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ShareLaser eye surgeon Niteen C Dedhia speaks to Deepa Suryanarayan about the Lasik phenomenon and its pros and cons
Who can opt for Lasik?
Any person who would like to rid himself/herself of dependency on glasses or contact lenses can consider Lasik. The technique came to India in 1995 and has been fine-tuned since.
While 10 years ago, we had five patients a month, today, we treat 100 patients every month. Earlier we used to use Lasik for treating patients with myopic sight with power ranging from -1.00D to -18.00D, for the last few years, we correct vision only up to -12. Similarly, hypermetropia can be corrected up to +6.00 D, while astigmatism can be corrected up to +/-6.00D.
Who is the right candidate for Lasik?
An eye surgeon or ophthalmologist needs to exercise great caution while choosing the right candidate for Lasik. Only patients above 18 years of age can undergo Lasik.
Those who have very high power cannot be considered. The patient needs to undergo the following check-ups before the procedure to determine if he/she is the right candidate: Refraction (to check the correct number of spectacles), corneal topography (to map the power of the cornea), corneal pachymetry (to measure the thickness of cornea), keratometry (to measure the curvature of cornea), slit-lamp examination (to assess the condition of the cornea), tonometry (to check the eye pressure), and a retinal check-up.
How safe is laser surgery?
The laser surgery that is currently done is very advanced and safe. In fact, it is customised according to the individual's eye, which has the least amount of side-effects on the cornea. Besides, Lasik surgery not only offers correction of number, but also corrects optical ablations in the eye, which are responsible for symptoms like reduced vision, glare etc.
What are the symptoms a patient may show after Lasik?
Glare, blurring, reduced night vision, dryness in the eye, etc could be some of the temporary symptoms, but they subside with time. Dryness in the eye is normally present in pre-menopausal women due to the hormonal changes that occur in the body during or just before menopause.
If Lasik is performed on such women, the dryness gets aggravated. Lasik involves moving the corneal flap, so during this procedure, some corneal nerves are likely to get affected. These nerves regenerate themselves in three to six months.
Very high powered laser beams are used during Lasik. When the treatment zone is smaller than the pupil size, the area surrounding the treatment zone is left untreated. Therefore, when the pupil dilates at night, it gives rise to a halo effect around the object in focus. That is why some patients experience halos and glare. These symptoms subside in time.
What is the care to be taken after the Lasik procedure?
Do not rub your eyes for one month. Avoid swimming, steam bath, or sauna for one month. Bathe carefully closing your eyes under the shower and do not allow water to go in the eyes. You can watch TV and use computers within three days of the procedure.
