Laser Eye Surgery Known As Lasik example essay topic

I would like to ask a question. By a show of hands, how many people here use some form of corrective eyewear; glasses or contact lenses? (results) Wouldn! |t it be wonderful if in fifteen minutes you could have a painless procedure that would allow you to throwaway your glasses or contacts. Wouldn! |t it be wonderful if this miracle procedure only cost you eighty-nine dollars a month for one year. Imagine going to the beach, going to parties, waking up in the morning without having to fuss with contacts or glasses. How much better would you look? How much better would you feel about yourself?

The advertisements are strong, convincing, and real. Laser eye surgery known as LASIK is quick, painless, and nearly risk-free! It's a miracle! However, hidden from the ads are the real-life stories of pain and suffering.

This year, two million Americans will under go laser eye surgery, and five percent, that's one hundred thousand people will experience serious damage to their vision. Tonight I want to open your eyes to the seldom-spoke-of-risks of LASIK. I will begin with a brief explanation of the LASIK procedure. The basis for all laser eye surgery is to reshape the cornea or the lens of the eye. I will use this orange to help illustrate my point. The surgeon uses an instrument called a micro ker a tome that creates a!

SSflap!" on the outer cornea tissue. This! SSflap!" is then pulled back to expose the cornea lens. A laser-beam is used to vaporize microscopic portions of the cornea, making it flatter or rounded depending on your prescription needs. A high-speed computer is used to calculate the laser's path along the surface of the cornea.

Then the! SSflap!" is replaced over the reshaped area and heals over time. I have personally watched this procedure on several patients from a viewing area at a local LASIK clinic. It is absolutely amazing, and it only takes a few minutes per eye. Now that the LASIK procedure is complete, the question remains if the procedure was successful.

There are three most common problems at this point of the LASIK procedure: FIRST! Xthere is Under-correction! Which means that not enough tissue was removed. SECOND!

Xthere is Over-correction- which means that too much tissue was removed. THIRD! Xthere is Wrinkling- this is where the corneal flap is folded or wrinkled when it is put back into place. If the Under-correction is slight, the surgeon may not advise a second LASIK procedure, but in fact just reduce your corrective-lens prescription. In other words, you may still need to wear glasses. Additionally, there must be enough cornea tissue to successfully do the second procedure.

A period no less than six weeks is needed for the vision to stabilize for the reprogramming of the computer for this second go around. These second procedures are kindly referred to as! SS enhancements!" , which occur in about 30% of the cases. As for Over-correcting, it cannot be surgically improved. Only wearing prescription eyewear can bring relief. Then there is the wrinkled flap, it may go unnoticed for an extended period of time, which allows the wrinkle to crease.

This is corrected by stitching the flap in place. This procedure must be done in a hospital and would not be covered under most health insurance plans. Another flap problem can occur well after the procedure; that is flap-displacement. This would call for a more serious hospital operation that may include a corneal tissue transplant from a donor. Nevertheless, the LASIK procedure is now completed. This brings me to the possible side effects of LASIK.

Industry analysts and reports from the Food and Drug Administration state that up to 5% of LASIK patients experience some sort of serious complications. Some of these side effects and complications many are life altering and irreversible. This year, two million Americans will have LASIK, and many of the one hundred thousand that will have problems will have to change careers or giving up night driving. A few of the major side effects include: "X Ghosting- a fainter second image of an object! Kor! K "X Halos- lights appearing as glare or surrounded by rings!

Kor! K "X Starburst- Bright lights seen as spiked circles of light! Kor maybe! K "X Double vision- seeing two overlapping images at the same time!

Then there is! K "X Dry-eye syndrome- where the eye cannot produce enough tears to moisten and comfort the eye. Despite the warnings detailed on consent forms, people gamble with their vision on this elective surgery. Many patients think that if the procedure does not work completely that they will just continue to wear their glasses. However, as one lady from California named Leslie Woodcock said, ! Snow I can! |t drive at night because it's so bright, it's like putting your head in a bag of Christmas lights.

!" She continues by saying, ! SSI went to another doctor who said my corneas look like shattered windshields. I! |ve had four more surgeries in my left eye, but it can! |t be fixed. !" Another lady from Ohio named Cathy Bishop thought it would be, ! SS neat to be able to see the clock when I woke up in the morning. !" She continued by saying, !

SSI cannot read for any amount of time without experiencing substantial pain. I cannot go outside without wearing goggles because the wind is too much to tolerate. !" Even indoors, she claims, ! SSI have to close my eyes when people walk by me because I can feel the breeze they create in my eyes, and it is painful.

!" Millard Stable of Virginia says that the advertisements he saw made him believe the surgery would improve his vision. Instead, it has dismantled his life. The procedure left him with such dry eyes that he wakes up every hour at night to peel his eye lids open to apply lubricating drops. He has given up night driving and his real-estate agent's career, because he cannot meet clients at night. Any on-coming cars blind him for several seconds. He keeps thinking to himself, !

SS Millard, you ruined your life. !" Medicine should not be buyers beware. In closing, today's society has forced a vanity culture. We all want to look young and feel good. At sometime or another most of us will do something to our bodies to create the illusion that we are better looking than what we really are.

We will color our hair, straighten our teeth, or maybe lose weight. However, when it comes to your vision, your ability to see is a gift, it is one of our senses. Today's advertising is slick. Fine print is small. Celebrity endorsements are very convincing. My hope would be that if you or a loved one would ever consider having LASIK, that you would now be persuaded to know and understand the risks.

Does anyone have any questions? LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis). Internet videos and information: web web.