Dr. William Boothe talks about Lasik Eye Surgery and eye problems   by Dr William Boothe

in Health    (submitted 2011-03-03)

What is LASIK?

LASIK: Abbreviation corresponding to laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, a form of laser eye surgical procedure designed to modify the form of the cornea to annihilate or reduce the necessitate of glasses and contacts in cases of severe nearsightedness (myopia).
Dr. William Boothe about The Best Candidates for LASIK:
-Age requirement - Patients must be at least 18 years old
-Have a healthy cornea, retina and eye pressure and no other major eye disease;
-Don't have chronic eye diseases or conditions, such as amblyopia (lazy eye), keratoconus, or glaucoma
-Accept that laser vision correction has limitations.
-Have sufficient corneal thickness (the cornea is the trans-parent front part of the eye).
-If wearing contact lens, discontinue use at least 7 days prior to the examination, depending on the type of contact lenses.
-Don't take drugs or undergo therapy that suppresses your immune system
-Have a refractive error within the FDA-approved correctable range for LASIK
Not good candidates
-Do not give informed consent. It is absolutely necessary that candidates adequately discuss the procedure and its benefits and risks with their surgeon, and provide the appropriate consent prior to undergoing the surgery.
-Individuals with pupils that dilate beyond seven millimeters in the dark are not good candidates for LASIK.
-Uncontrolled glaucoma
-If the costs are too high and you simply do not have coverage with your insurance company, you too may be limited.
-Have unstable or uncontrolled diabetes
-Are under age 18 - Have unstable vision, which usually occurs in young people.
-Have a history of ocular herpes within one year prior to having the surgery. Once a year has passed from initial diagnosis of the disease, surgery can be considered.

Dr. Boothe: Lasik facts
* Acne - Acne itself does not cause any problems during LASIK surgery, but some acne medications may cause complications.
* Eye health - Within the last year you would need to have had no eye infections or injuries. Any herpes infections in the eyes would disqualify you, since a LASIK procedure could cause a recurrence of it.
* You would need to have good general health, with no autoimmune disease such as Lupus. Preferably you should not be diabetic, although in some cases this might not be so important, if it is well controlled.
* You are not a good lasik candidate if your prescription is fluctuating.

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