LASIK Eye Surgery in Pakistan:Your Ultimate Guide to Clear Vision

LASIK (Laser-in-situ Keratomileusis) is a vision correction procedure that reshapes the cornea, the transparent outer layer of the eye, using lasers. Your need for glasses or contact lenses will be lessened or eliminated as a result of LASIK. This guide will assist you in making an informed decision if you’re considering getting LASIK in Pakistan. However, always consult a professional before considering a cosmetic procedure.

Who can get LASIK surgery?

Like all cosmetic surgeries, there is a quota to be fulfilled in order to qualify for LASIK surgery. Not everyone is a good fit for laser eye surgery. People who want to have LASIK need to check all these boxes.

Stable vision

Your prescription should become stable. After your vision is stable for a year, you can start thinking about LASIK.  

Healthy eyes

You shouldn’t suffer from any serious conditions affecting your eyes, such as glaucoma, cataracts, or extreme dryness.

Thickness of the cornea

To safely undergo laser treatment, the thickness of your cornea must be sufficient. This can only be determined by an eye specialist. 

Age

People only above the age of 18 can get LASIK.

Manage your expectations

Realize that not everyone will benefit from LASIK and that not everyone will have 20/20 vision. 

What are the benefits of getting LASIK?

There are numerous reasons for selecting LASIK:

Elimination of the need for glasses and contacts

You can enjoy all the advantages that come with improved vision without having to use corrective lenses.

Quick recovery

After LASIK surgery, the majority of patients have a quick visual recovery in a matter of days or weeks.

Results that last

LASIK offers long-term vision correction with advantages that continue for many years after the surgery.

Better quality of life

You can take part in sports, swimming, and vacations without having to worry about wearing contacts or glasses.

Increased self-confidence: 

With better eyesight and a decreased need for corrective lenses, you’ll feel more confident. 

What should I expect during the surgery?

Your eye surgeon will measure your eye precisely and assess the general health of your eye before performing LASIK surgery. Before the surgery, you could be instructed to take a small amount of sedative medication. But this is not typical. Following a comfortable position on an operating table, eye-numbing drops will be applied. Then, your surgeon will precisely shape the curvature of your cornea using a specific kind of cutting laser. A small quantity of corneal tissue is eliminated with each laser pulse. This enables the corneal surgeon to either steepen or flatten the corneal curvature. In LASIK, the cornea is first made into a flap, which the surgeon then elevates to reshape the cornea. Here are some guides with additional information regarding what to expect during the surgery.

LASIK Eye Surgery, LASIK eye surgery – Mayo Clinic, LASIK Surgery: What to expect – Harvard Health, LASIK Laser Eye Surgery – American Academy of Ophthalmology

What is recovery like after LASIK surgery?

Most patients see improved vision within the first few days of their procedure, and the recovery time is quite short. Expect the following throughout the healing process:

Early postoperative phase

Following laser eye surgery, patients may feel some pain, such as light sensitivity, dryness, or moderate irritation. Usually, these symptoms go away in a few days.

Follow-up appointments

In order to track the healing process and guarantee the best possible results, patients are booked for follow-up meetings with their surgeons.

Improvement in vision

As the eyes heal, vision may be hazy or blurry at first, but it will steadily get better over the next few days and weeks.

Resuming regular activities

Depending on their recovery, most patients can return to typical activities, such as driving and working, a few days to a week after LASIK surgery.

Long-term care

After laser eye surgery, patients are encouraged to keep their eyes clean, take their prescribed eye drops as directed, and schedule routine eye exams to keep an eye on their condition. 

Here is a detailed guide on what to expect during the recovery period. Recovering from LASIK Eye Surgery: What to Expect

What are the other types of eye surgery?

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)

Now the most commonly performed eye laser surgery, LASIK involves creating a partial-thickness corneal flap and using an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. The flap is then placed back into its original position. Discomfort after surgery is minimal, and vision recovery usually takes place in 1 to 2 days.

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

With PRK, rather than forming a flap, the top surface, called the epithelium, is removed. This corneal abrasion takes 3 to 4 days to heal, resulting in mild to moderate pain and blurred vision in the short term. Visual recovery takes longer in PRK than it does in LASIK.

It was thought that these drawbacks were outweighed by the theoretical advantage that PRK was safer for people who are more likely to be struck in the eye—for example, those involved in contact sports, law enforcement, or the military. But even with standard LASIK, the risk of cornea flap dislocation is still very low, so there is probably no significant advantage with PRK. PRK may be a better procedure for those with thin corneas.

Small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE)

This newer type of refractive surgery reshapes the cornea by using a laser to make a lens-shaped bit of tissue, called a lenticule, below the cornea surface. Once the lenticule is created, it is removed through a small incision, thus changing the shape of the cornea.

Intraocular lenses. Corrective lenses can be surgically inserted into the eye to improve vision. These intraocular lenses are routinely done as part of cataract surgery, in which the old, cloudy natural lens is removed. Intraocular lenses also may be an alternative to LASIK for older adults who may need cataract surgery in the future.

For more information, check out this guide- LASIK surgery: Is it right for you? – Mayo Clinic

Getting LASIK surgery in Pakistan

The complexity of the procedure, the technology utilized, and the experience of the surgeon all affect how much LASIK surgery costs. In Pakistan, the typical cost of LASIK surgery varies from PKR 50,000 to PKR 150,000 for each eye. Please consult an ophthalmologist or eye specialist to know the precise cost and appropriateness of LASIK surgery.

Remember that having LASIK is a personal choice. Carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks, speak with a licensed eye specialist, and select the solution that best meets your requirements and expectations.

Note: Nothing in this article should be interpreted as medical advice; it is solely intended for informational reasons. For individualized advice about LASIK surgery and other vision correction alternatives, please speak with a licensed eye specialist.