What is Lasik Eye Surgery?

You may have heard of surgery for vision instead of glasses or contacts. In the United States, lasik is the primary surgery used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In less than thirty minutes per eye, it reshapes the stroma, the middle portion of the cornea.

The Lasik Procedure
In order to access the stroma, the surgeon cuts a flap in the upper portion of the cornea, right above the pupil. Numbing drops are put into the eye, the cornea is marked to aid in replacing the flap, and then the eye area is cleaned.

A lid speculum holds the eye open. High pressure is applied to the eye with a suction ring that is briefly placed directly on the eye. Then the flap is cut. This is called a keratectomy, which may be done by either of two methods.

The time-tested way uses a microkeratome, a cutting instrument or blade. The newer method of cutting the flap is by "laser-only" or femtosecond lasik, sometimes known by the brand name "IntraLase." After the suction ring is removed, both lasik methods are nearly identical.

The corneal flap is folded back, and the exposed tissue is allowed to dry. Then, the patient is asked to stare at a light for about sixty seconds to help keep the eye fixed and immobile. In less than one minute, the lasik computer pulses high-energy ultraviolet light removing the tissue that was previously determined to reshape the cornea most effectively and accurately.

The lasik laser makes clicking sounds, and there may be a smell of burning tissue. After very precise amounts of tissue are removed from the stroma, the surgeon lays the flap back into place. The eye is observed for a few minutes to make sure that proper bonding is taking place.

After the Surgery
Once the surgery is complete, a protective shield is placed over the eye, to prevent pressure and anything from bumping the eye. Since there are no stitches in lasik surgery, these precautions must be taken to ensure that the flap remains in place.

Some patients return to work the next day, but most doctors recommend that you wait a few days. Strenuous activity, and non-contact sports should be avoided for up to three days. Facial products and makeup are out for up to two weeks. The eyelashes may need to be scrubbed fairly often during this time to help prevent infection.

No contact sports are allowed for at least four weeks. Expect to leave off swimming, hot tubs, whirlpools and saunas for up to eight weeks.

Expected Outcomes from Lasik
Most lasik patients see huge improvements in their vision by the next day. Vision may continue to improve for three to six months post-operatively. While visual fluctuations may occur temporarily throughout the day, this tendency diminishes over time.

Lasik eye surgery is not for everyone. Most good candidates follow their surgeon's pre and post-operative directives faithfully. They find their vision, and therefore their lifestyle, greatly enhanced by this laser procedure.