Lasik is a form of eye surgery that can be used to correct a variety of vision problems. This kind of solution can, for example, work well for people with myopia (near/short sightedness), hyperopia (far/long sightedness), presbyopia (the need for glasses to read) and astigmatism. It can, in many cases, cure the problem that you have once and for all.

The procedures used here are often carried out in private hospitals and clinics that specialize in this kind of refractive surgery. These hospitals and clinics are often given the right to call themselves Lasik Institutes because of their commitment to these procedures.

In some cases a hospital/clinic here may only offer this kind of surgical procedure. In most cases however, you can choose from a range of related procedures here as well — the type of treatment that you get will usually depend on your visual needs and the actual physical condition of your eyes.

Most hospitals and clinics that can carry the Lasik name in this way will usually be private concerns. Here, you pay for the treatment that you need. If you live in a country that has some kind of nationalized health service such as in the UK, for example, then this kind of treatment is not always viewed as a medical necessity so it will not usually be funded by the state system.

It is important to make sure that you choose the right kind of Lasik Institute to take on your procedure(s) when you opt for this kind of treatment. You should, for example, check that the surgeons working in this setting are suitably qualified and have plenty of prior experience of doing this kind of procedure.

It is also important to check that the clinic/hospital uses the right kind of state approved equipment and techniques that are accredited in the country in which you live. This will avoid any untoward problems happening and will give you the best chances of success with your procedures.

So, for example, you should look for specialists in this field who give you a clear history of their prowess and experience in this field. You should also look to make sure that they give you clear and up to date information on other issues such as any risks that may apply to these procedures and so on.

A good clinic and/or surgeon here will also take the time to meet with you to talk through any relevant procedures so that you know exactly what happens and how your eye surgery will work. It is important to know as much as possible about these kinds of operations so that you can assess how suitable they are for you.

You should also expect to have a fairly lengthy consultation with the surgeon or a qualified representative before you sign up for any kind of Lasik surgery. This kind of treatment cannot be carried out on every patient willing to have it and you will probably be asked to go through some tests and procedures to establish your suitability at the outset.

For many people an eye examination plays a regular part in their lives. If you wear glasses or contacts, for example, then you will probably be advised by your optician/optometrist to have a check up every one or two years. The fact is that most specialists here will recommend regular check ups for adults and children on a regular basis even if they don’t have existing eye defects and feel that they can see OK.

The actual examination tests that you are given by an optician/optometrist may vary. Some people will have a simple basic eye exam and others may also need more complicated tests. For example, if you have a family history of diabetes and/or glaucoma then you may be given additional eye pressure tests at the same time as your general check up to make sure that you are not developing these problems.

In some cases the basic eye exam that you are given may show that you could potentially have a vision or specific condition problem. If this is the case your optician/optometrist will probably carry out further tests and/or refer you to an eye specialist.

One of the first things that the person doing your eye exam will do is to take a general look at your eyes and their surrounding areas. They will then use a special inspection device known as an ophthalmoscope to take a closer look inside your eye and at the back of your eye to check for any issues or problems.

They will also use various light devices to check on the operation of your eye and its component parts and muscles — i.e. how your pupil reacts to light and so on. Your optician/optometrist may test to see how your peripheral vision works and how well each eye can focus on objects both close up and at a distance.

One of the major areas that your eye exam will cover is how well your eyes actually work. If you have perfect vision then this is described as having 20:20 vision. The tests here will be used to assess whether you need to wear glasses or contact lenses or whether you need to change the prescription on the glasses/contacts that you currently are wearing.

The main part of the sight test involves looking at a series of letters, colors, pictures and/or lights both with and without the aid of lenses to see if you have any vision issues. You need to wear a special frame here which is kind of like a large and bulky pair of glasses. The lenses are slotted into the frame and the optician/optometrist will use different lenses in each eye in turn to find the one that suits you best.

Even if you have pretty good vision and feel that you do not need the aid of glasses and/or contacts it is still recommended to have an eye exam on a regular basis. Your optician/optometrist can often identify other conditions and illnesses from taking a detailed look at your eyes and there are many different tests that may be done here if it is felt that you do have an issue.

Many common eye defects and problems can be cured or improved by laser eye surgery. For this reason this kind of surgery is an extremely popular ‘cosmetic’ option nowadays and more and more people with eye problems are choosing this as an alternative to wearing glasses and/or contact lenses for all of their lives.

So, for example, the techniques used in this kind of surgery can help with a variety of eye defects. If you have, for example, astigmatism (problems with blurred or out of focus vision), myopia (short sightedness) or hyperopia (long sightedness) then this may be a solution for you.

Some of these common eye problems are basically caused by an issue with the way that your cornea is shaped. A regular cornea will be a round shape, kind of like a ball. But, the shape of a cornea with these problems will not necessarily be this regular round shape. If you have astigmatic vision, for example, then your cornea may well be more of an oval shape like an American football or a rugby ball.

This kind of shaping simply makes it difficult for the eye to process light as it should. With a regular cornea the light should pass into the eye to hit a certain point in a certain way. This is what helps you see objects as you should. If your cornea is not quite the right shape then you may well not be able to see so well because the light enters your eye and is processed differently.

Laser eye surgery simply works on your cornea and its surrounding tissues to make it more of a regular shape. If this works then your eye may well work better, doing away with the need for you to wear glasses or contact lenses from this point forward.

In some cases a laser surgeon will use a laser cutting tool or a scalpel to make a flap cut to access the cornea. In other procedures here, however, a cut is not actually made but the surface of the cornea is abraded instead to give the surgeon access. Then, he/she will use a specially designed laser to work on your cornea to ‘reshape’ it.

So, for example, if you have astigmatism the procedure here may work to flatten out your cornea to change the shape as it sits in your eye. This should give you more of a rounded cornea rather than an oval shaped one which may well sort out your vision problems.

Do bear in mind that not everyone should have this kind of surgery. It is important, therefore, to make sure that you find a surgeon who will look at your general medical history and the actual construction of your eye(s) to make sure that you are a suitable case for laser surgery.

So, don’t simply sign up for a laser surgery option where no tests or investigations take place. Your doctor should check your suitability first, make a recommendation on what kind of procedure you should have if you are a suitable candidate for surgery and then talk you through all the success factors and risks.

There are many different types of eye specialists in the medical profession. Some people may, in their lifetime, meet with more than one specialist here whilst others may only ever come across one professional in this field. And, of course if you are lucky enough to have 20/20 vision and no eye problems then you may feel that you never need to consult eye specialists!

The eye specialist that most of us see regularly, however, is an optician or optometrist. These specialists tend to work in private optical stores where they give eye tests and dispense prescriptions for glasses and contacts for those who need them. Some opticians and optometrists may, however, work in a hospital environment as an alternative.

In many cases, if you have serious eye problems or an underlying medical condition that is identified by changes in your eyes then this will often be spotted by your optician/optometrist during a routine eye exam. They can then refer you to a different kind of eye specialist, usually in a hospital environment.

If you see an eye specialist in a hospital then the chances are that you will see some form of ophthalmologist. So, for example, if you need eye surgery then this will most likely be done by an ophthalmic surgeon. Or, if you need treatment for an eye disease or complaint then a general ophthalmologist may be able to help you.

Many hospitals, especially specialist eye centers also employ other eye specialists who work on different areas. For example, an ocularist works with people who have lost an eye due to injury or illness. This kind of specialist fits false eyes and so on.

With the growth of laser eye surgery many ophthalmologists also work in private practice where they specialize in certain types of refractive surgery. So, for example, here you may visit a practice to arrange to have your short or long sightedness cured by having a laser procedure.

It is always important to make sure that the eye specialist that you see has all relevant qualifications. You should also check to make sure that they are a member of any national governing body. This ensures that you get the best quality of care and that you avoid any issues that might arise from using an unqualified practitioner.

The type of eye specialist that you may see will depend on whether you are looking for general check ups and eye exams or whether you have a specific problem. And, of course you can opt for elective surgery here with the laser eye surgery options now available.

It is generally recommended that everybody makes the effort to have their eyes checked on a regular basis. You may well have perfect sight and feel that you have no problems but this may not actually be the case.

Many eye conditions can be spotted from a standard eye test such as glaucoma. And, if these conditions are spotted early enough then you can often have treatments that will prevent them from becoming a serious illness to you later on in life.

In the best possible scenario your Lasik surgery will either cure or improve your sight problems. You may, after this kind of procedure, find that you can throw away your glasses and contact lenses as so many people so. If this is your aim here then this is obviously a great solution for you.

But, laser surgery such as the Lasik procedure is, at the end of the day, surgery. And, as every reputable doctor will tell you, surgery always carries with it the risk of complications and/or side effects. A good surgeon here will, of course, talk you through the possibilities before you agree to the procedure that they recommend.

This isn’t an issue for most people and the majority of Lasik procedures will work fine and will have no major side effects. But, in some cases, some people will actually be more prone to suffer from side effects from this kind of surgical procedure than others. So, will you be one of them?

These side effects may not be an issue in medical terms. They may simply cause some irritating problems and visual disturbances that you find that you can cope with, especially given the advantages that your surgery may bring you. But, in some cases, these side effects can have a negative impact on your everyday life so they are worth considering before choosing this surgical solution.

For example, if you already suffer from problems with dry eyes then you need to talk to your doctor about whether this kind of procedure could potentially make your dry eyes worse. Dry eyes are a common side effect of this kind of surgery and you could end up with a chronic complaint here that could lead to long term use of eye drops and even corrective surgery in later years.

You also need to be aware that the actual make up of your eyes could have an impact here. Although our eyes are all designed to do the same jobs they are not all made the same. So, for example, if your pupils tend to get larger in dim conditions than is the norm then you could suffer from specific side effects here such as glare and haloing. These side effects can hit everyone but are held to be more likely to happen in this instance.

So, you may well find that having larger pupils in dim light conditions means that you see haloes around objects and glare at night and when there is not a lot of light around after this kind of surgery. In extreme cases this could mean that you cannot drive at night so you need to check this out if that would be a problem for you.

A professional laser eye surgeon will cover the risks and side effects that could happen with this kind of operation with all their patients. They should also make sure that you know of any increased risks that you may have due to a pre-existing condition or visual problem so do make sure to talk through what might happen here.