Lasik treatments are a type of eye surgery which uses lasers to reshape the cornea and to modify certain types of eye/vision defects. So, for example, this technique can often be used to ‘cure’ short/near sight, long/far sight and astigmatism.

Lasik as a procedure has been around for some years and it is widely held to be one of the safest procedures around. As with any medical procedure, however, there are risks with this kind of surgery and no guarantees written in stone that you will achieve the visual improvements that you are aiming for.

So, what should you know about the safety of Lasik procedures?

#1 The FDA and Lasik — in the US the FDA approves the actual laser devices that are used in a Lasik procedure but they have no technical control over what a surgeon does here. So, for a start, you should make sure that the clinic/hospital that you use conforms to FDA regulations in terms of the equipment that they use. You should also look for a clinic/surgeon that can demonstrate a strong track record of experience in this field and that takes a consultative approach. You and your eyes need to be checked out thoroughly here (not everyone can actually have this kind of surgery) and all of your options should be discussed with you together with any risks.

#2 The downsides of Lasik — in certain procedures problems can arise with the surgery carried out here. These side effects can include dry eye syndrome, a loss of lines of vision and/or vision problems such as seeing glare and halos around objects. You may also simply find that your treatment didn’t give you the effects you had hoped for. In some cases these problems can be sorted out and in others they may be permanent. You may even find yourself with slightly improved vision but still in a situation where you need glasses or contact lenses to see properly. One of the issues to consider here is that these issues can arise even if you use a reputable surgeon so you need to understand what could happen and how you would manage these problems if they occurred.

#3 Your suitability for treatment — not all people who want Lasik treatment should have it and a reputable doctor will assess your situation and your eyes in-depth before agreeing to treat you. If, for example, you have quite severe long or short sightedness then you probably won’t see the kinds of effects that someone with a less extreme case will have. Again, you might see an improvement but you may still need to wear glasses/contact lenses. This kind of surgical procedure is also not recommended if your eyes are in what is known as a state of refractive instability which often occurs in younger people, people with diabetes and women who are pregnant/breastfeeding. This term refers to changes in your vision (i.e. you have recently needed to change your contacts or glasses prescription). The actual condition/make-up of your eye and certain types of diseases/illness may also be an issue here.

Although Lasik procedures are a safe option for the majority of people who have them they can have negative side effects and may not be suitable for everybody. This is why it is absolutely essential to talk through the procedure with a reputable and qualified medical professional before you make up your mind.

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s nearly impossible to set aside the time you need at the gym each day. It seems there are always more “important” things to be doing. When you do get into the gym, avoid these 7 time wasters.

1) Believe it or not, one of the first things that wastes your time in the gym, is spending too much time at the gym. I realize that may not make sense, but it’s true. You don’t necessarily need to do cardio for 90 minutes everyday. Once you go beyond what your body needs, you’re wasting time.

2 – No more long rest periods between exercises. Usually this happens when you see a friend and you spend 10 minutes chatting about fitness. Talking about getting fit isn’t going to help you get fit. Don’t take as many breaks and instead schedule some time over coffee when you’re both of you are away from the gym.

3 – Plan your workouts. Make sure you know what exercises you’re going to do, how many reps you’ll do of each and how much weight you’re going to use. If you’re constantly trying to figure things out on the fly, you’ll double your time in the gym.

4. Not having a backup plan- There is nothing more frustrating then going to the gym with your plan in hand and someone is already using the machine! Having a backup plan ensures you spend more of your time in the gym exercising and less time feeling frustrated. If someone is using the chest machine, no big deal: Do push-ups instead.

5 – Get intense! Push yourself further than you thought you could go. Physical gains don’t happen when you’re barely pushing yourself. You need to be going to failure on almost every exercise. Even if you’re just building strength and have no interest in bulk, you should still work to failure, just at a higher level. Remember, bulk comes between 8 and 10 reps and strength comes when you’re doing between 12 and 15.

6) Form is vital. Doing too many “cheat” reps will kill your time in the gym. Focus on the right form and you’ll benefit greatly from every rep. Each time you do an exercise wrong, that’s one more wasted rep.

7. Not seeking the advice of a professional- If all the top athletes have coaches and professional trainers, don’t you think you could use their advice? Having a trainer will help you to get further along in your training then trying to do it by yourself. He or she will help you to use proper form, technique, rep ranges, tempo, rest intervals and exercise combinations to maximize your results and minimize your frustrations

I’m sure you didn’t relate to all seven items. You may only relate to one of them. If that’s the case, fix that one time and gain back some time for other areas in your life. If you could relate to them, focus on a few at a time and lean out your gym time while you lean out your body.