What is Laser Vision Correction?
Laser eye surgery is currently the most common type of laser vision correction procedure and is an extremely effective outpatient procedure that is suitable for low, moderate or higher prescriptions.
Laser surgery can treat a very broad range of refractive error in people who are at least 18 years old, in good general health and have no eye diseases.
There are two types of laser procedures available.
In LASIK (Laser Assisted Intrastomal Keratomileusis), a microkeratome is used to create a protective corneal flap. The laser is then used to reshape the cornea. When the procedure is completed the flap is closed.
LASIK STEPS
Step 1. The eye is numbed.Step 2&3. The microkeratome is used to create a flap.
Step 4. The flap is folded back.
Step 5&6. Laser is used to resculpt the cornea.
Step 7&8. The flap is replaced in its original position.
Some patients with thinner corneas, high prescriptions, or certain occupations may not be candidates for LASIK. For these patients PRK may be the best option.
In PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy), no scalpels are used and no incisions are made. The surface of the cornea, the epithelium, is gently removed. By applying computer-controlled pulses of laser light to the surface of the cornea, the curvature is reshaped to match your prescription. This will allow the light to be properly focused by the eye. A bandage contact is worn afterwards for the first few days to allow healing of the surface. Vision improves several days after surgery once the surface cell have had some time to heal and recover after PRK.
PRK
Both procedure take only a few minutes, and patients are typically back to work within one to three days.
The following conditions can be addresses with LASER vision correction surgery:
Myopia (nearsightedness)
If you have myopia you can clearly see close objects, but distant objects are blurry. Myopia is caused by the eyeball being too long. Myopia occurs in different degrees from minimal to extreme. The more myopic you are the blurrier your vision is at a distance and objects will have to be closer to you so you can see them clearly.
Hyperopia (farsightedness)
If you have hyperopia, both distant and close objects are blurry. Hyperopia occurs when the eyeball is too short for the light rays to focus clearly on the retina.
Astigmatism
If you have an astigmatism, the surface of the eye (cornea) is not perfectly round, rather it is more oval and doesn’t allow the eye to focus clearly. The cornea is very important in helping the eye focus light rays on the retina. Astigmatism rarely occurs alone. It is usually accompanies myopia or hyperopia.
What can NOT be fixed with LASER surgery?
Presbyopia
If you have presbyopia, you have the loss of the ability to focus up close that occurs as you age. Most people are between 40 and 50 years when they realize for the first time that they can’t read objects close to them. The letters of the phonebook are “too small” or you have to hold the newspaper farther away from your eye to see it clearly. At the same time your ability to focus on objects that are far way remains normal.
