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Vision Correction with LASIK
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 LASIKThe LASIK ProcedureAfter the LASIK ProcedureThe Risks of LASIKThe Benefit of LASIKLASIK FAQ'sHow long does the procedure take? When will I be able to see after the procedure? How long will it take for my vision to gain maximum improvement? Am I going to get 20/20 vision? How much pain will there be after the procedure? Are there possible complications? Will reading glasses be needed after the procedure? What activity restrictions are there after the procedure? The LASIK procedure allows for correction of low to extreme degrees of myopia, up to -14 diopters or greater, and low to moderate degrees of hyperopia and astigmatism, up to 6 diopters. Because of its many advantages, LASIK is our procedure of choice in most cases, even for lower prescriptions. After a thorough eye examination, your eye doctor can tell you whether or not you are a good candidate for LASIK. Whether laser vision correction is right for you depends on a number of medical considerations. It also depends on you, your lifestyle and your expectations. Speaking with someone who has had LASIK, as well as your eye doctor, can help you make the right decision. If you would like to talk with someone who has been through the process, please call our office in Greensboro at 336-230-1010 for a contact list of previous LASIK patients who have offered to share their experiences with you. Assuming your eye doctor determines that you area good candidate for laser vision correction, the decision to have LASIK surgery is ultimately yours. Only you know what impact wearing glasses and/or contact lenses has had on the quality of your life, and only you know the value to you of reducing your dependency on these visual aids. My eyes are very sensitive and I have difficulty tolerating anything near my eye, how can I have LASIK? Most people choose to take an oral sedative for relaxation. A gentle lid holder is used to prevent blinking. A light inside the laser provides a target to focus on during the entire procedure. Even the most sensitive patients are able to have LASIK. Yes, unless a patient specifically chooses to have one eye done at a time. Most patients want to have their vision corrected with minimum travel and healing time, and performing both eyes at once normally yields the most rapid visual recovery. How long does the procedure take? The entire procedure takes ten to fifteen minutes to complete for both eyes. The actual laser exposure time is typically less than 30 seconds per eye. Depending on your occupation, some patients may return to work within 24-48 hours. When will I be able to see after the procedure? Typically, patients are able to see immediately after the procedure, however vision will be foggy for the first several hours. Vision will normally improve for the first 24 hours and most, but not all, patients are able to drive the first morning after their procedure. How long will it take for my vision to gain maximum improvement? Nearly all patients have recovered vision enough to work and resume all normal activities within 48 to 96 hours. The quality of your vision will usually improve over a period of weeks and months. Am I going to get 20/20 vision? A high percentage of patients achieve 20/20 vision from LASIK, and nearly all patients achieve 20/40 vision, the level of vision needed to drive without correction. Patients who expect to have 20/20 vision from the procedure and who would be unhappy with anything less are best advised not to have LASIK. No one can guarantee a 20/20 result. How much pain will there be after the procedure? After the anesthetic drops wear off, patients usually describe approximately 6 to 12 hours of mild discomfort, scratchiness, watering, light sensitivity, and a sensation of something in their eyes. It is rare for a patient to need anything more than a mild over-the-counter pain reliever, and many patients need nothing at all. The procedure itself heals very quickly with any discomfort leaving in nearly all patients by 48 hours. If your prescription is stable, it is believed that the results of your procedure will be permanent. The very first patient who had Laser Vision Correction approximately 10 years ago is reported to still have 20/20 vision. Are there possible complications? As with any medical procedure, there are risks and complications that may occur in LASIK. Serious sight threatening complications are rare. Every patient will receive an extensive informed consent before they receive LASIK. Will reading glasses be needed after the procedure? If reading glasses are not required before the procedure, a full correction with LASIK will not cause you to wear them. However, as a result of the normal aging process of the eye, reading glasses are normally needed by age 45. If you currently wear bifocal glasses or reading glasses over your contacts, you may be a candidate for Monovision, which leaves one eye slightly nearsighted so that reading glasses may not be required. What activity restrictions are there after the procedure? Patients should not able to rub their eyes or swim underwater for two weeks after the procedure. Normal activities may be resumed the first day after the procedure including golf, tennis, or other exercise.
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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.