Here is what you should know about LASIK and dry eyes. LASIK is corneal surgery. ANY time we do corneal surgery we typically sever some corneal nerves and we often temporarily disturb the delicate cells on the surface of the eye. By the way, during cataract surgery and any other eye surgery procedures that involve the cornea we do the exact same things. These corneal nerves connect to the Lacrimal Gland which is responsible for producing tears. When the nerves are temporarily interrupted there is a decrease in the amount of tears that are produced-making your eyes feel dry and gritty. To make you more comfortable during the time it takes for the corneal nerves to heal and regenerate we may do one of more of the following for you:
Prescribe Artificial Tear Eye Drops
Insert Tiny Tear Duct Plugs
Prescribe Restasis® Eye Drops
Prescribe Dietary Supplements with Omega-3 Oils
Each of the above acts to either retain the tears that you have, supplement the tears that are lacking or help you produce more of your own tears so that you will be most comfortable and heal properly. Each person will regenerate the fine corneal nerves at a DIFFERENT RATE and thus will need to use one or more of the above tear helpers for different amounts of time. A very important consideration is how healthy your tear film was BEFORE your surgery. A critical part of your LASIK consultation will be a careful examination of your tear film. Sometimes, in order to make you the most comfortable and make the healing and visual recovery process as quick and easy as possible for you, we may actually prescribe one or more of the above BEFORE your surgery.
If you or someone you know has questions about LASIK and Dry Eyes or would like to schedule a Free LASIK Evaluation please call and schedule an appointment at Michelson Laser Vision in Birmingham by calling 877-871-3937, visiting Michelson Laser Vision or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision
Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.
