From day to day, LASIK becomes more and more popular in the United States and all over the world. The easiest way to explain what it is is to say that it is a vision correction, or in other words it is an elective laser eye surgery, which reshapes the front surface of the eye, medically known as the cornea, in order to improve vision. Among all, LASIK can correct variety of nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism.
This eye surgery is divided into two steps. The first step of this two-step procedure is known as flap creation and it includes the following actions. After numbing, in order to decrease the sensitivity of the cornea, the front surface of your eye, the eye drops are applied. Then, a surgical instrument is attached to the eye, this instrument has suction on, and it creates a thin flap of corneal tissue. During the most surgeries a mechanical microkeratome is used and it contains a surgical blade. Additionally, the corneal flap can also be created with a laser and this is the less risky way of creating the corneal flap, when we take into concern all the possible risks of flap-related complications. Sometimes you will encounter that in the U.S. all-laser LASIK are called “IntraLasik”, and this is because of the fact that until recently only one company produced an FDA-approved laser for creating corneal flaps in LASIK surgery. This company is known as IntraLase Corp. and that is from where the name came.
When the corneal flap is created with a microkeratome or a laser, one end of the flap is left attached to the eye. The flap is folded back on this “hinge,” exposing the underlying cornea for reshaping with an excimer laser.
Second step of the procedure is known as laser re-shaping. It the first step we exposed the underlying cornea and now the LASIK surgeon positions the treatment laser, which is called an excimer laser, close to the eye and begins the process known as corneal re-shaping. This laser delivers a computer-programmed number of pulses of high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light. These energy pulses vaporize (or ablate) microscopic amounts of cornea tissue to reshape the front of the eye, enabling the cornea to focus light more accurately.
The treatment with the excimer laser lasts less then a minute and after it the surgeon repositions the corneal flap and gently presses it into place over the treatment area. The flap bonds to the underlying cornea very fast and that is why there is no need for stitches.
The only thing you should keep in your mind is that you should definitely avoid rubbing your eyes for a week or two after the LASIK procedure. At the end, the Medicated eye drops will be given to you, so that you could use it for several days after the procedure. By using these drops you will decrease swelling and the risk of infection.
Here are the most common questions and answers to topics about LASIK:
- What does “LASIK” stand for?
- Wavefront-guided LASIK explained
- Facts about “all-laser” LASIK
- Is LASIK surgery really popular?
- How much does LASIK laser vision correction cost?
- Are LASIK surgeons regulated?
- Am I a good LASIK candidate?
- So-called Lazy Eye and LASIK?
- Is LASIK surgery covered by my medical insurance?
- LASIK vs Reading without glasses?
- Lasik Correction and BiFocals?
- Farsighted vs LASIK
- Lasik complications and risks
- Are eyeglasses needed after LASIK laser vision correction?
- Is LASIK surgery painful?
- How long is the LASIK laser eye surgery itself?
- What if my eye moves during LASIK surgery?
- Will I blink during lasik vision correction procedure?
- Will I be awake and will I see the LASIK laser?
- Driving after LASIK vision correction
- How long do LASIK correction results last?
- Wearing makeup after LASIK
- Wearing Contact lenses after LASIK?
- Is there any pain after LASIK vision correction?
- I don’t see well after LASIK. What now?
- Going back to work or exercising after LASIK
- Seeing clearly right after LASIK
- Is 20/20 vision after LASIK possible?
- Medicine after LASIK? Risk of cataracts?
- Difference in eyes after lasik and need for eye-patch?
