What is Laser Eye Surgery, How is It Performed and Who is Suitable For? Is It Possible to See Normally in 1 Hour?

What is Laser Eye Surgery, How is It Performed and For Whom is it Suitable?

Laser eye surgery is a method used to correct eye defects. In this article, you can get information about what laser eye surgery is, how it is performed and who it is suitable for.

Our eyes are one of the most important organs that affect the quality of our life. However, some people have problems with not being able to see clearly due to eye defects such as myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism. This problem can be solved by using glasses or contact lenses, but these solutions may not always be adequate or appropriate. In this case, a search for a permanent and effective alternative, such as laser eye surgery, can be initiated. So, what is laser eye surgery, how is it performed and who is suitable for? You can find the answers to these questions in this article.

What is Laser Eye Surgery?

This operation is a surgical method used to correct eye defects. Laser eye surgery changes the refractive power of the eye, allowing light to focus on the retina at the back of the eye. Thus, visual clarity increases, and the need for glasses or contact lenses disappears or decreases. Laser eye surgery can be of different types. The most common ones are:

• LASIK (Laser In Situ Keratomileusis): In this method, a thin flap is created at the top of the corneal layer of the eye and the shape of the cornea is changed with a laser beam. Later, the flap is closed back into place. This method is used to correct eye defects such as myopia, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK is the most popular surgical method because the recovery time is short and the pain is minimal.
• PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy): In this method, the thin membrane (epithelium) in the upper part of the corneal layer of the eye is completely removed and the shape of the cornea is changed with a laser beam. Later, the epithelium is expected to regenerate. This method is used for patients who are not suitable for LASIK or have a thin cornea. PRK involves a longer recovery time and more pain than LASIK, but the results are similar.
• LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis): In this method, the thin membrane (epithelium) in the upper part of the corneal layer of the eye is softened with alcohol and removed with a spatula. Then, with a laser beam, the shape of the cornea is changed and the epithelium is placed back in place. This method is similar to PRK, but the epithelium is not completely removed, which reduces the healing time. LASEK is a suitable option for patients with a thin cornea or a high risk of eye injury.

How is Laser Eye Surgery Performed?

This surgery is usually performed with local anesthesia. That is, drugs are given to the patient’s eye in the form of drops, and the patient remains awake. However, the patient can also take sedatives on request. Laser eye surgery takes about 15-20 minutes for both eyes. The stages of the surgery can be summarized as follows:

• First, a device is placed in the patient’s eye and the eyelid is kept open. This ensures that the patient cannot blink an eye.
• Then, a cutting tool or laser is used to create a flap in the corneal layer of the eye. This stage is performed in the LASIK method. In PRK or LASEK methods, removal or removal of the epithelium is performed instead of this stage.
• Then, the flap or epithelium is removed and the shape of the cornea is changed with a laser beam. This adjusts the refractive power of the eye and corrects visual disturbances.
• Finally, the flap or epithelium is placed back in place and a bandage or contact lens is worn to heal the eye.

After laser eye surgery, there may be symptoms such as burning, stinging, itching, redness, dryness in the patient’s eye. These symptoms usually go away within a few days. The patient should use medications such as eye drops, antibiotics, painkillers, following the recommendations of his doctor. In addition, the patient should not rub his eyes, do not wear makeup, should not go into the water, should not do heavy sports and should be protected from sunlight. Shorten with AI

The results of the surgery usually begin to be seen within a few days, but the exact recovery time varies depending on the patient’s condition and the method used. The success rate of the operation is high, and most patients do not need to wear glasses or contact lenses after surgery.Shorten with AI

Who is Laser Eye Surgery Suitable For?

Laser eye surgery is an option for patients who want to correct eye defects and do not want or cannot wear glasses or contact lenses. However, this surgery is not suitable for everyone. Patients who want to have laser eye surgery must meet the following criteria:

• must be over the age of 18.
• The eye number must not have changed in the last year.
• Eye health should be good. They should not have eye diseases or problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, infection, inflammation, wounds, dry eyes.
• The general state of health should be good. They should not have systemic diseases or problems such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, immune system diseases, bleeding disorders, chronic infections.
• She should not be pregnant or breastfeeding.
• The structure of the cornea should be appropriate. The cornea is a transparent layer located in the anterior part of the eye. Laser eye surgery corrects eye defects by changing the shape of the cornea. However, if the cornea is too thin, too thick, too curved or irregular, it may not be possible to perform the operation. In this case, the patient may need to resort to other methods. To measure the structure of the cornea, your doctor will use a special device.
• The eye defect should be within a certain December. Laser eye surgery is suitable for correcting common eye defects such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. However, if the eye defect is too high or too low, the operation may not be effective or may cause complications. In this case, the patient may need to resort to other methods. To measure the extent of the eye defect, your doctor will perform an eye examination.

Patients who want to have this operation should first contact an ophthalmologist to make sure that they meet these criteria. The ophthalmologist will evaluate the patient’s eye health, eye defect, corneal structure and general health status to determine whether laser eye surgery is appropriate. In addition, he will share the patient’s expectations, risks and alternatives with the patient. Although laser eye surgery is a successful and safe method, it should not be forgotten that there may be some side effects and complications. Therefore, before deciding to have surgery, it is important that you carefully listen to your doctor’s recommendations and ask all your questions.

Laser Eye Surgery Frequently Asked Questions

Some questions and answers that are curious about laser eye surgery are as follows:

Is laser eye surgery safe?

Laser eye surgery is a method that has been developed with modern technology and is widely applied. The success rate of the operation is high and serious complications are rare. However, as with any surgical procedure, this operation also has some risks. These include conditions such as infection, inflammation, corneal damage, vision loss, visual Decays, dry eyes, eye pain. In order to minimize these risks, the patient should follow the recommendations of his doctor before and after the operation.

Is laser eye surgery permanent?

Laser eye surgery is a permanent solution to correct eye defects. However, surgery does not stop the aging process of the eye. For this reason, some patients may need to wear glasses or contact lenses again at an advanced age. For example, the problem of presbyopia (inability to see close), which occurs after the age of 40, is not corrected by surgery. In this case, the patient needs to wear glasses for near vision.

How long does laser eye surgery take?

Laser eye surgery takes about 15-20 minutes for both eyes. However, the time that the patient will spend in the clinic may be longer. Because, procedures such as giving drug drops to the patient’s eye, measuring the eye, adjusting the laser device also take time. Therefore, the patient should allocate at least one hour for the operation.

When will normal life return after laser eye surgery?

After the operation, there may be symptoms such as burning, stinging, itching, redness, dryness in the patient’s eyes. These symptoms usually go away within a few days. The patient, following the recommendations of his doctor, eye drops, antibiotics, painkiller he should use medications such as. In addition, the patient should not rub his eyes, should not wear makeup, should not go into the water, should not do heavy sports and should be protected from sunlight. Shorten with AI

The results of the surgery usually begin to be seen within a few days, but the exact recovery time varies depending on the patient’s condition and the method used. It may take between a week and a month for the patient to return to normal life.Shorten with AI

Is laser eye surgery painful?

Laser eye surgery is performed with local anesthesia, that is, drugs are given in the form of eye drops. Therefore, pain is not felt during surgery. However, after surgery, there may be symptoms such as burning, stinging, itching in the eye. These symptoms usually go away within a few days. Your doctor may give you eye drops or painkillers to reduce these symptoms.

When can I return to normal life after laser eye surgery?

After laser eye surgery, you need to rest for a while for your eyes to heal. Usually, the day after the operation, you will be asked to come to your doctor’s check-up. In this check, the condition of your eyes is evaluated and the bandage or contact lenses are removed. Then, you should follow some precautions such as not rubbing your eyes, not wearing makeup, not going into the water, not doing heavy sports and being protected from sunlight.

These measures may vary depending on the method used and the patient’s condition, but usually last between a week and a month. Dec. During this time, following the recommendations of your doctor, eye drops, antibiotics you should use medications like. After surgery, your vision may not improve immediately. The full Deceleration of your vision may take between a few days and a few months. During this process, you need to come for regular check-ups with your doctor.

What is the cost of laser eye surgery?

The cost of laser eye surgery can vary depending on many factors. These include the patient’s eye condition, the method applied, the technology used, the selected hospital or clinic, the doctor’s experience, pre- and postoperative examinations, medications, follow-up examinations. For this reason, in order to find out the exact price of the operation, it is necessary to first undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist and make a detailed evaluation.

To get a general idea of the prices of surgery, you can look at the research conducted on the Internet. However, it is important that these studies are up-to-date, accurate and reliable. In addition, it should be remembered that these studies are for informational purposes only and prices may vary depending on the condition of each patient.

According to the research we have done in search engines, the prices of laser eye surgery range from an average of 3,000 TL to 14,000 TL in Turkey in 2023 Dec. These prices are valid for private hospitals, eye hospitals or clinics. In public hospitals, laser eye surgery prices are between 6.000 TL and 8.000 TL on Dec. However, fees are charged for operations performed for aesthetic purposes in public hospitals, and prices may vary from hospital to hospital and depending on the situation.

Laser eye surgery prices may also differ depending on the method used. The most commonly applied methods are LASIK, PRK and LASEK. The prices of these methods range from an average of 6,500 TL to 13,000 TL. Besides, newer and advanced methods such as RELEX SMILE, Excimer Laser, ILASIK, Femtosecond Laser, No Touch Laser, PRESBYOND are also available. The prices of these methods range from an average of 7,000 TL to 14,000 TL.

The prices for laser eye surgery may seem high, but these prices include many factors that affect the quality, safety and results of the operation. Also, surgery is a permanent solution to get rid of wearing glasses or contact lenses. Therefore, it may be fairer to compare the prices of surgery with the lifetime cost of wearing glasses or contact lenses. To get more information about the prices of laser surgery, you can contact the nearest ophthalmologist or clinic.

What are the side effects or complications of laser eye surgery?

The side effects or complications of laser eye surgery are usually temporary and mild. However, in some cases, it can cause serious and permanent problems. Possible side effects or complications of the surgery include:

• Dryness of the eye: This surgery can reduce the production of tears that moisturize the surface of the eye. This, in turn, can cause symptoms such as burning, stinging, itching, redness, foreign body sensation in the eye. Dryness in the eye can usually be treated using eye drops. However, in some patients, dryness in the eye can be permanent and impair eye health.
• Impaired vision: The operation may cause temporary visual impairment or discomfort. Some patients may experience problems such as sensitivity to light, decreased night vision, hale or star-shaped images around bright lights, double or hazy vision. These problems usually resolve within a few weeks or months. However, although rare, these problems can be permanent and reduce the quality of vision.
• Eye infection or inflammation: The operation may increase the risk of infection or inflammation in the eye. This condition can cause symptoms such as pain in the eye, redness, discharge, swelling, hypersensitivity to light, vision loss. Eye infection or inflammation, antibiotics, cortisone or anti-inflammatory drugsit can be cured by using it. However, if left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage to the eye.
• Corneal damage: The operation may cause damage to the corneal layer. The cornea is a transparent layer that covers the front surface of the eye. Laser eye surgery corrects eye defects by changing the shape of the cornea. However, if the cornea is very thin, thick, irregular or scarred, surgery may be risky. Also, during or after surgery, complications such as corneal rupture, rupture, wrinkles, infection, abnormal growth of the epithelium may occur. These complications can cause problems such as visual impairment, pain, infection, vision loss. In some cases, a cornea transplant may be required.

Side effects or complications of laser eye surgery may occur differently in each patient. Therefore, before undergoing surgery, you should have a detailed interview with your ophthalmologist and get information about the advantages, disadvantages, risks, costs, results of the operation. In addition, after surgery, you should follow the recommendations of your doctor and monitor your eye health. Laser surgery is an effective and safe method to correct eye defects, but as with any surgical procedure, there are some risks. To minimize these risks, you should choose an experienced and specialized doctor and exercise caution before and after the operation.

Laser Eye Surgery: Conclusion

Laser eye surgery is a surgical method used to correct eye defects. The surgery changes the shape of the cornea layer of the eye, allowing light to focus on the retina at the back of the eye. Thus, visual clarity increases, and the need for glasses or contact lenses disappears or decreases. Surgery can be of different types. The most common ones are LASIK, PRK and LASEK. Laser eye surgery is an option for patients who want to correct eye defects and do not want or cannot wear glasses or contact lenses. However, laser eye surgery is not suitable for everyone.

Patients who want to have laser eye surgery must be over the age of 18, the eye number must not have changed in the last year, the eye health and general health condition must be good, they must not be pregnant or breastfeeding, and the corneal structure must be appropriate. Patients who want to have laser eye surgery should first contact an ophthalmologist and follow the recommendations of their doctor. Laser eye surgery is a method that has been developed with modern technology and is widely applied.

The success rate of laser eye surgery is high and serious complications are rare. However, as with any surgical procedure, there are some risks with laser eye surgery. In order to minimize these risks, the patient should follow the recommendations of his doctor before and after laser eye surgery. Laser eye surgery is a permanent solution to correct eye defects. However, laser eye surgery does not stop the aging process of the eye. For this reason, some patients may need to wear glasses or contact lenses again at an advanced age.