Eye Surgery FAQ: General
• What is short sight?
• What is long sight?
• What is astigmatism?
• Can I have both eyes done at the same time?
Short sightedness is a hereditary condition that manifests in the teenage years, affecting 20% of the population. If you are short sighted, the focusing power of your eyes is too strong. Objects at a distance appear blurred whereas close up vision is clear. For short sighted individuals, glasses will make things look smaller when held at arms length. In short sight, the focusing power of the eyes is too strong so close up vision is clear, while objects at a distance seem blurred.
In the case of long-sighted people, the focusing power of their eyes is too weak. Objects are more comfortably viewed at a distance. If you are long sighted, the focusing power of your eyes is too weak. This means that you are able to view objects more comfortably at a distance than up close (less than six feet). Eye glasses for long sighted individuals magnify print. In severe cases of long sightedness, vision is not clear at any distance at all.
Astigmatism is caused by unevenly-shaped eyeballs. Only parts of an image are focused correctly while others are blurred. This distortion appears at all distances. People suffering from it will have to wear a special type of lenses – cylindrical lenses.
Can I have both eyes done at the same time?
Bilateral treatment is rather controversial. Most doctors consider it is safer to wait for the results in the first eye before proceeding with the second. However, for convenience reasons, such treatments are made (LASIK and Epi-LASEK); there must be a minimum of one week between eyes in ICL.
LASIK – bilateral treatment is offered.
Epi-LASEK – bilateral treatment is offered up to -4.0 dioptres
ICL – bilateral treatment is not offered. Patients should wait a minimum of one week prior to treating the other eye