The inflow of medical tourists to countries like India, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand is at an all time high. And these travelers are choosing these Asian destinations for procedures like the LASIK. The abundance of accredited medical facilities, qualified health care professionals and the affordability factor play a key role in promoting this trend.
LASIK or Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis is a 30-minute healthcare procedure used to treat vision problems due to nearsightedness. LASIK is a very popular vision correction procedure and involves making a surgical incision in the cornea. The patient is given numbing drops, after which a suction ring is placed over the eye. The surgeon cuts a small flap in the center of the cornea using a knife called a microkeratome and folds this back to create an opening. The laser is then directed inside the eye, vaporizing the tissue and reshaping the cornea for accurate focusing. The lasering actually lasts about just 30-60 seconds only. The flap is then replaced. The healing process is a lot faster in LASIK. This procedure reduces a person%u2019s dependency on glasses and contact lenses and thereby improves the quality of life.
Though it is relatively a short procedure, several pre-surgical measures need to be undertaken. Talk to your doctor and follow these measures religiously. The patient may be asked to avoid using contact lenses 3-4 weeks prior to surgery as contacts tend to alter the shape of the cornea. Also, you are awake for the entire procedure and this may feel a bit weird. Be prepared for that! You may be advised to avoid eye make-up for a month after the surgery.
Patients may experience a dramatic improvement in their vision almost the next day, but it would take about six months to achieve ideal visual acuity. A LASIK surgery improves the quality of life simply by improving your vision. You can do so many things that you were unable to do because of poor vision. Patients get back the ability to see better on waking. There is no longer any need for glasses and contact lenses, too.
LASIK surgery is extensively performed in countries like India, Singapore and Thailand. And medical tourists from countries like USA and UK and opting to go in for this surgical procedure in these Asian countries. And why not? The cost benefit is amazing. A LASIK surgical procedure in a country like India comes with follow-up treatment, flight tickets to India and a vacation package in an exotic Indian town. Now, combining a surgical procedure with a vacation sounds like fun, isn%u2019t it? Plus, many of the doctors are trained in USA and UK, hospitals are accredited with world-class facilities and the waiting time is nil. All this makes medical tourism for eye surgery all the more inviting.
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