveness of the surgery or the patient’s ability to heal properly and quickly.
- Are adequately informed about the benefits and risks of the procedure. Candidates should thoroughly discuss the procedure with their physicians and understand that for most people, the goal of refractive surgery should be the reduction of dependency on glasses and contact lenses, not their complete elimination.
The 'Less Than Ideal' LASIK Candidate
Sometimes, factors exist that preclude a candidate from being ideal for LASIK surgery. In many cases, a surgeon may still be able to perform the procedure safely, given that the candidate and physician have adequately discussed the benefits and risks, and set realistic expectations for the results. Candidates in this category include those who:
- Have a history of dry eyes, as they may find that the condition worsens following surgery.
- Are being treated with medications such as steroids or immunosuppressants, which can prevent healing, or are suffering from diseases that slow healing, such as autoimmune disorders.
- Have scarring of the cornea.
More often, factors exist that may keep an individual from being a candidate immediately, but do not preclude the individual from being a candidate entirely. Candidates in this category include those who:
- Are under age 18.
- Have unstable vision, which usually occurs in young people. Doctors recommend that, prior to undergoing LASIK, candidates’ vision has stabilized with a consistent glasses or contact lens prescription for at least two years.
- Are pregnant or nursing.
- Have a history of ocular herpes within one year prior to having the surgery. Once a year has passed from initial diagnosis of the disease, surgery can be considered.
- Have refractive errors too severe for treatment with current technology.
The Non-LASIK Candidate
Certain conditions and circumstances completely preclude individuals from being candidates for LASIK surgery. Non-candidates include individuals who:
- Have diseases such as cataracts, advanced glaucoma, corneal diseases, corneal thinning disorders (keratoconus or pellucid marginal degeneration), or certain other pre-existing eye diseases that affect or threaten vision.
- Do not give informed consent. It is absolutely necessary that candidates adequately discuss the procedure and its benefits and risks with their surgeon, and provide the appropriate consent prior to undergoing the surgery.
- Have unrealistic expectations. It is critical for candidates to understand that laser eye surgery, as all surgical procedures, involves some risk. In addition, both the final outcome of surgery and the rate of healing vary from person to person and even from eye to eye in each individual.
Realistic Expectations: Why Are They Central to Patient Satisfaction?
The overwhelming majority of patients who have had LASIK surgery are fully satisfied with their results – having experienced the significant benefits of improved vision. However, as with any medical or surgical procedure, for certain patients the outcome of the procedure may not seem “ideal” or meet all of his/her expectations. A small minority of patients may also experience complications. Therefore, it is crucial that LASIK surgery candidates thoroughly discuss the procedure — its benefits, risks and probable outcomes — with their physician prior to undergoing the surgery. Each patient should be fully informed and feel comfortable that they are making an educated decision based upon facts. Candidates should be aware that:
- LASIK cannot provide perfect vision every time for every patient. However, for the majority of LASIK candidates, the surgery improves vision and reduces the need for corrective eyewear. In fact, the vast majority of patients with low to moderate near sightedness achieve 20/40 vision or better, and many can expect to achieve 20/20 vision or better.
- Re-treatments (enhancements) may be required to achieve optimal outcomes. Fortunately, it is possible to repeat the laser treatment by lifting the flap, typically about three months after the original procedure. Even after enhancements, vision after LASIK may not be as good as it was with glasses or contact lenses before the procedure.
- There may be visual aberrations after LASIK—most commonly, glare and halos under dim lighting conditions. Usually, these are not significant, and resolve within several months of surgery. Occasionally, they are severe enough to interfere with normal activities.
- Mono vision is a technique in which one eye is corrected for distance vision and the other is leftnearsighted to focus on near objects without glasses. Today, it is the only way that LASIK candidates older than about 45 years can avoid reading glasses. LASIK will not cure presbyopia, the aging changes that prevent older people from seeing near objects through the same glasses that they use for viewing distant objects.
- LASIK surgery, as all surgical procedures, has the risk of complications. Fortunately, the likelihood of visual loss with LASIK is very small. In the many millions of LASIK procedures done so far, less than one percent of patients have experienced serious, vision threatening problems. Most complications represent delays in full recovery and resolve within several months of surgery.
Guidelines to patients desiring lasik
Not every eye is suitable for LASIK . We refuse about a third of the people who consult us for LASIK. Our consultants will do a thorough examination of your eyes on your first visit to make sure that your eyes are fit to undergo LASIK procedure. To assist them, please do not wear soft contact lenses for a week and rigid ones for two weeks prior to your checkup. Lenses distort the cornea and might influence the outcome of the treatment. If you have any old prescriptions for lenses or glasses or details of any eye treatment you have had in the past, please bring them along.
During your first examination we need to dilate your pupils using eye drops. Dilatation of the pupils may temporarily blur the vision of some people for a few hours. Therefore, we advise that you make arrangements for someone else to drive you back home. It would also help if you can get a pair of dark glasses along.
Eye examinations normally take time. You may have to spend an hour or more at the hospital . We would appreciate your patience.
On the day of the procedure please arrange to have someone with you. Please do not wear perfumes, make-up, gels or sprays as fine vapours can interfere with the path of the laser beam.
We are here to assist you and to make you feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
After the procedure you can go home after a short rest. We will examine your eyes the next morning.
Before you go home, our staff will give you instructions and eye drops. Your vision may be blurred for a few hours so please ensure that there is somebody else to take you home.
For a short while you will experience watering of the eyes and feel as if there is something in your eye. This is quite natural, but on no account must you rub your eyes.
After your surgery, we will see you several times again over the next year, and measure your eyes using the same equipment as before to monitor the success of your treatment.
Most people can resume their general day to day activities 24 to 48 hours after treatment. However, there are a few other activities that need to be carried out with due care:
| Showering | The next day with your eyes closed |
| Driving | When you are comfortable with your new vision, and if it meets driving standards |
| Heavy exercise | After one to two weeks depending on how comfortable your eyes feel |
| Swimming | After two weeks with goggles, or six weeks without them |
| Eye make-up | Mascara after four weeks, other make-up after two days |
