-- Eye Exam Expectations --
Lasik eye surgery is quick and fairly easy on you. You are likely going into it with the belief that you will have good correction of your eye problems when it′s over. With a proper eye examination, you will be all set to get the results you expect.
The doctor, after taking a thorough history of your eyes and related illnesses, will set out to examine your eyes. You will be checked for any infection or irritation you might have in either of your eyes. The doctor will try to find out how healthy your eyes are.
Another part of the eye exam is to see if you are prone to dry eye syndrome. This is important; lasik surgery can make it worse. If you have this problem, you will have to make the decision about whether to go forward with the surgery or not.
The doctor will want to know how much pressure is in your eyes. This is called intraocular pressure. It is measured by a procedure called tonometry. This isn′t a complicated process, and is a normal part of an eye exam.
Your doctor will need to find out your pupil size and how thick your cornea is. This is important to the surgery, as people with too thin corneas are not good candidates for lasik eye surgery. One way to do this is to employ pachymetry, which measures the thickness of the cornea.
To map your eye, the doctor will use a method called computerized topographical analysis. A machine will map the eye. The height of the eye′s surface will be determined. The machine will analyze the light refracting abilities of the eye.
In this procedure, the cornea will be carefully studied. Parameters of its thickness, its shape, and elevations of the front and back of it will be established. With all this information, the doctor should be able to see if you have hidden signs of thinning corneas.
The mapping can be done with lasik wavefront technology. This technology can identify all the corrections that need to be done to your eyes whether they can be aided by corrective lenses or not. (The wavefront will eventually guide the laser to make the corrections when you have your surgery).
Sometimes, your doctor will suggest and do a test called a contrast sensitivity analysis. This is just a test to see how well your eyes adjust to different levels of light. This is important because lasik eye surgery can have an affect on your ability to see in dim light.
When the doctor has done all the tests, a recommendation will be given. The final decision will be up to you. If you take all your doctor′s information and advice into consideration, you should do fine.