LASIK

The LASIK Procedure

LASIK combines a 30-year history of lamellar surgery with the precision of the Excimer laser. LASIK improves the curvature and shape of the cornea by reshaping the inner layers so you can see more clearly.

The three basic steps to the LASIK procedure are as follows:

An instrument called a microkeratome separates the layers of the cornea, thereby creating a flap.

The microkeratome

The laser removes the correct amount of tissue from the inside of the cornea, regulated by a pre-programmed number of laser pulses.

Ablation of tissue

The protective flap of the cornea is then replaced. The cornea adheres within minutes and no injections or sutures are used.

The flap is then replaced

After the procedure is finished, the doctor will examine the flap again and apply shields over the eyes. Patients are then given a kit with drops and instructions, along with an appointment to return the next day for a post-op visit with us, or with his/her referring doctor.

LASIK is recommended for those patients who have higher degrees of myopia and astigmatism, and for patients who require a more rapid recovery. Most people are back to their normal activities after a day or two.

LASIK does not correct a condition called presbyopia, the natural aging process of the eye that can occur as early as age 40. Presbyopia results in the need for reading glasses. If you were wearing reading glasses before the procedure, you will still need to wear them after the procedure. If you have not yet become presbyopic, LASIK will not hurry that process, nor will it delay it.

Wavefront-Guided laser surgery is the step beyond conventional laser eye surgeries that have preceded it. As with all current laser eye surgeries, the Wavefront-Guided procedure treats nearsightedness. However, this procedure treats the higher order aberrations that conventional laser surgeries are not able to treat. This procedure will be done only if your doctor feels it will be of benefit to you, at no extra cost.