Eye Surgery, Eye Treatments, Laser Eye Surgery, LASIK, Ophthalmology Clinic, Outpatient Surgery
Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a modern optical laser surgical method that reshapes the eye allowing clearer focus to produce better vision. It is available for patients that have myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism (a cornea with unequal curves).
During LASIK surgery a corneal flap is fashioned and a thin layer of corneal tissue is reshaped by laser to address the patient’s optical needs. The flap is repositioned, usually without sutures, while a clear shield is used for corneal flap protection for the first night or so after LASIK.
LASIK surgery
LASIK Surgery
LASIK candidates should have stable optical corrections, sufficient corneal tissue with a normal corneal shape and be free of eye disease.
There are several LASIK varieties.
The enhanced wavefront-guided LASIK employs “analyzers” called “aberrometers,” that can optically map the eye. This technology identifies personal and unique optical characteristics of the eye. These personalized optical findings are automatically added to the treatment plan by the wavefront computer during LASIK.
Customized LASIK wavefront scan
Customized LASIK Wavefront Scan
Not all patients are candidates for customizable LASIK. Instances, where this technology is not available, could be in patients with small pupils (the wavefront cannot capture sufficient optical data with a small pupil) or in patients that have had specialty (multifocal) intraocular implant lenses (IOLs) after cataract surgery. In the latter case wavefront-guided LASIK could recognize the multifocal optical properties of the specialty IOL and neutralize them at the time of LASIK.
Typically LASIK is an outpatient procedure that requires no more than anesthetic eyedrops to complete. A more apprehensive patient can receive a mild sedative a few minutes before LASIK to help them calm down. The procedure itself generally takes about 15 minutes per eye.