Saffron Plates’ Rashmi Dowlani“I wish I was not fearful at first and did LASIK long ago,” Rashmi Dowlani happily shared three months after her LASIK surgery.

“I am extremely satisfied with my vision—I was able to watch movies on the big screen without glasses and it felt great! I drive at night without worrying that I may not see road signs. The best part of it is I can go through my daily activities without feeling the guilt that I am not wearing my eyeglasses.”

Dowlani, 36, manages her own catering business, Saffron Plates—Indian Home Kitchen. With her business becoming more popular, she took it as an added incentive to let go of her fear and do something about her poor vision.

According to Asian Eye Institute refractive/LASIK service director and glaucoma specialist Dr. Robert Ang, a lot of people are interested in LASIK because they want a hassle-free life.

“LASIK is a quick and painless method of correcting refractive errors. When we say refractive errors, we are talking about blurred vision due to nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. These occur when the eyeball is unusually long or short, or the cornea is not evenly shaped.

“We make use of laser to reshape the cornea, so in 10 to 15 minutes, it can eliminate their need for prescription glasses or contact lenses,” he added.

LASIK is an investment in oneself—it improves not just the vision, but the quality of the lives of patients.

“Our LASIK patients are usually excited to wake up, knowing that they won’t have to wear their eyeglasses to check the time or their phone messages. Some are now into sports or traveling, and there are patients like Rashmi who found satisfaction in being able to do simple tasks or activities like watching movies or working on their computers.”

However, not everyone can undergo LASIK surgery.

“In LASIK, we do not just factor in the eye grade of the patient. We also have to check their overall eye health, the thickness of their cornea, their lifestyle and even their age. This is why we recommend them to do LASIK screening before their surgery,” Ang explained.

The technology today is more advanced, making LASIK safe and precise. But like any other surgery, there are potential risks like overcorrection or undercorrection, eye infections and flap complications.

“That is why we recommend patients to assess their LASIK provider carefully and not just look at the price. Doing so can help reduce these risks and achieve best possible visual outcome,” Ang said.

For Dowlani, it is important to find a doctor you can trust and an eye center you can be comfortable in.

“What I liked about Asian Eye are the staff and the doctors. They are very hygienic! They constantly wipe their machines when a patient comes in. The staff were also very warm and reassuring, from my screening to my surgery day. They made sure I knew what was going to happen and reassured me that it would only take 15 minutes and that it would not hurt.

“Lastly, Dr. Ang and his fellows patiently answered all my queries. They coached me throughout the initial tests and even during my surgery. I appreciated it a lot that the Asian Eye team reached out to me and checked on me before and after my surgery,” Dowlani said. (Story/Photos by: Charizze Henson)