Saudi Gazette

Do you remember seeing someone who looks different to when you last saw them? You can realize the difference after sometime – the person no longer wears glasses.

You might think the individual is wearing contact lenses, but then you never see him or her wearing glasses again. The person might later tell you that he or she has undergone laser surgery and no longer needs to wear glasses. This might also tempt you to do the same. It is a fact that many people find wearing glasses easy whereas others find them troublesome. A British study found that most women who need to wear glasses do not do so and prefer blurred vision over ruining their appearance by wearing glasses. However, thanks to modern science there is a solution.

Refractive surgery is the actual term used to describe the procedures that are undertaken to correct common vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia whilst reducing an individual’s dependence on prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses.

A laser procedure called LASIK is currently very popular. “LASIK is the most popular procedure for vision correction,” said Dr. Ayman Nassar, Head of the Cornea and Refractive Surgery Unit at Magrabi Hospitals & Centers. “It is a simple procedure in which we reshape with the use of anexcimer laser the cornea which serves as the main lens of the eyes. We can adjust the refractive state of the eye to correct refractive errors,” said Nassar, who trained in Glasgow.

Speaking about any side effects, he said, “The most serious problems are usually inevitable through the investigations we conduct before surgery. Among them is post-LASIK ectasia, which is a progressive thinning and abnormal bulging of the cornea with time. A much less serious and correctable side effect is over or under correction. Dry eye occurs in all patients and regresses with time.”

LASIK surgery is available to anyone over the age of 18 as long as their eye sight is stable. Nassar has carried out thousands of successful operations and stopped counting after doing 10,000. He said that complications are rare. “However, they do occur. Only those doctors get no complications who are either not working or simply lying. A skilled doctor can manage complications with the least effect on a patient’s eyesight. The worst complication is an infection that may occur due to negligence in using after surgery medications.”

Individuals who work outside, sports people and those in the military comprise the largest number of people who undergo LASIK procedures, which make changes that last a lifetime. “However, our eyes are a living tissue that may undergo some changes with time that lead to some refractive changes,” said Nassar, who strongly recommends surgery for those who do not feel comfortable using glasses or contact lenses.

“Then comes the medical part like consultation and investigation. LASIK is an elective procedure with a single benefit – getting rid of glasses and contact lenses,” he added.