Why So Many Eye Surgeries Are Now Laser-Based
If you go in for eye surgery these days, there's a very good chance that surgery will be laser-based. Even cataract surgeries, which were performed partially by hand for years, now tend to be fully laser procedures. You might wonder why this is. Mainly, it's because laser-based eye surgeries have a lot of advantages over traditional, by-hand procedures — for both the patient and the practitioner. Here's a look at a few of those key benefits.
Less Chance of Errors
The eyes are comprised of really delicate tissues. A mistake made during surgery could be quite detrimental, leading to a loss of vision. Laser-based procedures tend to have a much lower chance of error than surgeries performed by hand. Even the most experienced eye surgeon could slip up and move their hand a little too far in one direction, or make another mistake. Laser-based procedures are guided by a computer. The laser is free from human error and, therefore, much safer to use overall.
More Precision
A surgeon can only be so precise when manipulating a blade by hand. If you've ever tried to cut on a pencil line, you've experienced this. You might think you're on the pencil line at first, but once you make the cut, you realize you were really a hair to the right or left. A laser can cut far more precisely than that. The surgeon can program it to move over just a tiny, tiny fraction of an inch. This allows for more precise adjustments, which can give you clearer vision post-surgery.
More Eligible Candidates
In years past, if your corneas were too thin, or if they were not curved in just the right way, you may not have been a candidate for eye surgery simply because a surgeon would not be able to fit their tools in without risking a mistake or a poorly placed cut. With laser-based procedures, though, more people are now candidates for eye surgery. The laser can work around issues like thin corneas and astigmatism. So, if you were turned down for eye surgery a few years ago, it may be worth inquiring again to see whether a laser-based procedure is right for you.
Laser-based eye surgeries are popular for good reason. They allow your surgeon to avoid errors and operate with more precision, and they come with a lower risk of injury for you, as the patient. Talk to a local eye surgeon to learn more.
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