Lasik

LASIK is the short form for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. It is s type of refractive eye surgery used to correct vision and eliminate the need for eyeglasses and contact lenses.

When the eye is seeing correctly, the multiple light rays that enter it are refracted (bent) by the cornea and lens, to converge at the retina in the back of the eye and create an image, which is then translated into neurosignals that the brain recognizes as vision. Although these light rays are implemented to converge at the retina, if the light rays are being refracted at the wrong angle, the image is distorted and vision problems result, such as myopia (near-sightedness) or hypermetropia (far-sightedness).

The goal of refractive surgery is to change the angle of refraction of the light rays passing though the cornea, so that they correctly converge at the retina and restore proper vision. During a LASIK operation, this is done by changing the shape of the cornea by carefully vaporizing the tissue with a laser. To correct myopia, the center of the cornea can be made more flat by removing more tissue from the center than from the edge. To correct hyperopia, the center of the cornea can be made more curved by removing more tissue from the edge than from the center.

Lasik Procedure

Before the procedure, a local anesthetic is administered, usually in the form of eye drops to numb the eye. Special tools are used to hold the eye in place and prevent blinking, and a special cutting tool called a microkeratome is used to cut a very thin flap in the cornea. The flap is opened and reshaped.

The LASIK procedure itself is not uncomfortable or painful. The patient is awake during the procedure, and the process is completed in just a few minutes.

Recovery from Lasik

You will need to where a protective pad for 24 hours. You may experience blurred vision for one to two days, after which time you can return to work or normal activity. Slight blurriness may persist but it should stabilize after one month.