An eye shield or patch will be placed over the eye to protect the flap and to help prevent rubbing or pressure on the eye until it has had enough time to heal (usually overnight).

LASIK is most often done on people who use glasses or contact lenses because of nearsightedness (myopia). It is occasionally used to correct farsightedness. It may also correct astigmatism.

The FDA and American Academy of Ophthalmology have developed guidelines and recommendations that indicate which people would be good candidates for LASIK.

• You should be at least 18 years old (21 in some cases, depending on the laser used), because vision continues to change in people younger than 18. A rare exception is a child with one very nearsighted and one normal eye. Using LASIK to correct a very nearsighted eye may prevent amblyopia (lazy eye).
• You should not have this procedure if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, because these conditions can affect eye measurements.
• You should not have this procedure if you take certain prescription drugs, such as Accutane, Cardarone, Imitrex, or oral prednisone.
• Your eyes must be healthy and your prescription stable. If you are nearsighted, you should postpone LASIK until your condition has stabilized. Nearsightedness may continue to increase in some patients until their mid to late 20s.
• You should be in good general health. LASIK may not be recommended for patients with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, glaucoma, herpes infections of the eye, or cataracts. You should discuss this with your surgeon.

Other recommendations:

• Weigh the risks and rewards. If you're happy wearing contacts or glasses, you may not want to have the surgery.
• Make sure you have realistic expectations from the surgery.

For patients with presbyopia, it's important to note that LASIK cannot correct vision so that one eye can see at both distance and near. However, LASIK can be done to allow one eye to see near and the other far, which is called "monovision." If you can adjust to this correction, it may eliminate or reduce your need for reading glasses.

In some instances, surgery on only one eye is required. If your doctor thinks you're a candidate, ask about the pros and cons.

A complete eye examination will be done before surgery to make sure your eyes are healthy. Other tests will be done to measure the curvature of the cornea, the size of the pupils in light and dark, the eyes' refractive error (to make sure LASIK is an option), and the thickness of the cornea (to make sure you will have enough corneal tissue left after surgery).

A signed informed consent form is needed before the procedure. This form confirms that you know the procedure's risks, benefits, alternative options, and possible complications.

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LASIK eye surgery Risks

Review Date: 05/24/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant STudies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; and Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)