Author - DrWarren

Is Undergoing LASIK in Fort Worth Right For You?

You may have contemplated having Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery performed for years. Perhaps you are tired of cumbersome glasses and contact lenses and have heard a host of success stories from friends and acquaintances who have done nothing but rave about their LASIK experience. When you finally decide this is what you want, you first have to make sure you are an ideal candidate for LASIK because it cannot help every vision problem.

Fort Worth LASIK surgery can mainly help people who suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. If your vision problems are caused by something else, then you will be told right away at a consultation that LASIK surgery is not for you. Also, the FDA has only approved LASIK surgery in Fort Worth and other parts of the country for people over the age of 18 years old. If you are under 18, your eyes may still be maturing and changing and any surgery that can be performed at an early age can be negated and essentially, a waste of your time. The shape of your eye can also change from pregnancy, so if a female still plans to have children in her life, she should wait to have LASIK surgery until she does not plan to become pregnant again.

Some medical conditions can also preclude you from undergoing LASIK in Fort Worth. If you suffer from diabetes or have ever had Herpes of the eyes, you would not be a LASIK candidate. LASIK can cause Herpes to recur and damage your eyes more, so no doctor will want you to take that risk.

You will learn at your initial consultation if you are a perfect candidate for LASIK surgery in Fort Worth. If you are, you will begin learning how the procedure works and then decide what type of LASIK you want. Custom LASIK is the most popular option. The surgery is tailor made for you individual eye problems and should take no more than 10 minutes the day of the procedure. You will also discuss cost options with the doctor, as different degrees of vision problems can have different prices to correct. LASIK Fort Worth is priced per eye and can cost upwards of $2400. However, many LASIK surgeons offer third party credit services that can make sure your payments are relatively low and affordable each month. Once these details are worked out, a date for your surgery can be set and you will be well on your way to seeing the world in a whole new light.

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A Whole New Life With Fort Worth LASIK Eye Surgery

Fort Worth LASIK surgery can open up a whole new world to you that you’ve never dreamed of. Not only will you see better than you can remember seeing in years, you will be free of the confines of glasses and contacts.

Perhaps you have felt self-conscious wearing glasses and thought of yourself as a “four-eyes”. You may have thought of using contacts, but the idea of sticking something in your eye on a daily basis was not one you were comfortable with. Or maybe you did go with the contact lens option and have found it to be tedious to insert them each morning and then remove them to soak in contact solution each night. You may have grown tired of constantly buying solution and ordering new contacts every few months may be taking a toll on your wallet. Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery can solve these problems and eventually you will barely remember what your life was like before. You will be able to see clearly as soon as you wake up each morning and not have to reach for your glasses on your nightstand immediately. Nor will you have to worry about what to do if you lose a contact or lose or break a pair of glasses.

Remember, you will not walk out of your LASIK surgery in Fort Worth with new improved vision right away. Your eyes will have just gone through a traumatic experience and your vision will be so blurry that it will not even be safe for you to drive, so you must make sure to have arranged for a ride home from the surgery. However, the morning after your Fort Worth LASIK procedure, you will find it is your glasses that make you see fuzzy and your own naked eye can see just fine. Colors will take on a new sharpness and brightness and the world will look clearer than it ever has.

Your vision will only improve in the coming months, and your self-esteem may improve with it. You may begin to look at your own face differently and find you like yourself better without glasses. Even the most expensive designer frames may have not made you feel your best all those year, but they are now a thing of the past. Now, as your eye ages, you may need reading glasses later in life, but they won’t be needed for all-day wear as you may have needed them in the past. If you are ready to take this step call your LASIK Fort Worth doctor today and begin the journey to a whole new life.

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What To Expect After Fort Worth LASIK

Fort Worth LASIK surgery may be an elective procedure that most people undergo for cosmetic and convenience reasons, but it is still a medical procedure and like any medical procedure, there will be some side effects. Your LASIK doctor will inform you of these side effects prior to your surgery. Not every side effect will happen to every patient, but if they do occur, it is best to be informed ahead of time rather than be alarmed when and if they happen to you.

You will definitely not see clearly immediately following Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery. Your eyes have just been through a traumatic experience and your vision will be too poor to do much, especially driving. It is best to nap if possible when you get home from your LASIK Fort Worth center and when you wake the next morning, you will see better than you have in years and your glasses will be what causes you to see blurry. Still, your eyes are not yet fully recovered.

In the days and weeks ahead, your eyes will possibly itch and burn and feel generally irritated. Dry eye can easily occur, especially if you suffered from dry eye in the past. Your eyes may feel puffy and watery for weeks, but this is all very normal and should subside over time. Your eyes may also look red and blood shot for a few weeks and it is important to protect them from the sun by using the dark glasses your doctor gave you after your surgery. Also, be sure to use your prescription eye drops as directed to make sure your eyes do not become infected. They can also help combat the dry eye.

There is also a chance you may see “floaties” or haloes for several months following LASIK surgery in Fort Worth. What look like starbursts and glares may appear as well. This is most likely to happen in a very bright room, but they can occur anywhere, so do not be alarmed. These side effects are known to lessen over time and eventually you will forget they even occurred and maybe even forget the days when glasses and/or contact lenses were a regular part of your daily routine. Despite, this if any of the  seemingly normal side effects become too unbearable, do not hesitate to contact your Fort Worth LASIK surgeon immediately to make sure your eyes are recovering as they should.

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Simple and Fast LASIK Surgery Has Arrived

When the day of your long-awaited LASIK surgery finally arrives, you will be filled with excitement and anticipation. This is a procedure you have probably been dreaming about for years—one where you will finally be free of cumbersome glasses or contact lenses. You will be able to leave those things behind and have an elevated sense of self-esteem at the same time. However, this is a major procedure on your delicate eyes and much care needs to be taken so that everything goes as it should.

In the days leading up to your Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery, you would have filled the prescriptions given to you by your ophthalmologist. If you are a female, you have avoided eye makeup and other cosmetic products by your eyes for about a week and whether male or female, you have also ceased wearing contacts. You will adhere to the same rules the day you wake for your Fort Worth LASIK surgery. You will have also made sure you have someone to drive you to and from the procedure, because your vision will be blurry immediately following LASIK in Fort Worth and it will not be safe to get behind the wheel.

When you arrive at your Fort Worth LASIK center, you will meet with members of the doctor’s pre-op staff who will go over what to expect during the LASIK procedure with you. If your nerves and anxiety are on high alert (which is perfectly normal when undergoing any type of surgical procedure), you might be offered medication. This drug helps calm your nerves and relax you, so you will not enter the procedure room feeling over anxious. Once in the surgical room, you will lay down on a table, but be sure you are not wearing any jewelry around your neck, as this can interfere with how your head is laying in relative position to the laser. The entire procedure should take no more than 10 minutes and you will be given numbing drops so you do not feel any pain.

After the LASIK surgery in Fort Worth, you will be taken to a recovery room and like mentioned above, find that your vision is quite blurry. You will be allowed to go home soon after, but you must wear the dark sunglasses you are given to protect your now-vulnerable eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays. After resting your eyes for the rest of the day and getting a good night’s sleep, you will be surprised to wake the next day and see the world through a whole new set of eyes in a way you can barely remember seeing it before.

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Enhancing the Progress of LASIK Surgery

Fort Worth LASIK surgery can change a person’s life. LASIK itself has become one of the most popular elective surgeries of the 21st century with more than one million people in the United States undergoing the procedure each year. It removes the burden of cumbersome glasses and raises the self-esteem of someone who has thought of his or herself as a “four eyes” for years. If you chose contact lenses over glasses, you will no longer have to think about one popping out of your eye or having to soak them in solution each night and then insert them in your eyes each morning.

For some people, Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery may not be the only procedure they need. Months or even years down the line, they might find they need LASIK enhancement. The cost of the enhancement can often be worked into your original Fort Worth LASIK package so it is not something you’d have to consider if enhancement surgery becomes necessary. There is no way to tell if you will need an enhancement eye surgery, as each case is individual and countless people never have to have their LASIK enhanced. People who suffer from nearsightedness have a better chance of never needing enhancement than those who suffer from farsightedness, as nearsightedness is far easier to correct in just one try. This is so because the cornea on a nearsighted eye is flatter and easier to reshape than one on a farsighted eye. Also, the rate at which a doctor has to perform enhancements has no bearings on his success rate as a LASIK surgeon. For example, if the doctor’s patients are mainly older, they will have a higher chance of needing an enhancement than younger patients.

The enhancement LASIK surgery in Fort Worth is much like the original surgery. The pre-op and post-op instructions will remain the same. For example, do not wear eye makeup or any cosmetics by the eyes for the days leading up to and the days after LASIK in Fort Worth. Prescription eye drops will still be necessary, as will the avoidance of hot tubs, swimming pools and rubbing your eyes. Like original LASIK, the enhancement surgery will still be performed on an outpatient basis and you will still need a ride home as your eyes recover, making it unsafe for you to drive. By now, however, you should be familiar with how things will go and how you need to treat your eyes and the fear of the unknown should be gone.

 

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Prepping for Undergoing Fort Worth LASIK Surgery

Preparing for LASIK surgery is of the utmost importance. The first thing you will do is undergo a thorough examination to learn if you are an ideal candidate for Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery. Once it has been determined that you are, you will be well on your way to becoming glasses and contact lenses-free forever, boosting your self-esteem along with your vision. This is why it is imperative that you follow your doctor’s pre-op instructions religiously.

At the initial consultation and examination, your Forth Worth LASIK doctor will tell you what the surgery involves and also give you prescriptions to fill. One will be for artificial tears to help combat dry eye and the other will be for antibiotic drops to help ensure your eyes do not become infected. Fill these before the surgery date, so they are ready and waiting for you to use the day of your procedure. You will also be asked not to wear your contact lenses for several weeks leading up to your surgery date. This means you will have to rely on that set of glasses contact lens wearers have around for emergencies. You may not like this, but it is well worth it for not having to rely on glasses or contacts again once LASIK in Fort Worth has been performed.

In the days leading up to your LASIK Fort Worth surgery, you will be asked to not wear any eye makeup or other cosmetic products near the eye. They can cause debris and make it much more difficult for your surgeon to perform the procedure, and can also possibly lead to infection after LASIK. And, finally comes the day of the surgery. Make sure you have arranged for a ride to and from the surgical center, as your vision will be quite blurry after and it will not be safe for you to drive. Also, do not wear any jewelry, especially necklaces as this can affect the way your head rests under the laser. You want your head to lay as naturally as possible for the LASIK surgery in Fort Worth to be performed correctly. You may also be offered a valium by your doctor prior to the surgery if you have high anxiety and are worried about both during the procedure and the outcome.

Following these instructions is an absolute must. LASIK surgery may be a quick outpatient procedure, but your eyes are delicate organs and taking care of them correctly at all times is the best thing you can do for yourself.

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Quality LASIK Aftercare

Choosing to have Fort Worth LASIK surgery is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. For years, you have been tied down to glasses or contact lenses, having to update your prescription each year or every other year as your vision has gotten progressively worse. Finally, there is an option that can free you from those burdens, and also elevate your self-esteem. You will be given the gift of good vision and that is something you need to take care of. That is why adhering to your Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery doctor’s post op orders is imperative.

Immediately following the surgery, your vision will be quite blurry. After all, your eyes have been through a traumatic experience. It will be unsafe for you to drive with such poor vision, so you will need to have arranged for a ride home ahead of time. And, during the ride home your eyes will be extremely sensitive to light, so you need to wear the thick, dark sunglasses your Fort Worth LASIK doctor gives you. You will be wearing these glasses outside for the next few weeks to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, so you may as well get used to them right away. Once home, rest your eyes. If you have kids, arrange for someone to watch them so that you can nap in a dark area. The next morning, you will be shocked at how clearly you can see and how your glasses are now what make your vision fuzzy.

In the coming weeks, your vision will just improve even more, but you must take good care of your now-glasses-free eyes. Make sure to use the eye drops your doctor prescribed as directed—both the artificial tears and antibiotic drops to help stave off any possible infections. Also, refrain from wearing any makeup or other cosmetic products by your eyes for several weeks to make sure they are free of debris. Avoid all contact sports, as well as hot tubs and swimming pools. The chlorine can easily burn your recovering eyes, a feeling you do not want. And, no matter how much you may want to, resist the urge to rub your eyes. This can be difficult as your eyes will tend to water in the first few weeks following LASIK in Fort Worth, but it is well worth resisting as you want nothing to damage this new gift of sight you have been given.

 

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Your Initial LASIK Consultation

The first step to undergoing LASIK surgery in Fort Worth is to set up your initial consultation with a LASIK specialist. This consultation will be quite involved and also include a thorough eye examination. The purpose is to learn if you are an ideal candidate for LASIK surgery, and also to familiarize you with the procedure and decide which type of LASIK is right for you.

As mentioned, the first part of this initial appointment is the eye exam. What type of vision problem you have will be noted, as well as the strength of your glasses or contact lens prescription. Nearsightedness and astigmatism are vision problems that easily qualify for Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery, but some farsighted issues may prove to be more difficult to treat. Farsightedness does not rule LASIK out for you, however, and your case will be treated as individual. You will also have a glaucoma test done just like you have for years when visiting the optometrist, as a positive glaucoma outcome can put the kibosh on a Fort Worth LASIK candidacy.

After the exam, the doctor will go over your entire medical history and it is important for you to be as up front and honest as possible. There are some medical conditions that will preclude you from having the procedure done and they include diabetes and having previously suffered from Herpes of the eye. If you are a nursing mom, you will be asked to wait to have Fort Worth LASIK done until after you have weaned. You will also be advised to wait if you plan to have more children as pregnancy can change the shape of the eye and negate any good that LASIK can do.

You will also discuss the cost of the surgery, which generally costs about $800 to $1200 per eye, but can vary depending on the extent of your vision problems and also what kind of Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery package you choose. The price may be steep, but many doctors work with a third party credit company to help finance the cost of the surgery. Payments can be as low as $45 a month. Once you have established that you are indeed an ideal candidate and that you can afford the procedure,  a date for your surgery will be set up. You will be given strict pre and post op instructions that may seem daunting, but they are worth it for the gift of clearer vision than you have had in years.

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What Is Fort Worth LASIK Surgery All About?

One of the most important thing when deciding whether you are ready for Fort Worth LASIK surgery is learning what LASIK is all about. Technically known as refractive eye surgery, LASIK was approved by the FDA for wide use in the United States and its popularity has just grown ever since, with more than one million people having the procedure performed each year.

LASIK surgery works by correcting refractive vision problems, most commonly myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. By correcting lens shape problems, LASIK surgery in Fort Worth has given countless people a new outlook on life—literally. Although the procedure is indeed a surgery, it is a quick outpatient surgery that is done in about 10 minutes. You will barely be in the surgical room before the entire thing is over and you are sent home. Of course, your vision will be blurry following Fort Worth LASIK so you must have a ride home as it will not be at all safe to drive.

Prior to the surgery, your doctor will help you decide with LASIK procedure is right for you. The most common LASIK in Fort Worth is Wavefront LASIK (also known as Custom LASIK to many). It is custom-designed specifically for your individual eye problems. You will also decide whether you want the procedure performed with or without a blade. Many patients have been choosing bladeless LASIK in recent years, with the procedure being done exclusively with a laser.

Your doctor will also give you a strict set of pre and post-op instructions that you must follow for the best possible outcome. Do not wear any eye makeup or other cosmetic products near the eye the day of the surgery, as well as for several days prior to the surgery. Debris in the eye can make Fort Worth LASIK eye surgery difficult and can also lead to infection. This is why you must also not wear makeup by the eye for about a week after the surgery as well. Have the prescriptions filled that your doctor gives you before the day of your LASIK procedure so you are ready to start taking them immediately. If you are not comfortable with eye drops, close your eye and place the drops on your side. Then, blink the drops in to coat the eye.

That blurry vision immediately following LASIK will be a thing of the past by the next day, as well as constant dependence on glasses and/or contact lenses.

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The Side Effects of Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures in the United States. Each year more than a million people over 60 have cataracts removed from their eyes in a relatively simple operation that usually does not take more than an hour to undergo. Fort Worth cataract surgery is done on an outpatient basis, meaning patients can go home the same day and recover where they are most comfortable. Although the recovery is also a relatively simple one as compared to other more invasive surgeries, there are still some side effects all patients should be aware of before making the decision to have cataracts removed.

As with any surgery, the possibility of infection does exist. The most common eye infection to occur is called endophthalmitis, which results in burning, redness and blurred vision. There is also a possibility of bacterial conjunctivitis (most often known as “pink eye”). Your Fort Worth cataract eye surgery doctor will prescribe you antibiotic drops both before and after the surgery prophylactically in order to help prevent infection. You must take them as directed for the best possible outcome.

Swelling is another possible side effect of cataract surgery in Fort Worth. Fluid may build up near the retina and result in inflammation. Usually, this does go away on its own within a few weeks, but if it does not anti-inflammatory eye drops can be prescribed. If those do not work, steroid injections in the eye can also be used, but that only occurs in rare cases.

Other and much more rare side effects may occur years after the surgery is performed. Your vision can become blurry again when the part of the eye lens that was not removed during the initial surgery becomes clouded. A laser technique can be used to resolve this and it is considered to be a safe procedure.

To help avoid these side effects, post op instructions must be followed. Use the dark sunglasses your doctor will give you to protect your eyes from ultraviolet sunrays for several weeks. Also, avoid cosmetic products, as well as hot water and soap around the eye. Although the procedure was a simple and quick one, your eye or eyes still went through a trauma and need to recover correctly. Despite the care you must take after surgery and the side effects that may occur, most people find undergoing cataract surgery was the right decision. Blurry vision becomes clear again and the quality of life that the gift of sight brings is enormously improved.

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