Laser eye surgery is a medical procedure consisting of the use of laser for reshaping the surface of the cornea. It is used to improve shortsightedness, long sightedness or astigmatism. The first information on laser eye surgery dates back from over twenty years ago, and the FDA approved excimer laser eye surgery in 1995.
During laser eye surgery, an excimer laser, controlled by a computer is used to remove tiny amounts of corneal tissue. The aim of the procedure is to restore normal vision, eliminating the need for glasses or contacts. Although laser surgery has risen in popularity in the past few years, only about 20% of ophthalmologists have been trained to use it.
In one type of laser eye surgery, the outer layer of the cornea, also called epithelium, is removed and an excimer laser is used to reshape underneath tissue. This procedure is called photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
In a newer procedure, a microkeratome is used to cut a flap in the corneal tissue, which is then lifted and an excimer laser is used to reshape underlying tissue. In the end, the flap is put back to its place. This type of laser eye surgery is called laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Nowadays, it is more commonly used than PRK.
What Happens During Laser Eye Surgery Procedure
The surgery should take less than 30 minutes. You will lie on your back, reclining in a chair, or on a table. You may be given a sedative before the procedure, to help you relax.
Local anesthetic eye drops are used before the surgery. The procedure takes a few minutes per eye. The actual time when the laser is used for reshaping the corneal tissue is generally less than a minute. An instrument called a lid speculum will be used to hold your eyelids open. A ring is placed on your eye, and the cutting instrument is attached to the ring. A microkeratome, the cutting instrument, is used to cut a flap in your cornea. A laser is positioned over your eye, and you will be asked to stare at the light. This light is to help you keep your eye fixed in one spot when the laser comes on.
Once your eye is in the correct position, the doctor will turn the laser on. Pulses of laser energy vaporize the corneal tissue, and then the flap is placed back into position
You will need to wear an eye shield for protection after the procedure. This will prevent you from rubbing your eyes, and protect your eye from being accidentally hit or poked until the flap has healed.
After laser eye surgery, you should expect some minor discomfort. However, you should be able to see, although not very clearly. You won't be able to drive on your own, so you need to have someone drive you home or take a cab. You should see your doctor within the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery, and then at regular intervals for about six months. You will have to wait for up to two weeks before using make-up, creams or lotions, to prevent infection or irritation. You should also avoid swimming and hot tubs for about 6 weeks.
Although you should see well the day after surgery, your vision will continue to improve over the next several months. As the eye heals, your vision will continue to improve. It is important to keep all your follow-up appointments with your doctor, to make sure that everything is going according to plan.
There are basically two laser refractive procedures to correct myopia (short sight), hyperopia (long sight) and astigmatism: 1) LASIK and 2) LASEK. [You might also have come across the PRK laser procedure. You can consider LASEK and PRK as basically the same procedure for most discussions - they are both forms of ?surface? laser eye surgery with pretty much identical results].
LASIK is a two stage procedure. Firstly a superficial flap is created in the top part of the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye). The vision correction laser is then used to reshape the inner part of the cornea and so eliminate the need for glasses. The first flap creation stage used to be carried out with a mechanical blade device, but modern clinics are now using a special so called 'femtosecond' laser to prepare the flap in a safer and more accurate way. There will be grittiness for 3-4 hours only and vision is usually fairly clear within several hours.
In the LASEK procedure, there is no structural flap made as in the LASIK method. In LASEK, the surface skin cells are brushed to the side, the laser applied to correct the vision, and the cells brushed back into place. A contact lens is then placed on the eye. This procedure is painful for the first 2-3 days and vision recovery takes 4-7 days.
Both LASIK and LASEK procedures are very safe and will give you the same final results. It can be quite confusing if you are thinking about laser vision correction and want to know which procedure would be best for you. While both LASIK and LASEK can give you excellent vision in a safe and reliable way, some surgeons prefer one or the other, or may indeed only offer one type anyway!
How is the prospective patient supposed to decide?
What happens in practice is that patients are greatly influenced by what their particular clinician says, and understandably so. It is always worth seeking a second opinion and comparing the findings and comments of each centre. This shouldn't threaten any clinic worth its salt. Some patients feel more confident with one person or another, based on perhaps only ?chemistry?, but it is very important to know the difference in the techniques.
About 90% of all laser eye surgery treatments are done with the LASIK method. The lack of pain and the very rapid vision recovery are very appealing to most patients.
There are some patients who are not suitable for the LASIK method, usually due to anatomical factors in the eyes and may be eligible though for a LASEK surface laser technique.
It is worth noting that with the arrival of femtosecond lasers, such as the Ziemer LDV system, that some patients who were previously pushed into the LASEK group due to e.g. thin corneas, can now still have dual laser blade free LASIK. This is because the femtosecond lasers can create a very thin predictable flap and so preserve corneal strength.
LASIK and LASEK are both very effective procedures and can be used to treat myopia (short sight), myopia myopia(long sight), astigmatism (irregular corneal shape).
However, for reading vision problems, please be aware that many clinics do not have the correct technology required to correct these vision problems, including higher levels of long sight.
Both Gerri Stone & David Allamby are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gerri Stone has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acid Reflux, Online College and Asthma. Gerri Stone publishes the latest information about Laser Lasik Eye Surgery at . Gerri Stone's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
David Allamby has sinced written about articles on various topics from Eye Care. Dr. David Allamby is medical director at FOCUS Laser Vision, a specialist . You can find more information on laser eye surgery at. David Allamby's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.