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What is Lasik Surgery?
The last few years
have seen sweeping change in the medical field by way of the
revolution in vision, LASIK eye surgery. Many people with vision
problems get excited at the thought of corrective surgery. But just what is LASIK eye
surgery?
Refractive errors in the cornea are corrected by lasers
in LASIK surgery. 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.
The word LASIK stands
for Laser-Assisted In Sutu
Keratomieusis, a process which reshapes the cornea to refract
light in the lens.
While LASIK surgery isn’t close to perfect, it is a very
viable and increasingly safe surgery.
Improvements have
been made by government regulations regarding the types of lasers
allowed for LASIK surgery.
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 surgery is an
exciting prospect to anyone who has suffered from vision problems in
the past. However, much like buying a car or house, it is important to
do your homework first.
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