Vision problems are obstacles for daily living for many people. Nowadays, there is modern technology to preserve eyesight and support the correction of various vision abnormalities, whether it is eyeglasses, contact lenses, or even eye surgery and LASIK, which has become more advanced in current times.
Bangkok Hospital’s LASIK Center states that LASIK is a corrective eye surgery that enables patients to live without glasses or contact lenses. The procedure involves 2 main steps, which are
- Separating the corneal layers. In the past, a special blade called a Microkeratome was used to separate the upper layer of the cornea to open it like a lid.
- Later, technology evolved to separate the corneal layers with lasers, making the Femtosecond Laser the origin of bladeless LASIK (Femto LASIK), which is more precise and is acknowledged for its ability to safely and precisely separate the corneal layers within 17 seconds. The laser focuses under the corneal surface with precision and scans according to the cornea’s curvature, offering a gentle touch that makes patients feel comfortable during surgery, reducing deviations in corneal layer separation, minimizing corneal scratching issues, and averaging the overall surgery time to 15 minutes per eye. Additionally, the cornea heals quickly, reducing the recovery period as well.
Anne-Taveerat Jiradilok, a female presenter of the Health Club show on Channel 9 MCOT, spoke about her more convenient daily life after undergoing Femto LASIK, or bladeless LASIK, saying that Anne used to have severe myopia of up to 700. Without glasses or contact lenses, she could not perform daily activities, including driving, as she could not see the roads. Especially for her profession as a presenter, she needed to read scripts and update information from smartphones constantly. Previously, Anne primarily used contact lenses because they were inconvenient for her work in front of cameras, which required make-up, false eyelashes, even though contact lenses had to be put in and taken out daily, needed careful handling to avoid eye irritation or possible infections, and importantly, required frequent changes every month, prompting her to seek other life-easing alternatives.
“I was already planning to undergo LASIK because I didn’t want to wear contact lenses daily and have to keep changing them, which would be a long-term expense. Especially working in front of cameras, being under lights, and staring at monitors or screens can quickly dry out the eyes and make them uncomfortable, becoming an issue at work. Most importantly, if there’s an emergency at night after I have removed my contact lenses, being unable to see clearly or have a proper field of vision becomes a problem,” the female presenter revealed.
However, she had heard that vision at night might not be as clear after LASIK, which made her hesitate. Moreover, she was afraid of blades until someone recommended bladeless LASIK, or Femto LASIK, which piqued her interest. After gathering information and becoming confident in the technology, she consulted further with doctors about preparation. What helped her decide more quickly was the doctor reassuring that the recovery period after Femto LASIK surgery would be short, and during the LASIK, Anne pointed out that it wasn’t scary; just focusing on a green sensor spot where the laser would perform its scanning function, separating the corneal layers, and importantly, the surgery took very little time. After Femto LASIK surgery, the doctor advised on self-care and various precautions, such as not to apply make-up, avoid water contact, and not to do anything that could irritate the eyes. Someone should look after you during the first night after surgery because your eyes need to be covered, but it won’t be long before you can resume normal life.
“After the Femto LASIK surgery, Anne’s life has greatly improved for the better. There’s no need to spend time putting in and taking out contact lenses, making daily life much more convenient,” Anne stated.
For those interested in LASIK, the requirements are as follows: must be at least 18 years old and have had stable vision for at least 1 year, not wanting to wear glasses or contact lenses anymore, not being pregnant or breastfeeding, having no severe corneal diseases or severe eye conditions such as degenerative retinal diseases, severe dry eyes including body conditions that could affect wound healing, such as SLE. It’s also important for patients to thoroughly understand the LASIK procedure, and have the correct expectations because patient understanding and expectations are crucial. Choosing modern technology to address vision problems is another way to reduce potential risks or dangers.
Consult every age group’s vision problems at LASIK Center
Floor 5, Building D, Bangkok Hospital
Open daily, from 8.00 – 16.00 hrs.
Phone: 0 2755 1307, 0 2310 3307 or Contact Center call 1719
Email: [email protected]
