There was a time when people would fret at the idea of laser eye surgery. The very mention of the procedure would instill fear. How can one subject the eyes to laser or any such procedure which will be invasive, perhaps painful and risk the very organ that it is trying to fix? Many years later, laser eye surgery is not only popular today but also a much more affordable procedure. However, there are millions of people who still wonder if it is worthwhile, safe and if at all one should consider it.
Laser eye surgery has its advantages and there are some risks. It is wise to consider the promising merits and the potential demerits. In many cases, laser eye surgery is merely recommended and not imperative. It is absolutely normal for people to not opt for laser eye surgery in such scenarios. But in some cases it is the only remedy to a vision problem. Whatever be your scenario, you should assess the pros and cons of laser eye surgery. If the pros outweigh the cons for you, then you can happily go ahead. Else, you can check out other options.
List of Pros of Laser Eye Surgery
1. Better Vision
Laser surgery will help you to see clearly. You would have acuity in your vision. Whatever the power you had in your eyewear or contact lenses, the blurriness or the lack of cognition of certain images, letters or just plain backdrops along with other vision issues will get rectified. Laser eye surgery has been studied and proven to be effective in correcting vision. People have reportedly been able to see just as good as they could with glasses on before the surgery. It usually takes twelve to eighteen hours for one to enjoy the clarity of vision. With the cornea healing completely, you can indeed have much better vision with laser eye surgery.
2. No Glasses / Spectacles / Contact Lenses
You don’t need to wear your glasses or spectacles or contact lenses any more. Eyewear is supposed to aid your vision. Whether it is a pair of glasses or contact lenses, they don’t really offer vision correction. Unless you are very young and have very little power, you are unlikely to have perfect vision without any eyewear. The liberty to do away with the glasses and contact lenses also augur well for self confidence. Many people don’t like to sport glasses. Using contact lenses is cumbersome for many. The ability to see properly, without any aid or assistance while enjoying optimum self esteem, is certainly one of the best benefits of laser eye surgery.
3. Healthier Eyes
Contact lenses are irritating and they can reduce the amount of oxygen the cornea gets. As a result, you can have some damage to the cornea over time. Many people who use contact lenses for a long time develop twitching eyes, infrequent battling of the eyelids and tend to develop strange sensations compelling them to rub their eyes, squeeze them or just wash the eyes every few hours. Contact lenses can also pave the wave for allergens and toxins to affect the eyes. These can be done away with once you have laser eye surgery.
List of Cons of Laser Eye Surgery
1. Side Effects
Laser eye surgery doesn’t really attend to vision correction in low lit or dark conditions. It has been observed that people who have undergone laser eye surgery don’t tend to enjoy great vision at night. This is referred to as night vision issues. Many people experience halos, nighttime glare and develop sensitivity to light. Although these are side effects of the procedure and tend to subside in a few months, some people tend to have the problems even after a year of the procedure. If you are lucky, then these side effects may not be that pronounced. If you are unlucky, these problems will be cumbersome.
2. Red Spots / Bruises in the Eyes
Laser eye surgery can cause subconjunctival hemorrhages. These are characterized by tiny red spots on the white portion of the eyes. These red spots are essential bruises. The bruises are caused by the suction ring which is used during the laser eye surgery to hold the eyes as the corneal flap is created. While the conjunctiva remains clear, the bright red spots can be quite scary. These bruises are not very threatening and they are short lived. However, it is better to be aware that you would have such red spots in your eyes before you sign up for laser eye surgery.
3. Dry Eyes
Most people will experience dry eyes after a laser eye surgery. There are plenty of eye drops, topical and oral medications that can attend to your dry eyes but initially you would feel uncomfortable. The dry eyes would persist for a few weeks. In some rare cases, the problem may persist for a year. Many people have dry eyes only for the first week and that doesn’t recur again.