Austin Lasik Surgery Information

Each year, hundreds of Austin residents have Lasik surgery to correct various problems with their vision. So if you are planning to have laser eye surgery in Austin in the near future, it's safe to say you are not alone.

But what exactly is Lasik surgery in the first place? How does the process work? Perhaps most importantly, how do you find an Austin Lasik surgeon who is best qualified to perform your procedure?

In this article, we will address these questions and more. We will talk about laser eye surgery and how it works. We will talk about the benefits and risks of such a procedure. We will discuss the qualities of the ideal Lasik surgeon.

So let's start with the basics...

What Is Lasik Anyway?

Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It's a mouthful, I know, but that's what the acronym LASIK stands for. That's why you see the word written in all capital letters some of the time -- it's an acronym for a longer medical term. But for the sake of simplicity and readability, we will use Lasik in normal case and forego the capitalization.

Before you decide whether or not to have an Austin Lasik surgery procedure, you should learn everything you can about such procedures. So let's talk about how this process works.

Lasik works by permanently changing the shape of the cornea within the patient's eyes. If you've forgotten your high school anatomy class, the cornea is a membrane that covers the pupil and iris of the eye. The shape of the cornea directly affects your vision. So by reshaping the cornea of the eye, Lasik surgery could potentially improve the patient's vision.

This procedure is used for patients who have one of three common vision problems: (1) myopia, or nearsightedness; (2) hyperopia, or farsightedness; or (3) astigmatism.

See also: Advantages of Lasik

The Potential Risks of Eye Surgery

All surgeries have risks associated with them, and this is true of Austin Lasik eye surgery as well. But when you consider the fact that these risks affect your vision, you can see the need for careful research.

Here is a brief summary of the various risks associated with Lasik surgery procedures:

• Vision Loss - Clearly, this is one of the most serious risks of a Lasik procedure. In some documented cases, patients have lost lines of vision (based on the vision chart). This is not something that can be corrected by wearing glasses or contacts, or even by having repeat surgeries. While such cases are rare, they do occur and are therefore something you should learn more about.
• Vision Problems - Some patients who undergo Lasik surgery in Austin (and elsewhere across the country) develop problems with halos or glares around objects, and some experience double vision as the reduce of their surgery. Additionally, some patients of Lasik eye surgery experience a significant reduction / degradation in their nighttime vision. Once more, it's something you should research further.
• Dry Eye Syndrome - One of the fascinating qualities of the human eye is the natural ability to lubricate itself with tears. However, some patients of Austin Lasik surgery lose the ability to produce enough tears to keep their eyes moist. This condition is appropriately referred to as dry eye syndrome, and it's one more risk you should consider. Dry eye syndrome can be permanent and can cause discomfort and blurred vision. It is usually treated with eye drops.
• Repeated Procedures - It is common for patients to require additional treatments from their Austin Lasik surgeon after the initial procedure. Often, the desired vision improvement cannot be achieved during the first procedure. But for a variety of reasons, repeated treatments are not always possible, so some patients undergo Lasik eye surgery with only marginal improvements in their vision.
• No Long-Term Data - The success rates of a medical procedure are best measured over a long period of time. When you have a lot of data to examine, you are better able to determine general success rates, risks, best practices, etc. But Lasik surgery has not been around very long. The first laser was approved in 1998, which is a short period of data collection in medical terms. So we don't fully understand the long-term effectiveness or safety of these procedures.

See also: Related article on Lasik disadvantages

All of this is not meant to scare you away from Austin Lasik surgery or the surgeons who perform it, but only to point out the various risks you need to consider. Lasik eye surgery has improved the vision (and, by extension, the lives) of many people. So it has a place in the medial world. But like any medical procedure, it has risks as well. You need to weight those risks against the potential benefits.

Choosing a Lasik Surgeon in Austin

Naturally, we cherish our ability to see clearly. One could argue, in fact, that vision is the most important physical attribute we possess. Thus, when you need surgery on your eyes to correct a problem with your vision, it's important to consider the process carefully.

Choosing a Lasik surgeon and surgery center in Austin is one of those areas that require careful consideration. So let's talk about some of the things you should keep in mind when choosing an Austin surgeon to perform your procedure.

1. Experience of the Surgeon - Obviously, this is an important consideration when choosing any type of surgeon, but especially when choosing a Lasik surgery center. There is simply too much at risk to entrust your vision correction to a poorly qualified doctor. Licensing boards in the state of Texas do a decent job of ensuring quality and competence of Lasik surgeons in Austin and other cities. But you should also take it upon yourself to measure the experience of doctors before choosing one.
2. Patient Success Rate - This is arguably the best way to judge the skill and competence of an Austin laser eye surgeon. Some people don't feel comfortable asking about this, but it's a necessary piece of information so you should certainly ask about it. After all, this is your vision we are talking about here.
3. Current Techniques - Lasik (and laser eye surgery in general) is a highly advanced technical field, and the technology is constantly evolving. So when you choose your Austin surgery center, be sure to find out if they are using the latest techniques and equipment. This is important, because it directly relates to the chances of success, the recovery time and other factors.
4. Bedside Manner - Okay, so you probably won't be in a bed when recovering from your Lasik procedure. So in this context, "bedside manner" refers to the surgeon's personal interaction with you before the surgery, when you are still in the research mode. Your chosen surgeon should take the time to answer all of your questions. You should never feel rushed during this process.

Conclusion and Summary

We hope you have found this guide to Austin, Texas Lasik surgery helpful, and we wish you well in your path to better vision. Remember, this guide is the only the beginning of your research. It is not meant to take the advice of professional medical advice, but only to give you a starting point in your research process. Austin Lasik surgery is a serious procedure that requires plenty of consideration on your part.