LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Sutu Keratomileusis, a process which reshapes the cornea to refract light in the lens.
The procedure corrects refractive errors in the cornea. The laser precisely controls the tearing of the corneal tissue, reshaping the cornea and changing its focus.
LASIK surgery is a very simple two step process:
1. A slight, thin flap of tissue is created on the outside layer of the eye or cornea. The flap helps heal and provide comfort on the way to better vision.
2. The doctor then folds open the flap on the inner cornea to correct the vision. Finally, the flap is closed to its original position and sealed with stitches.
A good idea for those who are considering the surgery is to research the types of lasers used by local doctors during LASIK.
As improvements are made and doctors are regulated the cost of LASIK surgery continues to drop, making it a possibility for some who could only dream of such improvement a few years back. Some surgeries are referred to as “bladeless” or “custom” LASIK, meaning they are more efficient and tailored to the individual.
LASIK Eye Surgery Defined
The cornea is a part of the eye that helps
focus light to create an image on the retina.
It works in much the same way that the
lens of a camera focuses light to create
an image on film. The bending and focusing
of light is also known as refraction. Usually
the shape of the cornea and the eye are
not perfect and the image on the retina is
out-of-focus (blurred) or distorted. These
imperfections in the focusing power of the
eye are called refractive errors.
There are three primary types of refractive
errors: myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Persons with myopia, or near-sightedness, have more difficulty seeing distant objects as clearly as near objects. Persons with hyperopia, or farsightedness, have more difficulty seeing near objects as clearly as distant objects. Astigmatism is a distortion of the image on the retina caused by irregularities in the cornea or lens of the eye. Combinations of myopia and astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism are common. Glasses or contact lenses are designed to compensate for the eye's imperfections. Surgical procedures aimed at improving the focusing power of the eye are called refractive surgery. In LASIK surgery, precise and controlled removal of corneal tissue by a special laser reshapes the cornea changing its focusing power.
Other types of refractive surgery
Radial Keratotomy or RK and Photorefractive Keratectomy or PRK are other refractive surgeries used to reshape the cornea. In RK, a very sharp knife is used to cut slits in the cornea changing its shape. PRK was the first surgical procedure developed to reshape the cornea, by sculpting, using a laser. Later, LASIK was developed. The same type of laser is used for LASIK and PRK. Often the exact same laser is used for the two types of surgery. The major difference between the two surgeries is the way that the stroma, the middle layer of the cornea, is exposed before it is vaporized with the laser. In PRK, the top layer of the cornea, called the epithelium, is scraped away to expose the stromal layer underneath. In LASIK, a flap is cut in the stromal layer and the flap is folded back.
Another type of refractive surgery is thermokeratoplasty in which heat is used to reshape the cornea. The source of the heat can be a laser, but it is a different kind of laser than is used for LASIK and PRK. Other refractive devices include corneal ring segments that are inserted into the stroma and special contact lenses that temporarily reshape the cornea (orthokeratology).
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