LASIK is the number one elective surgical procedure today, and more than a million Americans have had the procedure since its inception.   Let’s take a look at why LASIK is taking the ocular world by storm.

Better Distance Vision

Clearly, the biggest reason for choosing LASIK is improved distance vision. While some patients have relatively mild problems with their eyesight, others experience major disturbances in their vision that makes functioning day to day almost impossible without the use of visual aids. LASIK can dramatically improve the quality of your vision, reducing the need to wear glasses or contact lenses for distance.

A Short, Painless Procedure

LASIK surgery can be performed in one, very short procedure. You should expect to spend several hours in the surgery suite, but the actual time it takes can be as little as 10 minutes – for both eyes! The remainder of the time will be spent preparing you and ensuring you are comfortable during the surgery and afterwards. The entire process is carried out after anesthetic drops have been placed into your eyes, so the surgery is painless. However, if you are particularly anxious about the process, it may be possible to be given an oral sedative to help you relax.

Fast Recovery

LASIK eye surgery is renowned for its fast, simple recovery process. You will be able to return home the very same day as your procedure.  The flap that was created in the corneal tissue will start to heal itself without the need for sutures or bandages. Most patients can return to work within a day or two of their procedure. However, you will need to attend several follow-up appointments with Dr. Kubota to assure that your eyes heal correctly.   The first follow up appointment is 24 hours after your surgery, then the rest of the post-operative visits are as follows: 2-3 day (optional), 1-week, 2-week, 1-month, 3-month, 6 month and 1-year.  If you have any concerns, then you can call and come in to see Dr. Kubota in between these standard post-operative follow up appointments.

Extremely Safe

LASIK is an extremely safe procedure when performed by a certified and experienced eye surgeon. Laser technology means that the incisions are made with total precision and accuracy, and the process is completely sterile. The risk of complications in laser vision correction is very low, occurring in only around 1 in every 10,000 cases.

Better Quality of Life

Eyesight problems can be a huge inconvenience. Activities like swimming, water skiing and snowboarding are much more difficult if you need to wear glasses or contact lenses. In regular day to day activities, there can be the worry that your eyeglasses may fall off, or that you have left them behind when you need them. If you suffer from pollen allergies, you may find that wearing contact lenses exacerbates your eye allergies. In short, there are lots of ways in which the need for visual aids can interrupt your life, and it can be extremely frustrating. LASIK reduces the inconvenience of distance eyeglasses or contact lenses and makes it much easier to get on with living life to the fullest.