Lasik Eye Surgery in Iran

What is LASIK Eye Surgery?

How long does Lasik last for?

LASIK eye surgery is the best known and most commonly performed laser refractive surgery to correct vision problems. Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) can be an alternative to glasses or contact lenses.

During LASIK surgery, a special type of cutting laser is used to precisely change the shape of the dome-shaped clear tissue at the front of your eye (cornea) to improve vision.

In eyes with normal vision, the cornea bends (refracts) light precisely onto the retina at the back of the eye. But with nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism, the light is bent incorrectly, resulting in blurred vision.

Glasses or contact lenses can correct vision, but reshaping the cornea itself also will provide the necessary refraction.

Best Lasik Eye Surgeons in Iran

Dr. Arash Aboudi	Vitreoretinal fellowship	Shiraz
Dr. Vahid Ghasemi Far	Vitreoretinal fellowship	Shiraz
Dr. Abbas Attarzadeh Jozdani	Fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology, cornea, and strabismus	Shiraz
Dr. Meysam Ghanbari	Fellowship in cornea and exophthalmos	Shiraz
Dr. Ismail Imani-Nia	Ophthalmologist	Shiraz
Dr. Reza Pour-Mohammadi	Surgeon and ophthalmologist	Shiraz
Dr. Ali Tavalloli	Eye cancer and vitreoretinal fellowship	Shiraz
Dr. Hamid Khosh Niyat	Fellowship in cornea	Shiraz
Dr. Seyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi	Fellowship in cornea and LASIK. Surgeon and ophthalmologist	Tehran
Dr. Mohammad Reza Asadollahi	Specialist in ophthalmology, vitreoretinal fellowship (retina and laser)	Tehran
Dr. Alireza Moghadassi	Cornea and LASIK fellowship, surgeon and specialist in ophthalmologist, LASIK, femto-LASIK, LASEK, cataract surgery, and keratoconus	Tehran
Dr. Maryam Roshani	Fellowship in cornea and exophthalmos	Tehran
Dr. Mehran Zarei Ghavanati	Fellowship in cornea from England, cornea transplant, cataract, LASIK	Tehran
Dr. Reza Hemmati	Specialty in ophthalmology, fellowship in cornea and exophthalmos	Tehran
Dr. Seyed Muhammad Ali Abtahi Froushani	Fellowship in cornea and exophthalmos	Tehran
Dr. Reza Hemmati	Subspecialist in cornea	Tehran
Dr. Azam Alimardani	Subspecialist in cornea	Tehran
Dr. Ehsan Zarei Khafri	Specialist in ophthalmology	Tehran
Dr. Mohammad Hassan Shah Heydari	Fellowship in retina	Tehran
Dr. Hamzeh Nasiri	Surgeon and specialist in eye and eyelid	Mashhad
Dr. Atefeh Haji Pour	Specialty in ophthalmology	Mashhad
Dr. Seyed Mohammad Hossein Mousavi Nik	Surgeon and specialist in eye diseases,  LASIK, PRK, Phaco	Mashhad
Dr. Razieh Bayani	Specialty in ophthalmology	Mashhad
Dr. Malihah Nik Andish	Specialty in ophthalmology. Fellowship in cornea	Mashhad
Dr. Helia Shayanfar	Fellowship in ophthalmology, cornea, and LASIK	Mashhad
Dr. Mohammad Etezad Razavi	Fellowship in oculoplastic surgery and strabismus (oculoplasty and strabismus)	Mashhad
Dr. Fatemeh Sabzi	Fellowship in cornea and exophthalmos. Specialty in Ophthalmology	Mashhad
Dr. Narjes Sadat Bagherian	Specialty in ophthalmology. Fellowship in Cornea and exophthalmos	Mashhad

 

Before LASIK Eye Surgery

Why it’s done

LASIK surgery may be an option for the correction of one of these vision problems:

. Nearsightedness (myopia). When your eyeball is slightly longer than normal or when the cornea curves too sharply, light rays focus in front of the retina and blur distant vision. You can see objects that are close fairly clearly, but not those that are far away.

. Farsightedness (hyperopia). When you have a shorter than average eyeball or a cornea that is too flat, light focuses behind the retina instead of on it. This makes near vision, and sometimes distant vision, blurry.

. Astigmatism. When the cornea curves or flattens unevenly, the result is astigmatism, which disrupts focus of near and distant vision.

If you’re considering LASIK surgery, you probably already wear glasses or contact lenses. Your eye doctor will talk with you about whether LASIK surgery or another similar refractive procedure is an option that will work for you.

What is refractive error?

In the human eye, the front surface (cornea) and lens inside the eye form the eye’s “focusing system” and are primarily responsible for focusing incoming light rays onto the surface of the retina, much like the lenses of a camera focus light onto the film. In a perfect optical system, the power of the cornea and lens are perfectly matched with the length of the eye and images are in focus; any mismatch in this system is called a refractive error, and the result is a blurred image at some location.

Read more about : Cataract surgery

Read more about : Best age for lasik eye surgery

Risks and Side effects

Complications that result in a loss of vision are very rare. But certain side effects of LASIK eye surgery, particularly dry eyes and temporary visual problems such as glare, are fairly common.

These usually clear up after a few weeks or months, and very few people consider them to be a long-term problem.

Risks of LASIK surgery include:

. Dry eyes. LASIK surgery causes a temporary decrease in tear production. For the first six months or so after your surgery, your eyes may feel unusually dry as they heal. Dry eyes can reduce the quality of your vision.

Your eye doctor might recommend eyedrops for dry eyes. If you experience severe dry eyes, you could opt for another procedure to get special plugs put in your tear ducts to prevent your tears from draining away from the surface of your eyes.

. Glare, halos and double vision. You may have difficulty seeing at night after surgery, which usually lasts a few days to a few weeks. You might notice increased light sensitivity, glare, halos around bright lights or double vision.

Even when a good visual result is measured under standard testing conditions, your vision in dim light (such as at dusk or in fog) may be reduced to a greater degree after the surgery than before the surgery.

. Undercorrections. If the laser removes too little tissue from your eye, you won’t get the clearer vision results you were hoping for. Undercorrections are more common for people who are nearsighted. You may need another LASIK procedure within a year to remove more tissue.

. Overcorrections. It’s also possible that the laser will remove too much tissue from your eye. Overcorrections may be more difficult to fix than undercorrections.

. Astigmatism. Astigmatism can be caused by uneven tissue removal. It may require additional surgery, glasses or contact lenses.

. Flap problems. Folding back or removing the flap from the front of your eye during surgery can cause complications, including infection and excess tears. The outermost corneal tissue layer may grow abnormally underneath the flap during the healing process.

. Regression. Regression is when your vision slowly changes back toward your original prescription. This is a less common complication.

. Vision loss or changes. Rarely, surgical complications can result in loss of vision. Some people also may not see as sharply or clearly as previously.

Read more about : Good candidate for Lasik surgery

Conditions that increase risks

Certain health conditions can increase the risks associated with LASIK surgery or make the outcome less predictable.

Doctors may not recommend laser refractive surgery for you if you have certain conditions, including:

. Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis

. A weakened immune system caused by immunosuppressive medications or HIV.

. Persistent dry eyes

. Recent changes in vision due to medications, hormonal changes, pregnancy, breast-feeding or age.

. Inflammation of the cornea, lid disorders, eye injuries or eye diseases, such as uveitis, herpes simplex affecting the eye area, glaucoma or cataracts.

Who is not eligible for LASIK eye surgery?

LASIK eye surgery is usually not advisable if you:

. Have an eye disease that causes the cornea to thin and bulge, or if you have a family history of it.

. Have fairly good overall vision

. Have severe nearsightedness

. Have very large pupils or thin corneas

. Have age-related eye changes that cause vision to be less clear

. Participate in contact sports that may be associated with blows to the face

. Are younger than 18

. Are pregnant or nursing

. Have other health issues such as diabetes, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.

If you’re considering LASIK surgery, talk to your doctor about your questions and concerns. Your doctor will discuss whether you’re a candidate for the procedure or other similar procedures.

Advantages

What are the advantages of LASIK surgery?

In summary, despite the risks outlined above, LASIK has been proven to be safe and effective for most people. With careful patient screening and selection, reasonable expectations, and in the care of an experienced surgeon, most patients will be very pleased with their results. These are some of the other advantages of LASIK:

. LASIK is able to accurately correct most levels of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.

. The procedure is fast, usually lasting only 30 minutes or less.

. Because the laser is guided by a computer, it is very precise and results are very accurate.

. In most cases, a single treatment will achieve the desired outcome; however, enhancements are possible if needed, even many years after the initial surgery.

. There’s very little, if any, pain involved.

. There aren’t any bandages or stitches.

Disadvantages

What are the disadvantages of LASIK surgery?

. Because each patient will heal slightly differently, results may vary from patient to patient.

. LASIK could make some aspects of your vision worse, including night vision with glare and halos.

. LASIK may make dry-eye symptoms worse in certain individuals.

. In rare circumstances, LASIK can make your vision worse and not correctable with regular glasses or contact lenses.

Read more about  : Epi lasik eye surgery

How you prepare

Steps you can take to prepare for surgery include:

. Arrange for a ride home. You’ll need to have someone drive you to and from your place of surgery. Immediately after surgery, you might still feel the effects of medicine given to you before surgery, and your vision may be blurry.

. Skip the eye makeup. Don’t use eye makeup, cream, perfumes or lotions on the day before and the day of your surgery. Your doctor may also instruct you to clean your eyelashes daily or more often in the days leading up to surgery, to remove debris and minimize your risk of infection.

What you can expect

Before the procedure

Long-term results from LASIK tend to be best in people who are carefully evaluated before surgery to ensure that they are good candidates for the procedure.

If you wear contact lenses, which can change the shape of your cornea, you’ll need to completely stop wearing them and wear only your glasses for at least a few weeks before your evaluation and surgery. Your doctor will provide specific guidelines depending on the type of contacts you wear and how long you’ve been a contact lens wearer.

During the evaluation, your eye doctor will ask about your medical and surgical history and give you a comprehensive eye examination to evaluate your vision and assess whether you can undergo the procedure safely.

Your doctor will look for signs of:

. Eye infection

. Inflammation

. Dry eyes

. Large pupils

. High eye pressure

Your eye doctor will also measure your cornea, noting the shape, contour, thickness and any irregularities. Your eye doctor will evaluate which areas of your cornea need reshaping and determine the precise amount of tissue to remove from your cornea.

Doctors generally use wavefront-guided technology to evaluate your eye in detail before LASIK surgery. In this test, a scanner creates a highly detailed chart, similar to a topographic map, of your eye. The more detailed the measurements, the more accurate your eye doctor can be in removing corneal tissue.

Before surgery, your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of LASIK surgery, what to expect before and after surgery, and any questions you may have.

During LASIK Eye Surgery

During the procedure

LASIK surgery is usually completed in 30 minutes or less. During the procedure, you lie on your back in a reclining chair. You may be given medicine to help you relax.

After numbing drops are placed in your eye, your doctor uses an instrument to hold your eyelids open.

A suction ring placed on your eye just before cutting the corneal flap may cause a feeling of pressure, and your vision may dim a little.

Your eye surgeon uses a small blade or cutting laser to cut a small hinged flap away from the front of your eye. Folding back the flap allows your doctor to access the part of your cornea to be reshaped.

Using a programmed laser, your eye surgeon reshapes parts of your cornea. With each pulse of the laser beam, a tiny amount of corneal tissue is removed. After reshaping the cornea, the surgeon lays the flap back into place. The flap usually heals without stitches.

During the surgery, you’ll be asked to focus on a point of light. Staring at this light helps you keep your eye fixed while the laser reshapes your cornea. You may detect a distinct odor as the laser removes your corneal tissue. Some people describe smelling an odor similar to that of burning hair.

If you need LASIK surgery in both eyes, doctors will generally conduct the procedure on the same day.

After LASIK Eye Surgery

After the procedure

After the procedure, you might have one or more of the following symptoms that usually improve over the following weeks to months:

. Blurry or hazy vision

. Dry, itchy eyes

. Sensitivity to light

. Visual disturbances such as double vision, a glare, and halos

It’s very important that you don’t rub or poke your eye after LASIK because it can move the flap out of position and disrupt the healing process.

You generally will experience little pain, and you’ll usually recover your vision quickly.

You might be given pain medication or eyedrops to keep you comfortable for several hours after the procedure. Your eye doctor might also ask you to wear a shield over your eye at night until your eye heals.

You’ll be able to see after surgery, but your vision won’t be clear right away. It takes about two to three months after your surgery before your eye heals and your vision stabilizes. Your chances for improved vision are based, in part, on how good your vision was before surgery.

You’ll have a follow-up appointment with your eye doctor one to two days after surgery. He or she will see how your eye is healing and check for any complications. Plan for other follow-up appointments during the first six months after surgery as your doctor recommends.

It might be a few weeks before you can start to use cosmetics around your eyes again. You might also have to wait several weeks before resuming strenuous contact sports, swimming or using hot tubs.

Follow your doctor’s recommendations about how soon you can resume your normal activities.

Frequently, you won’t have to wear your glasses or contacts anymore after you have LASIK. However, if your vision isn’t fully corrected, you may still need them for certain tasks such as reading or driving.

LASIK permanently and irreversibly reshapes your cornea. However, this doesn’t mean your vision will remain sharp for the rest of your life. LASIK can’t stop eye changes that are part of the normal aging process.

Around the age of 40, almost everyone needs reading glasses because close-up vision has become blurry due to presbyopia. This condition can’t be fixed by LASIK.

Read more about : Bruising after chalazion surgery

When to see your doctor

See your doctor right away if any of the following happens after LASIK:

. New symptoms develop

. Vision gets worse (beyond the normal haziness/blurriness that occurs after the procedure)

. Severe pain develops

. You get hit or poked in the eye that had the procedure

Results

LASIK often offers improved vision without the hassle of glasses or contact lenses. In general, you have a very good chance of achieving 20/25 vision or better after refractive surgery.

More than 8 out of 10 people who’ve undergone LASIK refractive surgery no longer need to use their glasses or contact lenses for most of their activities.

Your results depend on your specific refractive error and other factors. People with a low grade of nearsightedness tend to have the most success with refractive surgery. People with a high degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness along with astigmatism have less predictable results.

In some cases, the surgery might result in undercorrection. If this happens, you might need another surgery to achieve the proper correction.

Rarely, some people’s eyes slowly return to the level of vision they had before surgery. This might happen due to certain conditions, such as abnormal wound healing, hormonal imbalances or pregnancy. Sometimes this change in vision is due to another eye problem, such as a cataract. Talk with your doctor about any vision changes.

How long does LASIK last?

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a surgical procedure that can improve your vision. It permanently reshapes the tissue in the front of your eye, and these changes last your whole life.

However, most people’s vision gets worse over time as part of the natural aging process. LASIK can’t stop this, so your vision may become blurry again as you get older.

How long these changes occur after your LASIK procedure will depend on how old you are when you have LASIK and if you have any other progressive eye conditions.

What is LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK eye surgery is the best known and most commonly performed laser refractive surgery to correct vision problems. Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) can be an alternative to glasses or contact lenses.

During LASIK surgery, a special type of cutting laser is used to precisely change the shape of the dome-shaped clear tissue at the front of your eye (cornea) to improve vision.

In eyes with normal vision, the cornea bends (refracts) light precisely onto the retina at the back of the eye. But with nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism, the light is bent incorrectly, resulting in blurred vision.

Glasses or contact lenses can correct vision, but reshaping the cornea itself also will provide the necessary refraction.

About Iranian Surgery

Iranian surgery is an online medical tourism platform where you can find the best ophthalmologists in Iran. The price of a LASIK Eye surgery in Iran can vary according to each individual’s case and will be determined based on photos and an in-person assessment with the doctor. So if you are looking for the cost of LASIK Eye surgery in Iran, you can contact us and get free consultation from Iranian surgery.

Before LASIK Eye Surgery

Why it’s done

LASIK surgery may be an option for the correction of one of these vision problems:

. Nearsightedness (myopia). When your eyeball is slightly longer than normal or when the cornea curves too sharply, light rays focus in front of the retina and blur distant vision. You can see objects that are close fairly clearly, but not those that are far away.

. Farsightedness (hyperopia). When you have a shorter than average eyeball or a cornea that is too flat, light focuses behind the retina instead of on it. This makes near vision, and sometimes distant vision, blurry.

. Astigmatism. When the cornea curves or flattens unevenly, the result is astigmatism, which disrupts focus of near and distant vision.

If you’re considering LASIK surgery, you probably already wear glasses or contact lenses. Your eye doctor will talk with you about whether LASIK surgery or another similar refractive procedure is an option that will work for you.

What is refractive error?

In the human eye, the front surface (cornea) and lens inside the eye form the eye’s “focusing system” and are primarily responsible for focusing incoming light rays onto the surface of the retina, much like the lenses of a camera focus light onto the film. In a perfect optical system, the power of the cornea and lens are perfectly matched with the length of the eye and images are in focus; any mismatch in this system is called a refractive error, and the result is a blurred image at some location.

Risks and Side effects

Complications that result in a loss of vision are very rare. But certain side effects of LASIK eye surgery, particularly dry eyes and temporary visual problems such as glare, are fairly common.

These usually clear up after a few weeks or months, and very few people consider them to be a long-term problem.

Risks of LASIK surgery include:

. Dry eyes. LASIK surgery causes a temporary decrease in tear production. For the first six months or so after your surgery, your eyes may feel unusually dry as they heal. Dry eyes can reduce the quality of your vision.

Your eye doctor might recommend eyedrops for dry eyes. If you experience severe dry eyes, you could opt for another procedure to get special plugs put in your tear ducts to prevent your tears from draining away from the surface of your eyes.

. Glare, halos and double vision. You may have difficulty seeing at night after surgery, which usually lasts a few days to a few weeks. You might notice increased light sensitivity, glare, halos around bright lights or double vision.

Even when a good visual result is measured under standard testing conditions, your vision in dim light (such as at dusk or in fog) may be reduced to a greater degree after the surgery than before the surgery.

. Undercorrections. If the laser removes too little tissue from your eye, you won’t get the clearer vision results you were hoping for. Undercorrections are more common for people who are nearsighted. You may need another LASIK procedure within a year to remove more tissue.

. Overcorrections. It’s also possible that the laser will remove too much tissue from your eye. Overcorrections may be more difficult to fix than undercorrections.

. Astigmatism. Astigmatism can be caused by uneven tissue removal. It may require additional surgery, glasses or contact lenses.

. Flap problems. Folding back or removing the flap from the front of your eye during surgery can cause complications, including infection and excess tears. The outermost corneal tissue layer may grow abnormally underneath the flap during the healing process.

. Regression. Regression is when your vision slowly changes back toward your original prescription. This is a less common complication.

. Vision loss or changes. Rarely, surgical complications can result in loss of vision. Some people also may not see as sharply or clearly as previously.

Conditions that increase risks

Certain health conditions can increase the risks associated with LASIK surgery or make the outcome less predictable.

Doctors may not recommend laser refractive surgery for you if you have certain conditions, including:

. Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis

. A weakened immune system caused by immunosuppressive medications or HIV.

. Persistent dry eyes

. Recent changes in vision due to medications, hormonal changes, pregnancy, breast-feeding or age.

. Inflammation of the cornea, lid disorders, eye injuries or eye diseases, such as uveitis, herpes simplex affecting the eye area, glaucoma or cataracts.

Who is not eligible for LASIK eye surgery?

LASIK eye surgery is usually not advisable if you:

. Have an eye disease that causes the cornea to thin and bulge, or if you have a family history of it.

. Have fairly good overall vision

. Have severe nearsightedness

. Have very large pupils or thin corneas

. Have age-related eye changes that cause vision to be less clear

. Participate in contact sports that may be associated with blows to the face

. Are younger than 18

. Are pregnant or nursing

. Have other health issues such as diabetes, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.

If you’re considering LASIK surgery, talk to your doctor about your questions and concerns. Your doctor will discuss whether you’re a candidate for the procedure or other similar procedures.

Advantages

What are the advantages of LASIK surgery?

In summary, despite the risks outlined above, LASIK has been proven to be safe and effective for most people. With careful patient screening and selection, reasonable expectations, and in the care of an experienced surgeon, most patients will be very pleased with their results. These are some of the other advantages of LASIK:

. LASIK is able to accurately correct most levels of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.

. The procedure is fast, usually lasting only 30 minutes or less.

. Because the laser is guided by a computer, it is very precise and results are very accurate.

. In most cases, a single treatment will achieve the desired outcome; however, enhancements are possible if needed, even many years after the initial surgery.

. There’s very little, if any, pain involved.

. There aren’t any bandages or stitches.

Disadvantages

What are the disadvantages of LASIK surgery?

. Because each patient will heal slightly differently, results may vary from patient to patient.

. LASIK could make some aspects of your vision worse, including night vision with glare and halos.

. LASIK may make dry-eye symptoms worse in certain individuals.

. In rare circumstances, LASIK can make your vision worse and not correctable with regular glasses or contact lenses.

How you prepare

Steps you can take to prepare for surgery include:

. Arrange for a ride home. You’ll need to have someone drive you to and from your place of surgery. Immediately after surgery, you might still feel the effects of medicine given to you before surgery, and your vision may be blurry.

. Skip the eye makeup. Don’t use eye makeup, cream, perfumes or lotions on the day before and the day of your surgery. Your doctor may also instruct you to clean your eyelashes daily or more often in the days leading up to surgery, to remove debris and minimize your risk of infection.

What you can expect

Before the procedure

Long-term results from LASIK tend to be best in people who are carefully evaluated before surgery to ensure that they are good candidates for the procedure.

If you wear contact lenses, which can change the shape of your cornea, you’ll need to completely stop wearing them and wear only your glasses for at least a few weeks before your evaluation and surgery. Your doctor will provide specific guidelines depending on the type of contacts you wear and how long you’ve been a contact lens wearer.

During the evaluation, your eye doctor will ask about your medical and surgical history and give you a comprehensive eye examination to evaluate your vision and assess whether you can undergo the procedure safely.

Your doctor will look for signs of:

. Eye infection

. Inflammation

. Dry eyes

. Large pupils

. High eye pressure

Your eye doctor will also measure your cornea, noting the shape, contour, thickness and any irregularities. Your eye doctor will evaluate which areas of your cornea need reshaping and determine the precise amount of tissue to remove from your cornea.

Doctors generally use wavefront-guided technology to evaluate your eye in detail before LASIK surgery. In this test, a scanner creates a highly detailed chart, similar to a topographic map, of your eye. The more detailed the measurements, the more accurate your eye doctor can be in removing corneal tissue.

Before surgery, your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of LASIK surgery, what to expect before and after surgery, and any questions you may have.

During LASIK Eye Surgery

During the procedure

LASIK surgery is usually completed in 30 minutes or less. During the procedure, you lie on your back in a reclining chair. You may be given medicine to help you relax.

After numbing drops are placed in your eye, your doctor uses an instrument to hold your eyelids open.

A suction ring placed on your eye just before cutting the corneal flap may cause a feeling of pressure, and your vision may dim a little.

Your eye surgeon uses a small blade or cutting laser to cut a small hinged flap away from the front of your eye. Folding back the flap allows your doctor to access the part of your cornea to be reshaped.

Using a programmed laser, your eye surgeon reshapes parts of your cornea. With each pulse of the laser beam, a tiny amount of corneal tissue is removed. After reshaping the cornea, the surgeon lays the flap back into place. The flap usually heals without stitches.

During the surgery, you’ll be asked to focus on a point of light. Staring at this light helps you keep your eye fixed while the laser reshapes your cornea. You may detect a distinct odor as the laser removes your corneal tissue. Some people describe smelling an odor similar to that of burning hair.

If you need LASIK surgery in both eyes, doctors will generally conduct the procedure on the same day.

After LASIK Eye Surgery

After the procedure

After the procedure, you might have one or more of the following symptoms that usually improve over the following weeks to months:

. Blurry or hazy vision

. Dry, itchy eyes

. Sensitivity to light

. Visual disturbances such as double vision, a glare, and halos

It’s very important that you don’t rub or poke your eye after LASIK because it can move the flap out of position and disrupt the healing process.

You generally will experience little pain, and you’ll usually recover your vision quickly.

You might be given pain medication or eyedrops to keep you comfortable for several hours after the procedure. Your eye doctor might also ask you to wear a shield over your eye at night until your eye heals.

You’ll be able to see after surgery, but your vision won’t be clear right away. It takes about two to three months after your surgery before your eye heals and your vision stabilizes. Your chances for improved vision are based, in part, on how good your vision was before surgery.

You’ll have a follow-up appointment with your eye doctor one to two days after surgery. He or she will see how your eye is healing and check for any complications. Plan for other follow-up appointments during the first six months after surgery as your doctor recommends.

It might be a few weeks before you can start to use cosmetics around your eyes again. You might also have to wait several weeks before resuming strenuous contact sports, swimming or using hot tubs.

Follow your doctor’s recommendations about how soon you can resume your normal activities.

Frequently, you won’t have to wear your glasses or contacts anymore after you have LASIK. However, if your vision isn’t fully corrected, you may still need them for certain tasks such as reading or driving.

LASIK permanently and irreversibly reshapes your cornea. However, this doesn’t mean your vision will remain sharp for the rest of your life. LASIK can’t stop eye changes that are part of the normal aging process.

Around the age of 40, almost everyone needs reading glasses because close-up vision has become blurry due to presbyopia. This condition can’t be fixed by LASIK.

When to see your doctor

See your doctor right away if any of the following happens after LASIK:

. New symptoms develop

. Vision gets worse (beyond the normal haziness/blurriness that occurs after the procedure)

. Severe pain develops

. You get hit or poked in the eye that had the procedure

Results

LASIK often offers improved vision without the hassle of glasses or contact lenses. In general, you have a very good chance of achieving 20/25 vision or better after refractive surgery.

More than 8 out of 10 people who’ve undergone LASIK refractive surgery no longer need to use their glasses or contact lenses for most of their activities.

Your results depend on your specific refractive error and other factors. People with a low grade of nearsightedness tend to have the most success with refractive surgery. People with a high degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness along with astigmatism have less predictable results.

In some cases, the surgery might result in undercorrection. If this happens, you might need another surgery to achieve the proper correction.

Rarely, some people’s eyes slowly return to the level of vision they had before surgery. This might happen due to certain conditions, such as abnormal wound healing, hormonal imbalances or pregnancy. Sometimes this change in vision is due to another eye problem, such as a cataract. Talk with your doctor about any vision changes.

How long does LASIK last?

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a surgical procedure that can improve your vision. It permanently reshapes the tissue in the front of your eye, and these changes last your whole life.

However, most people’s vision gets worse over time as part of the natural aging process. LASIK can’t stop this, so your vision may become blurry again as you get older.

How long these changes occur after your LASIK procedure will depend on how old you are when you have LASIK and if you have any other progressive eye conditions.