What is LASIK Eye Surgery?
LASIK eye surgery is the most common type of laser eye surgery. As a relatively straight-forward procedure, LASIK eye surgery has helped to restore vision to those suffering from a range of eye conditions.
Anyone with eyeglasses or contact lenses will no longer need to rely on eyecare to see properly after undergoing LASIK eye surgery
How Does It Work?
This form of laser eye surgery works by using a laser to correct the irregular shape of the patient’s cornea (the surface of the eye). To do this, a surgical tool known as a microkeratome is used to create a small flap on the cornea, after which the laser is used to reshape the corneal surface.
As an irregular cornea causes light to enter the eye incorrectly, the surface must be reshaped during surgery to help make it more even, allowing light to enter properly. This restores vision and removes the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Other Types of Laser Eye Surgery
LASIK eye surgery is the most common form of laser eye surgery, although there are several other options available too. This includes:
LASEK – Similar to LASIK surgery but designed for patients with thin cornea. While the corneal surface is still corrected, it requires a thin layer of tissue covering the cornea (the epithelium) to be temporarily removed to one side before correcting the cornea. A microkeratome isn’t used either, with a tool known as a trephine used to create the flap instead.
PRK – One of the first forms of laser eye surgery, it is not unlike LASEK surgery, with the main difference being the epithelium is completely removed rather than partially removed. This epithelium grows back naturally over time, although the procedure is now less commonly used in favour of LASEK eye surgery.
IntraLASIK – Almost identical to LASIK surgery, with the main difference being a laser is used to create the flap rather than a microkeratome.
Eye Conditions Treated by LASIK Eye Surgery
There are a host of eye conditions that can be effectively treated with LASIK and other forms of laser eye surgery. This includes:
Myopia – Commonly known as short-sightedness, the condition makes it difficult to focus on objects from longer distances. It can make tasks that require distance vision difficult, such as driving.
Hyperopia – Commonly known as long-sightedness, this condition results in nearby objects being out of focus. This makes things like reading small text quite difficult, and many sufferers strain their eyes trying to read, leading to headaches.
Astigmatism – A common condition where blurry vision is caused by an irregular shaped cornea. Quite common for those that requires eyeglasses, and the condition is caused at birth so can only be permanently removed through laser eye surgery.
Benefits of LASIK Eye Surgery
Most people will get LASIK surgery as it offers the quickest recovery period of all other treatments, minimising any disruption from the surgery.
Of course, the most obvious benefit is you no longer require eyeglasses and/or contract lenses. This is very relieving for many people, especially those with several types of eye conditions. You can do many things that were once impossible to do due to poor vision.
LASIK eye surgery – and all laser eye surgery – is one of the safest surgical procedures available. It requires no anaesthetic and is virtually pain-free, meaning you don’t have to spend hours recovering from surgery.
Michigan Lasik also known as Rohr eye and laser center offers 3 different types of LASIK eye surgeries. To find out which option works best for you, give us a call at 977-579-0202. We are an eye treatment center located in Grand Blanc, Michigan. You can also visit our website at michiganLasik.com