LASIK Eye Surgery — A Practical Guide to Laser Vision Correction
August 7, 2009 by admin
Filed under Non Fiction
Louis Zhang asked:
LASIK eye surgery is a procedure that treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.
A laser or a surgical blade is used to cut a flap in the cornea. Then, a laser removes tissue beneath the flap, permanently changing the focusing power of the cornea, thereby improving vision.
Laser eye surgery is relatively painless, quick and convenient. There are two surgical methods from which to choose.
Do your research, ask lots of questions and follow all of the surgeon’s directives both prior to and following the lasik procedure to improve its effectiveness.
The Lasik Procedure In order to access the stroma, the surgeon cuts a flap in the upper portion of the cornea, right above the pupil. Numbing drops are put into the eye, the cornea is marked to aid in replacing the flap, and then the eye area is cleaned.
A lid speculum holds the eye open. High pressure is applied to the eye with a suction ring that is briefly placed directly on the eye. Then the flap is cut. This is called a keratectomy, which may be done by either of two methods.
The time-tested way uses a microkeratome, a cutting instrument or blade. The newer method of cutting the flap is by “laser-only” or femtosecond lasik, sometimes known by the brand name “IntraLase”.
After the suction ring is removed, both lasik methods are nearly identical.
The corneal flap is folded back, and the exposed tissue is allowed to dry. Then, the patient is asked to stare at a light for about sixty seconds to help keep the eye fixed and immobile.
In less than one minute, the lasik computer pulses high-energy ultraviolet light removing the tissue that was previously determined to reshape the cornea most effectively and accurately.
The lasik laser makes clicking sounds, and there may be a smell of burning tissue. After very precise amounts of tissue are removed from the stroma, the surgeon lays the flap back into place. The eye is observed for a few minutes to make sure that proper bonding is taking place.
After Lasik Eye Surgery Once the surgery is complete, a protective shield is placed over the eye, to prevent pressure and anything from bumping the eye. Since there are no stitches in lasik surgery, these precautions must be taken to ensure that the flap remains in place.
Some patients return to work the next day, but most doctors recommend that you wait a few days. Strenuous activity, and non-contact sports should be avoided for up to three days.
Facial products and makeup are out for up to two weeks. The eyelashes may need to be scrubbed fairly often during this time to help prevent infection.
No contact sports are allowed for at least four weeks. Expect to leave off swimming, hot tubs, whirlpools and saunas for up to eight weeks.
Expected Outcomes from Lasik Most lasik patients see huge improvements in their vision by the next day. Vision may continue to improve for three to six months post-operatively. While visual fluctuations may occur temporarily throughout the day, this tendency diminishes over time.
Lasik eye surgery is not for everyone. Most good candidates follow their surgeon’s pre and post-operative directives faithfully. They find their vision, and therefore their lifestyle, greatly enhanced by this laser procedure.
LASIK eye surgery is a procedure that treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.
A laser or a surgical blade is used to cut a flap in the cornea. Then, a laser removes tissue beneath the flap, permanently changing the focusing power of the cornea, thereby improving vision.
Laser eye surgery is relatively painless, quick and convenient. There are two surgical methods from which to choose.
Do your research, ask lots of questions and follow all of the surgeon’s directives both prior to and following the lasik procedure to improve its effectiveness.
The Lasik Procedure In order to access the stroma, the surgeon cuts a flap in the upper portion of the cornea, right above the pupil. Numbing drops are put into the eye, the cornea is marked to aid in replacing the flap, and then the eye area is cleaned.
A lid speculum holds the eye open. High pressure is applied to the eye with a suction ring that is briefly placed directly on the eye. Then the flap is cut. This is called a keratectomy, which may be done by either of two methods.
The time-tested way uses a microkeratome, a cutting instrument or blade. The newer method of cutting the flap is by “laser-only” or femtosecond lasik, sometimes known by the brand name “IntraLase”.
After the suction ring is removed, both lasik methods are nearly identical.
The corneal flap is folded back, and the exposed tissue is allowed to dry. Then, the patient is asked to stare at a light for about sixty seconds to help keep the eye fixed and immobile.
In less than one minute, the lasik computer pulses high-energy ultraviolet light removing the tissue that was previously determined to reshape the cornea most effectively and accurately.
The lasik laser makes clicking sounds, and there may be a smell of burning tissue. After very precise amounts of tissue are removed from the stroma, the surgeon lays the flap back into place. The eye is observed for a few minutes to make sure that proper bonding is taking place.
After Lasik Eye Surgery Once the surgery is complete, a protective shield is placed over the eye, to prevent pressure and anything from bumping the eye. Since there are no stitches in lasik surgery, these precautions must be taken to ensure that the flap remains in place.
Some patients return to work the next day, but most doctors recommend that you wait a few days. Strenuous activity, and non-contact sports should be avoided for up to three days.
Facial products and makeup are out for up to two weeks. The eyelashes may need to be scrubbed fairly often during this time to help prevent infection.
No contact sports are allowed for at least four weeks. Expect to leave off swimming, hot tubs, whirlpools and saunas for up to eight weeks.
Expected Outcomes from Lasik Most lasik patients see huge improvements in their vision by the next day. Vision may continue to improve for three to six months post-operatively. While visual fluctuations may occur temporarily throughout the day, this tendency diminishes over time.
Lasik eye surgery is not for everyone. Most good candidates follow their surgeon’s pre and post-operative directives faithfully. They find their vision, and therefore their lifestyle, greatly enhanced by this laser procedure.
Lasik Eye Surgery – Understanding Its Different Types
Ventura Eye Institute asked:
When it comes to the matter of eye surgery, the first thing that comes to our mind is Lasik surgery. For corrective vision procedures, Lasik surgery is all what we think about. There are various alternatives to Lasik surgery today. You can choose the option that rests upon your eye condition, the surgeon who is going to operate and the budget you are comfortable in paying. Hence it is important for you to know the different types of Lasik surgery available so that you make the right click.
LASEK SURGERY: This type of surgery is a refractive procedure that uses alcohol to separate the outer layer of the cornea. The recovery time with Lasek surgery is longer as compared to Lasik surgery. It is useful for people with thin cornea.
PRK: It removes the epithelium with a metal surgical tool. The tissue is removed from the cornea under this treatment. It is a longer recovery process and is suitable for people with thin cornea and large pupils. It is effective for treatments including near-sightedness and far-sightedness. As compared to other forms of refractive surgery, ‘dry eyes’ is the most common complication of this surgery.
EPI-LASIK: A technique used to reduce dependency of a person on contact lenses or eyeglasses. It is a refractive surgery which is similar to Lasek without any use of alcohol. It makes use of a fine surgical blade that reduces the risk of wide corneal flap. A device similar to a microkeratome (called epi-keratome) slides over the surface of the cornea, just underneath the epithelial layer of cells while suction is applied. Epi-Lasik surgery involves less pain and is a fast healing process.
INTRAOCULAR LENS: It is a form of refractive surgery to change the eye’s optical power. In other words, it is done on the patients suffering from cataract. These intraocular lenses are implanted in the eye by replacing the existing crystalline lens. Most of the intraocular lenses are fixed monofocal lenses matched according to the distant vision. The procedure of surgery in the hands of experienced ophthalmologist takes less than 30 minutes and the recovery period is usually 2-3 weeks.
CK: In this type of refractive surgery, radio waves are passed to adjust the contour of the cornea by shrinking the collagen around it. Conductive Keratoplasty is a very fast procedure and a non-invasive alternative to other types of eye surgery.
Majority of people are not aware of the types of surgery best suited to improve their kind of vision impairment. Hence it is important to be well informed about your health so that you can make the right choice of treatment. Moreover, it is crucial to take advice from friends and relatives who have gone through these procedures while making the right choice of surgeon.
When it comes to the matter of eye surgery, the first thing that comes to our mind is Lasik surgery. For corrective vision procedures, Lasik surgery is all what we think about. There are various alternatives to Lasik surgery today. You can choose the option that rests upon your eye condition, the surgeon who is going to operate and the budget you are comfortable in paying. Hence it is important for you to know the different types of Lasik surgery available so that you make the right click.
LASEK SURGERY: This type of surgery is a refractive procedure that uses alcohol to separate the outer layer of the cornea. The recovery time with Lasek surgery is longer as compared to Lasik surgery. It is useful for people with thin cornea.
PRK: It removes the epithelium with a metal surgical tool. The tissue is removed from the cornea under this treatment. It is a longer recovery process and is suitable for people with thin cornea and large pupils. It is effective for treatments including near-sightedness and far-sightedness. As compared to other forms of refractive surgery, ‘dry eyes’ is the most common complication of this surgery.
EPI-LASIK: A technique used to reduce dependency of a person on contact lenses or eyeglasses. It is a refractive surgery which is similar to Lasek without any use of alcohol. It makes use of a fine surgical blade that reduces the risk of wide corneal flap. A device similar to a microkeratome (called epi-keratome) slides over the surface of the cornea, just underneath the epithelial layer of cells while suction is applied. Epi-Lasik surgery involves less pain and is a fast healing process.
INTRAOCULAR LENS: It is a form of refractive surgery to change the eye’s optical power. In other words, it is done on the patients suffering from cataract. These intraocular lenses are implanted in the eye by replacing the existing crystalline lens. Most of the intraocular lenses are fixed monofocal lenses matched according to the distant vision. The procedure of surgery in the hands of experienced ophthalmologist takes less than 30 minutes and the recovery period is usually 2-3 weeks.
CK: In this type of refractive surgery, radio waves are passed to adjust the contour of the cornea by shrinking the collagen around it. Conductive Keratoplasty is a very fast procedure and a non-invasive alternative to other types of eye surgery.
Majority of people are not aware of the types of surgery best suited to improve their kind of vision impairment. Hence it is important to be well informed about your health so that you can make the right choice of treatment. Moreover, it is crucial to take advice from friends and relatives who have gone through these procedures while making the right choice of surgeon.
