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There are several types of refractive eye surgery. The following are some of the more common types.
In general, you are given either local anesthesia in the form of eye drops or general anesthesia. If you are given local anesthesia and you fear that you will be nervous, you can request a mild sedative to help you relax. Pediatric refractive eye surgery requires general anesthesia in order to avoid risks due to involuntary movement.
After the procedure, you need to stay in the hospital for a few hours to be monitored. You may go back to your hotel on the same day once the effects of the anesthesia wear off. Some procedures such as LASIK will only require you to stay in Singapore for 2 days, but other procedures will take longer, sometimes up to 7 days.
The recovery period is different depending on which type of procedure is being performed. For LASIK, a full recovery can take up to 6 months. However, you should be able to return to work within 1 week. The recovery time for PRK may be longer than that. In general, the recovery time is painless and quick with only slight discomfort. It is common to feel some soreness and your eyes may feel a little watery. Most people can immediately see significant positive results after the first few days after the procedure.
Follow-up checkups are very important because it allows your surgeon to determine your eye health and when you will be able to drive or use gadgets. Your surgeon will likely give you detailed aftercare instructions and there might be several restrictions that you must obey during your recovery period. Try to avoid having a shower immediately after the procedure. You will also need to reduce the chances of exposing your eyes to irritation for the first week. Do not apply any products around your eye, get soap or water in your eyes or wear eye makeup. Avoid being around people who smoke as smoke can irritate your eyes. You should also avoid rubbing your eyes as it can cause severe discomfort and increase the risk of complications. It is advised to do some exercise within three days of your surgery, but you should avoid yoga, aerobics, as well as strenuous exercises and sports such as weight lifting, football, or tennis.
The success rate for refractive eye surgery is exceptionally high and your result depends on several factors, including your refractive error. People with mild nearsightedness usually have the most success, while people with a high degree of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism have less predictable results. According to studies, 95% of nearsighted patients who undergo LASIK achieve improved vision after recovery.
It is important to be aware that refractive eye surgery also possesses some potential risks and complications, including under correction or overcorrection, excess corneal haze, regression, halo effect, flap damage or loss, worse vision, as well as infection and delayed healing
Refractive eye surgery is still the best way to treat common vision problems. Nevertheless, people who do not want to undergo surgery can have conventional reading glasses, varifocals, multifocal, or bifocals to focus the top half of the glasses for distance and the lower half for reading. Contact lenses can also be used to create a multifocal cornea.
This information has been accurately sourced and verified by a medical professional for its accuracy, however, we strongly recommend you to consult with your doctor before pursuing medical procedures overseas.