Complete Guide on Corrective Laser Eye Surgery

A corrective eye surgery is a surgery in which the cornea is reshaped with a laser in order to repair or restore vision. Its appeal lies in the fact that it is an easy and convenient procedure that statistically has few complications and yields permanent vision correcting results. Laser surgery takes very less of your time and it is more comfortable one also. Try laser treatments to correct vision.

This article covers

How Does Laser Eye Surgery Work
What To Expect Before Surgery?
What To Expect The Day of Surgery?
Navigating Laser Surgery Options

Corrective laser eye surgery has recently gained in popularity with more than one million patients having the procedure done in the United States each year. But what is laser eye surgery and how does it work? Basically, it is a corrective eye surgery in which the cornea is reshaped with a laser in order to repair or restore vision. Its appeal lies in the fact that it is an easy and convenient procedure that statistically has few complications and yields permanent vision correcting results.

It is an outpatient procedure usually done quickly and safely and with minimum discomfort to patients. The procedure was first performed in Greece by an ophthalmologist in 1989 and was introduced to American surgeons in 1990. Today, many people find that it is a popular and effective alternative to wearing glasses or using contact lenses. Eye laser surgery is most commonly used to correct farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism.

What to Expect Before LASIK Surgery

The first step in the LASIK process often includes some type of initial patient education or patient information visit. This is usually offered as a seminar, a free consultation, free evaluation or free screening. You should have an opportunity to speak directly with a refractive surgery coordinator/counselor that can answer specific questions about the process and provide a wealth of information on laser eye surgery options.

The next step would be to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive examination and consultation. Your medical and ocular history will be reviewed and discussed and several test and measurements will be taken in order to assess your appropriateness for surgery. These tests include, but are not limited to, determining which eye is the dominant eye, measuring intraocular pressure, examination the retina and optic nerves, and most importantly, measuring the thickness of the cornea t o see if you are an ideal candidate for laser eye surgery.

What To Expect The Day of Surgery And Beyond

Conventional LASIK (the most common corrective eye surgery preformed in the USA) is done relatively quickly, and is a painless outpatient "office" procedure in which no hospitalization is required and patients go directly home after surgery. With some slight variation, the following is an approximation of what to expect on the day of surgery.

Although you are awake during the procedure patients are given anesthetic eye drops to numb the eye.
A plastic drape is put on the eyelids to keep the eye lashes out of the way.
A speculum is used to hold eyelids back so the eye remains open throughout the procedure.
The flap is created by placing a suction cup over the eye, and then is gently pulled back. It is not unusual to feel some pressure or vibrations at this point.
The laser is then applied to reshape the cornea and correct the vision impairment. This usually takes no more then a few minutes per eye. This is often accompanied by "clicking" sounds made by the machine and a slight odor (sometimes described as a "burning hair" smell) attributed to "vaporizing tissue" with the laser.
Next you are taken to a recovery room where you can rest your eyes. As the anesthetic wears off you may feel some tingling or burning.
Lastly, you are given a final check up, eye drops, protective eye shields, given post operation care guidelines and allowed to go home.

Continue to: Navigating Laser Surgery Options

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