LASIK Eye Surgery in Mumbai

LASIK is used to correct refractive errors — the focusing problems that glasses and contact lenses compensate for:

• Myopia (short-sightedness) — distant objects appear blurred.
• Hyperopia (long-sightedness) — near objects, and sometimes distant ones, are harder to focus on.
• Astigmatism — an unevenly curved cornea causes distorted or stretched vision at all distances.

The range of prescription that can be treated depends on corneal thickness and shape as well as the degree of error. A pre-LASIK evaluation determines whether your prescription falls within a range that can be treated safely.

LASIK may be considered for adults who meet several conditions at the same time:

• Age 18 or above, with a glasses or contact-lens prescription that has been stable for roughly a year
• Adequate corneal thickness and a regular corneal shape
• Healthy eyes with no active infection, significant dry eye or other eye disease
• Realistic expectations about what LASIK can and cannot achieve
• General health that does not interfere with healing

Meeting these conditions makes an evaluation worthwhile; it does not by itself confirm suitability. That confirmation comes only from the measurements taken during the evaluation.

LASIK may be deferred, or an alternative suggested, when any of the following apply:

• A prescription that is still changing
• Thin or irregularly shaped corneas, including keratoconus or a suspicion of it
• Significant dry eye that has not yet been treated
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding, when the prescription can fluctuate
• Active eye infection, inflammation, or certain autoimmune and healing-related conditions
• Cataract, glaucoma or retinal disease that needs attention first
• A very high prescription that falls outside the treatable range

"Not suitable today" is not always permanent. Dry eye can be treated and re-assessed; a changing prescription can be rechecked after a year. Where LASIK is not appropriate, your ophthalmologist discusses other ways to correct your vision.

Most LASIK complications are linked to treating eyes that should not have been treated — corneas that were too thin or irregular, prescriptions that had not settled, or dry eye that was never addressed. A careful evaluation is therefore the single most important part of the process.

At Parekh Eye Clinic the evaluation is carried out by an M.S. ophthalmologist, and the decision to proceed is made jointly with you after the findings have been explained. If the measurements do not support LASIK, you will be told so directly.

The evaluation is a comprehensive eye examination with extra measurements of the cornea. Depending on your eyes it may include:

• A detailed refraction to confirm your exact prescription
• Corneal thickness measurement
• Corneal shape (topography) assessment to check for irregularity
• Tear-film and dry-eye evaluation
• Pupil size measurement, which influences how vision may behave in low light
• Eye-pressure measurement and an examination of the lens and retina

Contact lenses change the shape of the cornea, so you will be asked to stop wearing them for a period before the evaluation — usually one to two weeks for soft lenses and longer for rigid lenses. Allow about an hour, and bring your current glasses and any previous prescriptions.

The cornea does most of the eye's focusing. By removing a small, precisely mapped amount of corneal tissue, the laser flattens the cornea (for myopia), steepens it (for hyperopia) or makes its curvature more even (for astigmatism). The amount and pattern of tissue removed are calculated from your own measurements, which is why the evaluation and the treatment are two parts of one plan.

1. Preparation — Your measurements are rechecked and anaesthetic drops are applied. You stay awake and are asked to look at a fixation light.
2. Flap creation — A thin corneal flap is created and gently lifted.
3. Laser reshaping — The laser reshapes the cornea according to your treatment plan; this typically takes under a minute per eye.
4. Flap repositioned — The flap is laid back in place, where it begins to adhere on its own without stitches.
5. Immediate aftercare — Protective shields, eye drops and instructions are given before you go home the same day. You will need someone to accompany you.

Most people describe pressure rather than pain during the procedure. Some watering, light sensitivity and a gritty feeling for the first hours are expected.

Vision is usually noticeably clearer by the next day, although it may fluctuate and continue to settle over several weeks. Dryness is common in the early months and is managed with lubricating drops.

Typical guidance includes avoiding rubbing the eyes, keeping water and cosmetics away from the eyes for the first week, pausing swimming and contact sports for a period advised by your doctor, and attending every follow-up visit. Recovery differs between individuals, and your ophthalmologist will set the timeline that applies to you.

• May significantly reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses for distance vision
• Quick procedure performed as day care, with rapid initial visual recovery for most patients
• No stitches; the corneal flap heals in place
• Convenience for sport, work and daily life where glasses or lenses are a hindrance

• LASIK does not guarantee freedom from glasses; some people still need them for certain tasks
• It does not prevent presbyopia — reading glasses are usually needed from the mid-forties onwards regardless
• Very high or unusual prescriptions may not be fully correctable
• A small proportion of patients may need an enhancement procedure later, where safe to do so
• It does not treat or prevent cataract, glaucoma or retinal disease

LASIK is an established procedure, but like any surgery it carries risks. Discussing them openly is part of the consultation. Possible issues include:

• Dry eye, usually temporary but occasionally persistent
• Glare, halos or starbursts around lights, particularly at night and in the early months
• Under-correction or over-correction, sometimes requiring glasses or a further procedure
• Fluctuating vision during healing
• Flap-related complications, which are uncommon and are managed by the surgeon
• Infection or inflammation, which are rare and are the reason for the post-operative drops and follow-ups

Your individual risk depends on your prescription, corneal characteristics, eye health and other personal factors — one more reason the evaluation comes first.