This procedure is done so frequently - and on such a wide scale - that people tend to forget that ultimately it is a surgical procedure that should be given the same consideration as any other type of surgery. So when it comes to choosing a Lasik eye center, the decision should be made with a number of different factors in mind.

Lasik surgery uses laser technology to resurface the cornea - the thin layer of transparent tissue that covers the iris and lens in our eye. The lens actually sits behind the iris - the colored part of our eye - and receives the light that we see all around us in the form of images. The lens refracts - or bends - the light to the retina - a group of cells that line the back of the eye. The retina then takes these light signals and converts them to messages that can be received by the optic nerve in our brain.

When we suffer refractive difficulties - through nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism - the light is not refracted properly and the brain receives a message of a blurry image. During refractive surgery - such as Lasik - the appropriate corrections are made in order to refract light properly.

A Lasik eye center performs Lasik surgery on a daily basis. During the procedure, the patient's eye is numbed, held open with a speculum, and immobilized using a cornea suction ring. Once the eye is held steady, the surgeon makes a thin incision in the top layer of the cornea to create a flap. The flap is then folded back to reveal the mid-section of the cornea - known as the stroma.

This is the part that is resurfaced using laser technology. Once the resurfacing has been completed, the flap is returned over the eye and allowed to heal naturally. Most people who have Lasik report success through much improved vision. But achieving successful results relies most heavily on finding a reputable Lasik eye center.

First and foremost, no decision should be made at all about Lasik until you are absolutely certain that you are a candidate for the procedure. Only your eye doctor can make that determination so you should begin this process with a comprehensive examination by your ophthalmologist who can tell you which procedure will work best for you and what Lasik eye center to visit. If your doctor is someone whom you trust then this is the best recommendation that you can get for a Lasik eye center.

It is also advisable to speak with other patients who have undergone Lasik eye surgery. Not only will you learn about their experience with a particular Lasik eye center but you will learn what to expect from the procedure in general. Do not underestimate the power of your peers. Listen to what they have to say about their doctors, how they were treated, the professionalism of the Lasik eye center staff, their comfort during the procedure itself, their recovery time and experience, and, finally, their results.