LASIK Surgery

LASIK is a type of refractive eye surgery that aims to correct various kinds of vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. It’s carried out using a microkeratome blade or a femtosecond laser that creates an extremely thin flap on the top of the cornea. An excimer laser or ultraviolet laser is then used to remove corneal tissue. This allows the cornea to be reshaped so that light can be focused clearly on the retina, leading to improved vision.

How Does LASIK Surgery Work?

This type of refractive eye surgery is a fairly quick and straightforward procedure. Below, we’ve outlined a step-by-step guide of how it is generally performed.

1. Pain-Numbing Eye Drops

There are no traditional anesthetic measures involved in LASIK eye surgery. Instead, a numbing agent is administered in the form of a series of eyedrops. These will take effect immediately and last for the duration of the procedure.

2. Flap Creation

Once comfortably positioned in the operation chair, a vacuum ring will be placed on the eye to prop it open and hold it in position. This may cause a slightly strange sensation, but there should be no discomfort or pain involved. The patient is then asked to focus on a light or laser point to keep the eye steady. This light will normally include a tracking mechanism, so the ophthalmologist will be aware when the eye moves from this point. This allows them to pause the treatment to give the patient a chance to re-focus on the light or laser.

The ophthalmologist will then create and fold the flap using specialist, precision instruments. The patient’s vision will dim, blur, or even fade completely during this process, but it should return to normal as soon as the flap is created.

3. Cornea Shaping

Once the flap is created, an excimer laser is used to remove tissue from the cornea to create a new shape and refractive properties. The amount removed will be based on the preoperative evaluation by the ophthalmologist.

4. Flap Sealing

Once the reshaping of the cornea is completed, the ophthalmologist will carefully replace the flap and allow natural tension to hold it in place until an initial surface healing has occurred.

Are There Different Types of LASIK Surgery?

When it comes to planning your treatment together with your ophthalmologist, they may discuss the various types of LASIK with you. There are three main types available. The one that you undergo will be dependent on your individual situation.

What Should I Expect From LASIK Surgery?

You should do a careful self-assessment before deciding to pursue LASIK surgery. The level of risk and outcomes can vary depending on your individual situation, and you should aim to balance the risks with the potential positive outcomes. In addition, it’s important to remember that certain occupations do not allow the use of LASIK, so you should check if your current occupation or future career choice is among these.

After undergoing LASIK eye surgery, your eye may be itchy, watery, or even feel like it’s burning. Your vision will likely be blurred and it’s common to experience a little bit of pain. However, your ophthalmologist can administer pain relief medication and your vision will likely recover quickly. Some ophthalmologists also ask patients to wear an eyepatch or similar shield over their eye to protect it during the healing process.

it’s important to maintain a patient approach in the following weeks as results may not become apparent immediately. It can take up to six months for the final outcomes of the treatment to show. If you do experience unexpected symptoms or less than satisfactory results, it’s best to discuss them with your ophthalmologist in a follow-up as soon as possible. This is because your possibilities for improved eyesight are partly based on how your eyesight was prior to undergoing LASIK surgery.

LASIK Surgery: Abroad or at Home?

Travelling to undergo LASIK surgery abroad may not be something that you would’ve considered before. However, the popularity of travelling overseas for this treatment is consistently rising. There are a few reasons that can account for this.

• Lower costs: LASIK surgery costs abroad are often much lower than in the UK or US. As we can see above, travelling to have LASIK in Turkey can save you a significant amount of money, compared to having the treatment at home.

• Highly-experienced ophthalmologists: Ophthalmology clinics abroad are home to some of the most highly-experienced and renowned ophthalmologists. This ensures that you’ll receive a quality of care that is the same, or even higher, than you would at home.

Popular Clinics and Ophthalmologists

Interested in finding out more about the clinics and people involved in LASIK surgery? Check out our worldwide list of LASIK clinics where you can find information on the staff involved, prices, and reviews from past patients. Within our clinic pages you can also find information on specific doctors that perform LASIK eye surgery. Dr. Rifat Rasier, MD for example, is leading ophthalmologist at the Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital in Turkey. Dr. Rasier boasts outstanding qualifications, as well as national accreditations.

What Do We Need From You?

If you choose to have your LASIK surgery abroad, there are a few things that you may need to send to your chosen clinic, especially if you're not able to attend the initial consultations. Your ophthalmologist may ask you to send:

• A corneal map report (orbscan or pentacam)

• A pachymetry report

These are used to evaluate your suitability for LASIK surgery. If you're not able to attend initial consultations abroad, then you may need to obtain these from your local ophthalmologist before undergoing treatment.

Why Choose Qunomedical?

At Qunomedical, we always take a patient first approach. Our company was built on the passionate belief that nobody should face barriers to accessing high-quality, affordable healthcare. We’ll only ever provide you with information on clinics and ophthalmologists that have been thoroughly vetted. To do this, we employ our proprietary scoring system, Qunoscore. This uses 21 unique data points, analysing qualifications, experience, accreditations, prices, reviews, and much more. This allows you to rest assured knowing that wherever you choose to have your LASIK surgery, you’ll be receiving high-quality care, at a fair price.