LASIK Eye Surgery

Are you considering LASIK eye surgery? Before undergoing any type of surgery, it is best to do some research and learn the basics, including what exactly the procedure is, how it is performed, and who can benefit from it.

What is LASIK and how is it performed?

LASIK, short for "laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis," is the most common refractive surgery procedure performed today. Refractive surgery is an outpatient procedure that is used to correct vision problems such as mypia and hyperopia (nearsightedness and farsightedness, respectively) and astigmatism. The purpose of the surgery is to restore the eye's normal curvature and its ability to bring images into focus.

During LASIK eye surgery, a thin, circular flap is created in the cornea using either an instrument called a microkeratome or with a laser, such as the newly developed IntraLase laser.

After making the first cut in the cornea, the surgeon folds the flap back and out of the way in order to remove some of the corneal tissue underneath. The surgeon employs the use of an excimer laser for this step. An excimer laser is able to very precisely remove tiny bits of the tissue with a cool ultraviolet light beam.

The tissue is then reshaped in the right way in order to work better to focus light onto the retina. This will provide clearer vision than was possible before the procedure. Finally, the surgeon folds the flap back into place to cover the area where the corneal tissue was removed.

Who can benefit from LASIK eye surgery?

Both people who are nearsighted and farsighted can benefit from LASIK eye surgery. Even people who suffer from astigmatism are able to benefit from LASIK surgery through the use of excimer lasers because of their unique ability to reshape an irregular cornea into a smoother, more normal shape.

LASIK surgery is growing in popularity because of its many advantages over other vision-correction surgeries, including:

A relative lack of pain after surgery
Good vision is usually achieved the day after surgery
It is an ambulatory procedure, meaning a patient is able to walk in, have the surgery, and walk right back out.
The patient is awake for the entire procedure and needs only a local anesthetic for the eyes.
The entire procedure is very short, usually lasting less than five minutes per eye.
In spite of the fact that LASIK is a relatively easy procedure, it is not for everyone. To be considered a qualified candidate for LASIK eye surgery, there are six general guidelines that must be met.

First, your eyes must be healthy. There are some conditions that can affect how your eyes respond to the surgery or heal afterward. Examples of these conditions include any eye injury, chronic dry eyes, and conjunctivitis (commonly known as pinkeye). Having a condition such as cataracts that affect your vision, uncontrolled glaucoma, and keratoconus might disqualify you completely from having the surgery done. If you have any questions about a specific condition, be sure you discuss it with your doctor.

Second, you must be an adult. You must be eighteen for some procedures, twenty-one for others. Younger patients are only treated as an exception.

Third, your vision must be stable, meaning your prescription hasn't changed during the previous year. Vision stabilizes for the majority of patients sometime in their 20s. Often teenagers and young adults will experience changes in their vision, such as nearsightedness becoming worse, prior to this time. Until your vision has settled down to one prescription you will not be considered a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery.

Fourth, if you are pregnant you might experience hormonal changes that could affect your vision. It is a good idea to wait until after your vision has returned to normal after pregnancy before considering eye surgery.

Fifth, is you suffer from an autoimmune or degenerative disease you might be disqualified from candidacy as well. Conditions such as these prevent the body from healing well; therefore your LASIK eye surgery outcome has a high chance of not being very good.

Lastly, your current prescription must be within certain qualifying limits. Certain severe vision limits, such as high amounts of myopia, would require the removal of too much corneal tissue. In this case another type of refractive surgery might be a better option.

Like all surgical procedures, LASIK eye surgery does have some risks. Before undergoing any type of surgical procedure, discuss with your doctor the risks that might be involved.

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