Lose those glasses for good

The quest for perfect vision is now becoming easy.
Right now, LASIK is the most popular vision correction surgery in the world. Millions of people are choosing this safe and painless technique to reduce their dependency on spectacles and contact lenses.
LASIK or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis is an elective laser eye surgery that reshapes the front surface of the eye (the cornea) to improve vision.
It can correct a wide range of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
The ideal candidate for the procedure is someone over 21 years, with healthy eyes and stable vision. To ensure if you are a good candidate, schedule a pre-operative consultation and eye exam with a qualified eye doctor.
It is not advisable for children and senior citizens. Currently, no lasers are approved for LASIK on children under 14, unless it is done for therapeutic reasons.
Recovery is quick and the results are immediate. Eye acuity of patients improves by up to 85 per cent within a day of surgery.
This surgery can be performed within minutes and is essentially painless. Some patients may get the sensation of a hair in the eye. But the feeling goes away in four hours and after that, it���s simply progressive vision improvement with virtually no discomfort.
It���s not for you if you are: pregnant or breastfeeding, preparing for a major exam, have had eye diseases or eye injuries, involved in contact sports.
Less than one per cent of patients experience serious side-effects, which may include sensitivity to light, blurred or fluctuating vision, dryness or tearing. Most of these are temporary and decrease over time.
Permanent complications are often resolved with a second procedure (commonly called an enhancement).
You have less risk of complications when the surgery is performed by an experienced surgeon, who has performed 1,000 or more procedures.
(Inputs from Dr Keiki R Mehta, surgical director and chief at Mehta International Eye Institute, Mumbai)