Laser Eye Surgery | LASIK Surgery

There are several different types of eye surgery depending on what the problem is but laser eye surgery, or LASIK as it is otherwise known is the most common type. The most common problems that can be treated by laser eye surgery, or LASIK, include near sightedness, far sightedness and astigmatism.

LASIK refers to a surgical procedure called Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. The objective of LASIK is to improve your vision and lessen the need to depend on either contact lenses or glasses.

Laser Eye Surgery - Determine If You Are A Suitable Candidate

The first step in any laser eye surgery is a full and comprehensive examination to determine firstly if you are a suitable candidate for the surgery, secondly what is the type and extent of your problem, and thirdly what sort of treatment you will need. The initial exam is similar to a normal eye exam but by the end of the examination and consultation, your LASIK eye surgeon will be able to tell you whether or not you would benefit from laser eye surgery.

Quite a large percentage of people who enquire about laser eye surgery are refused the treatment as not all eyesight problems can be treated by laser surgery and not all people are suitable candidates for the surgery. One of the basic rules that preclude a number of people from having the surgery is that your eyesight must have been stable for at least a year. This basically means that your eyesight is at a stable level and is not rapidly changing or deteriorating as this could greatly affect the outcome of the surgery. If the procedure were to go ahead whilst you were at an unstable stage, you could be given the incorrect treatment.

Laser Eye Surgery Procedure

During the surgery, a numbing solution is placed in the eye and the eye area is cleaned. A lid speculum is used to keep the eyelids open. After placing the eye in the correct position, a thin circular flap is cut into the cornea. Using an excimer laser, the surgeon will remove very precise tiny parts of the corneal tissue in order to reshape the cornea. By reshaping the cornea in the right way, a clearer vision can be achieved. The flap is then by placed back into position. At the end of the procedure, a protective shield is placed over the eye.

For successful and long lasting results, postoperative care can be just as important as the surgery itself so you should follow all the guidelines set out for you by your surgeon.

Laser Eye Surgery - Finding A LASIK Eye Surgeon

There are many companies that now offer laser eye surgery so before embarking on the procedure you need to make sure that you have found the right LASIK eye surgeon for yourself. Make sure that you research the company thoroughly, find out what their success rate is, and check what post operative care and advice they offer. Perhaps most importantly you should meet the LASIK eye surgeon who will be performing the procedure and make sure you feel comfortable with him or her.