Lasik Laser Vision Correction – What Is It?

Opting to have Lasik vision correction has enabled millions of people to finally give up on their glasses and contacts. Lasik surgery has become a common operation to improve eye sight, but most people do not know anything more than that it is done with lasers.

What exactly is Lasik laser vision correction? Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, or Lasik for short, can reduce your need for glasses or contacts. Lasik is used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

This technology reshapes the cornea in a custom procedure using a cold beam laser that repairs the refractive imperfections. These types of refractive errors are a result of a misshapen cornea. Clear vision results when the Lasik laser smoothes out these imperfections and reshapes the eye.

By making a small incision at the front of the eye, the doctor opens a flap to allow the access to the tissue in need of repair. To cut the flap, a knife-like instrument called a microkeratome may be used or the surgeon may use a laser. The flap is a thin piece of tissue that remains and is folded open on a ‘hinge’ of tissue that is left connected.

Through this flap the Lasik laser has the access to the cornea, which allows it to reshape and repair the eye to enable clear vision. When the cornea reshaping procedure has ended, the flap is returned and the operation is essentially over.

Lasik vision corrections are permanent but additional procedures can be done if needed. When deciding to have Lasik, patients should weigh the benefits against the possible side effects and risks.

Although the surgery is completed quickly and is relatively painless, there is still a chance of some problems arising. Vision correction surgery done by the Lasik laser only takes a few moments for each eye. Hazy vision is the most common complaint by patients following surgery, but it generally disappears within a few days.

In order to fully inform patients of the options, benefits, expected outcomes, potential risks, and side effects of Lasik laser vision correction, doctors usually discuss these things with each patient prior to the surgery date. Continued need for glasses and contact lenses is the most routine problem that persists after a patient undergoes Lasik eye surgery.

Talking at length with the eye care specialist will enable a patient considering treatment to make an informed decision about whether to proceed or not. Once a patient is knowledgeable about the actual step-by-step Lasik surgery, they will feel much more comfortable going through with it.

Joe Palerma recommends going to Zeiter Eye Care for Stockton lasik, Modesto laser vision correction. At Zeiter Eye, Joe was able to get information on what Lasik entailed and what the potential side effects were. With good information, anyone will be able to make an informed decision about what’s best for their eyes.