If you are scheduled to have Lasik eye surgery, there are a few simple things you can do that will greatly increase the success of your surgery. If you wear soft contact lenses, you ought to stop wearing them preferably 21 days before surgery. If you just started to wear hard contact lenses you should stop wearing them for a minimum of 6 weeks prior to you surgery. However, if you have been wearing hard contact lenses for several years, you should add an additional 6 weeks of not using them for every 3 years you have been wearing hard contacts. So for instance if you have been wearing hard contact lenses for 6 years then you need to stop wearing them 12 weeks before your surgery, if you have been wearing them for 9 years, you need to stop using them 18 weeks before your surgery. Also take the antibiotics prescribed to you prior to your surgery. The antibiotics will minimize the risk of you developing an infection in your eye after the procedure.

Is Your Doctor Qualified?
If you do decide to get Lasik surgery, it is important that you have a qualified doctor you feel confident in. Do not just look at the price of the surgery. Remember there are serious risks involved and one of the best ways of minimizing these risks is to have your eyes in professional care. I suggest you ask your regular eyecare practitioner, whether an ophthalmologist or an optometrist, for a referral for a reputable Lasik surgeon in your area. You can also visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology's website. Use the "Find and Eye MD" feature and make sure that you specify "refractive surgery" under "specialty." The Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance has also created a list of 50 tough questions to ask your doctor. 50 tough questions for your Lasik Doctor

The Procedure
The corneal flap is created with a microkeratome, a surgical instrument with an oscillating blade. Then the corneal flap is folded back and an excimer laser beam reshapes the cornea. Lastly the corneal flap is folded back into place. Although this procedure looks unpleasant many patients reported having experienced little or no pain after their surgery. Furthermore Dr. Kerry Solomon of the Medical University of South Carolina, led a review of the Lasik’s safety for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery where he found les than 1 percent of patients have suffered poor vision. Due to advancements in technology, Lasik surgery has become increasingly popular.