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(ARA) - Whether it is seeing the alarm clock immediately upon waking up, improved vision while driving or playing sports, or the ability to see family members more clearly, patients are realizing the everyday benefits of laser eye surgery. Laser eye surgery offers more than improved vision. This procedure is helping patients focus on a whole new life and a recent survey demonstrates high patient satisfaction, improved daily routine and overall quality of life.
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(ARA) - Whether it is seeing the alarm clock immediately upon waking up, improved vision while driving or playing sports, or the ability to see family members more clearly, patients are realizing the everyday benefits of laser eye surgery. Laser eye surgery offers more than improved vision. This procedure is helping patients focus on a whole new life and a recent survey demonstrates high patient satisfaction, improved daily routine and overall quality of life.
LASIK is a form of eye surgery that is designed to improve vision and lessen the need for corrective eyewear, including glasses and contact lenses. Specifically, LASIK involves the use of a laser to permanently change the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye. It is a relatively fast and often painless procedure performed by an ophthalmologist within approximately 30 minutes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved several lasers as safe and effective for use in LASIK, and LASIK itself is a compilation of several long-standing, well-established ophthalmologic procedures.
The first national quality of life survey, conducted by the Eye Surgery Education Council (ESEC), the public education arm of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), assessed life implications for laser eye surgery patients. The survey results show that 85 percent of respondents said the procedure improved their overall quality of life and 93 percent said they were satisfied with the results of their surgery. These are important findings for those assessing the benefits of laser eye surgery.
The survey also found that laser eye surgery patients are finding sporting activities much more enjoyable when worries about broken glasses, dry eyes and lost contacts are a thing of the past. Patients reported that being able to scuba dive, play golf or bicycle without the hassle of corrective lenses is a major benefit of the procedure.
Dr. Helena Karlberg, a laser eye surgery patient from Houston, Texas, noticed dramatic improvement in both her professional and personal life after having the procedure. “Laser eye surgery has truly simplified my life. I am a pediatric anesthesiologist and my job requires me to be very precise, so I really couldn’t afford anything but optimal vision in my job,” she said. “I decided to have LASIK because I also wanted to be able to enjoy recreational activities such as scuba diving, skiing and rollerblading without the hassle of my glasses.”
Other patients are finding that laser eye surgery has made everyday tasks and daily routine more worry free. Patients reported being more confident in their driving skills because they can read road signs and see other cars with a new clarity. They are able to see their family members more clearly than ever before, allowing them to feel more a part of their children’s activities. Improvements in personal safety, confidence in personal appearance and capacity to do a job or progress in a career were also reported.
An important aspect of the survey also focused on consumer education. Understanding risks and benefits of laser eye surgery prior to undergoing treatment is critical for patient satisfaction and an important factor in determining if a patient is an appropriate candidate.
Dr. Douglas Koch, a Houston ophthalmologist, highlighted the importance of being an appropriate candidate for the surgery. “A key learning from this survey is that a good understanding of the benefits and risks of laser eye surgery is linked to satisfaction with the outcome. Our goal is to make sure that only the right candidates undergo LASIK surgery. This means it is not only important that patients meet the medical criteria, but it is also imperative that patients have realistic expectations."
Together with the ESEC’s recently updated LASIK Screening Guidelines for Patients, these survey findings will help patients considering laser eye surgery to assess the overall benefits and risks of the surgery and make an informed decision about undergoing the procedure. As the most common form of vision correction surgery, LASIK has benefited millions of patients. In fact, approximately 3 million Americans have had laser eye surgery since 1997.
For additional information about laser eye surgery guidelines and the latest technology related to this surgery, log on to www.eyesurgeryeducation.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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