Vision Correction with LASIK

Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a laser surgical procedure effective for correcting all ranges of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, except extremely high degrees. The most commonly performed vision correction procedure, LASIK is performed on nearly 1 million patients per year. LASIK combines corneal flap surgery with excimer laser reshaping for dramatic results and rapid visual recovery.

LASIK was first performed in the early 1990s in Greece, but the two main components of the surgery were performed separately long before then. South American surgeons began developing corrective procedures in the 1960s by removing a portion of corneal tissue, reshaping it, and then placing it back on the eye. Excimer laser correction has been done on the surface of eyes since 1987. Combining the advanced forms of both types of technology gives LASIK certain advantages for correcting vision.

For the procedure, the patient sits in a surgical chair which reclines into a horizontal position. A surgical assistant instills topical anesthetic drops to numb the eye for a painless correction. Assistants then carefully drape the patient's face around the eye to ensure a perfectly clean surrounding area for the surgery.

During LASIK surgery, a flap is created in the outer layers of the cornea, using either the IntraLase FS laser or a microsurgical instrument called a microkeratome. The flap is then lifted and pulled back so the excimer laser can treat only the middle layer of the cornea. Traditionally, the instrument used for creating a flap has been the microkeratome. It cuts and lifts a flap that is approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of the corneal thickness. This circular flap remains attached to the cornea by a small hinge of tissue. The hinge enables the flap to be lifted away from the central cornea. The excimer laser can then be used to reshape the exposed mid-layer of the cornea.

In recent years, the IntraLase Wavefront laser has become available to create a flap using multiple short pulses. These pulses are so close together they create an almost complete separation of the flap from the rest of the cornea, but they do not actually lift the flap. If the flap pattern is judged to be complete and satisfactory, a delicate separation of the flap is performed with a few gentle manipulations using a surgical instrument.

Wave front - Custom LASIK

The LASIK Procedure

After the LASIK Procedure

Immediately after the LASIK procedure, your vision will still be quite blurry. It is common for one eye to be less comfortable than the other for the first few weeks and for one eye to see faster than the other. This is normal. It takes several weeks and often a few months for your vision to improve and stabilize. In the first week or two, most people feel as though they're looking through Vaseline, fog, or a dirty contact lens. Often they can see objects but the contrast or sharpness and clarity have not yet returned. This is completely normal. It usually takes a few weeks for this to start really coming back well and by three months, most peoples' eyes and eye prescriptions have stabilized.

It's also common for your vision to fluctuate from moment to moment or day to day during this period. Even though your eyes don't feel particularly dry, please use the artificial tears we provided in your kit or other similar tears from the pharmacy several times a day or as needed for the next few weeks. Avoid those with preservatives and consult your post-op information sheet for the brands we recommend.

It is critically important not to rub your eyes or get hit in the eye, especially during the first few weeks after LASIK. This is similar to any surgical procedure in that one should protect the area as it heals. Most people can start exercising within about a week but swimming is not advised until after two weeks. Check with the eye doctor who examines you after LASIK surgery to see when you can return to your normal activities. At your first and second visit after surgery your eye doctor will also tell you whether you need temporary glasses to improve your vision while your eyes are healing. This is not uncommon and generally does not suggest a problem. Red spots on the white of your eye are perfectly normal and those will usually fade over two weeks or so.

Complications after LASIK surgery by expert surgeons are uncommon. There are a few symptoms that may indicate that there may be something that needs your doctor's attention. These include: discomfort that is getting worse, rather than better in the first week or so following surgery, a significant reduction in your vision and not just a mild fluctuation, a lot of discharge or redness or swelling of your lids.

The Risks of LASIK

The Benefit of LASIK

LASIK FAQ's