Is Eye Surgery Right For You?

I’m willing to bet that most people who wear glasses have, at least, considered eye surgery at some point. Maybe not seriously or to the point of researching it, but haven’t we all, at some point, wished to to have 20/20 vision? Even with the stylish choices we have in eye wear these days, it would be nice to wear them because you want to, not because you have to. 

With laser eye surgery, there are many serious things to consider. Taking care of your eyes is extremely important, and how you approach this will affect them for life. Here’s a short guide to help you understand your options. Of course, this is not to replace the advice of your eye care professional and doctor. 

Have you considered all your options?

Maybe you don’t like how you look in glasses. Have you considered contact lenses? Daily disposables are widely available. They remove the need to worry about the aesthetic side of glasses. Eye surgery should really only be considered if you have tried all other types of vision correction. Go with contact lenses for a while, or see if you can find a more comfortable pair of glasses.

There are many different types of eye surgery

It’s not quite as simple as “getting eye surgery”. There are many different types, most with scary-sounding, complex names. The most famous type is laser eye surgery, but there are several types of that, as well.

Many people think that laser eye surgery doesn’t involve “real surgery”, i.e. cutting of the eyeball. This is incorrect. Part of your eye will be removed by hand, no matter what type of laser surgery you choose.

Example: LASIK surgery. This is possibly the most well-known type of laser eye surgery. It’s a type of refractive eye surgery. During the procedure, a surgeon creates a flap in the cornea, then uses a laser to reshape it. The purpose of this is to correct focusing problems in the eye.

There are many different kinds of eye problems

What surgery you get will depend completely on the specific problem you have. As you already know, you don’t just have “bad vision”. You have myopia, or nearsightedness. Or you have hyperopia, a.k.a. farsightedness. Or you have astigmatism, which is overall blurry vision. I could go on and on! But the exact problem you have will require a specific type of surgery which may have its own unique benefits and risks. Careful evaluation of your eyes by a specialist will be required before any choices are made.

The risks are great – but so are the potential benefits

There is always a chance that things could go wrong. But, with most kinds of eye surgery, the risk is low. Patients often walk away happy and with eyesight improvements. It’s important to research the option you’re considering carefully. You should be as informed as possible about the clinic you’ll be going to, as well as the person(s) who will be performing the surgery.

The procedures are far from cheap. Laser eye surgery averages at a cost of about $1500-2000 per eye. However, it could very well end up being the best money you’ve ever spent. But it does further highlight the need to consider all your options carefully. Visit your doctor or an eye specialist, and get a proper consultation. Speak openly to them about your concerns. 

****This post is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your health care professional. Women’s LifeLink, it’s owners, administrators, associates, vendors, authors, contributors, or affiliates do not claim that anything in this post will diagnose, cure, or make better any condition, disease, or health problems.