Dr. Bhujang Shetty

If you suffer from vision loss and have to wear spectacles in order to see clearly you may be considering lasik surgery. Lasik surgery can be used to treat near sightedness, far sightedness and astigmatism. It involves reshaping the cornea with the help of a laser beam. This is an outpatient procedure where you can get back to work in a day or two.

To be able to undergo a lasik surgery, you must be:

1. Aged 18 or more
2. Suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism
3. Lead an active lifestyle
4. Be in general good health
5. Have strong tear production
6. Have thick corneas

Before the surgery begins, numbing eye drops are applied to prevent any discomfort during the procedure. The surgery itself involves the creation of a thin flap in the cornea. This is the folded back to reveal the corneal tissue below. If you suffer from nearsightedness, an excimer laser is used to flatten the cornea while if you suffer from nearsightedness, it creates a steeper cornea. In cases of astigmatism, the cornea is smoothened into a normal shape. Once this has been done, the flap is laid back in place and the cornea is allowed to heal naturally. An uncomplicated lasik surgery for one eye usually takes less than five minutes. You may feel some pressure on your eyes and hear a steady clicking sound while the laser is in use.

You may feel temporary burning or itching immediately after the procedure. Do not in any condition rub your eyes to relieve this sensation. Also, do not attempt to drive and have somebody else drive you home. The blurred vision and haziness will clear by the next morning. You may also experience heightened sensitivity to light and may see halos around lights. The whites of your eyes may also look bloodshot for a few days. In most cases, vision improves immediately but in a few rare cases, it could take several weeks or longer.

Though you can return to work the next day, it is a good idea to take a few days off. Also refrain from strenuous activities of any sort for a week after the surgery. Take the medication prescribed by the doctor regularly and do not change the eye drops without consulting him first. Avoid using makeup or cream around the eye for up to two weeks after the surgery to minimize the risk of infection. You should also avoid using swimming pools or hot tubs for 1-2 months after the surgery.

Sunglasses are an important part of the accessories you use in summer or any time of the year. They help you to look fashionable and stylish and also make a pretty good style statement. But is that the only job of sunglasses? Or do they have something more to them? Here are a few reasons why sunglasses are more than just a style statement:

1. Decrease in eye problems: Generally, you use sunscreen to protect your skin from the Sun’s glare. Similarly, sunglasses protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays of the sun. It is extremely important for you to protect the eyes so that the harmful UV rays cannot enter the sensitive eye tissue and harm them. If you do not use sunglasses, then you have a higher chance of damaging your eye tissue than a person who uses them regularly. Bear in mind that the strong UV rays can cause serious permanent damage to your eyes.

2. Protection from other environmental components: Not only is the sun harmful to your eyes, but also the wind can be extremely dangerous for them. Dirt, sand, dust particles can fly into your eyes even when just a breeze is blowing. On a windy day, damage can be much more. If you are wearing sunglasses when out on a windy day, they act like a shield to your eyes against the wind and the particles,which might enter your eye.

3.  Helps clear vision: It s often difficult to have a clear vision when out in the Sun. The bright sunlight doesn’t give you the clarity in vision. Without protection, you will have reduced vision as the bright glare of the Sun might cause you discomfort in your eyes and limit your vision as you will have to squint in the bright light.

4. Helps prevent aging: Although it might sound a bit surprising, but wearing sunglasses actually helps in prevent aging. The bright glare of the sun causes you to squint and this causes the age lines to appear. So, if you wear sunglasses and your eyes are protected from the bright sunlight, then you will not be squinting anymore, and hence it will not cause the age lines to appear before time.

So now, before you think that sunglasses only make you look good, think again about how they actually do much more than that. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.