Eye Surgery Article

Lasik Profiling On The Corneas

Lasik eye surgery is increasingly gaining popularity as the most preferred method for improving vision surgically. Lasik vision correction surgery can completely eliminate or at the very least significantly reduce an individual’s dependence on contact lenses or eyeglasses in order to have 20/20 vision.

Before performing a Lasik procedure the eye surgeon has to assess the patient’s compatibility and risk factor with regards to Lasik surgery. The first thing the doctor does is to get the individual’s complete health history, after which a thorough eye examination is carried out. Only after the individual has been deemed compatible for Lasik eye surgery does the doctor then discuss the various options available. Of the various techniques of Lasik vision correction surgery, using an excimer laser is the most common. This technique has been in use for vision correction surgery since 1987. The excimer laser profiles the cornea, enabling the surgeon to get the best results possible for surgery.

Lasik vision correction surgery is the best option for individuals with moderate to low vision problems. Nearsightedness as well as farsightedness can both be improved by performing Lasik surgery, which is a painless procedure and results in almost immediate vision improvement.

The outcome of Lasik eye surgery is drastically improved by the ability of profiling the cornea using the excimer laser. There are no guarantees for any surgery and Lasik surgery is no exception. While there is no guarantee that you will have perfect vision after undergoing the surgery, there is an estimated 90% success rate. A hundred percent successful Lasik eye surgery does away with the need for any other kind of corrective lenses. But this is not always the case with everybody. Some patients would still require corrective lenses even after undergoing Lasik surgery.

Lasik surgery involves creating an extremely thin, circular flap in the outer layer of the cornea. This is done by an instrument called a microkreatome. The microkreatome performs the same functions as an excimer, but the excimer has been found to be more precise and has a higher rate of success. After cutting the flap, the cornea is then profiles. What this means is that the flap is folded out of the way and the surgeon proceeds to remove corneal tissue with the help of the excimer. The excimer laser removes tiny pieces of corneal tissue at a time using cool ultraviolet rays. How much tissue needs to be removed depends on the severity of the existing vision problem. Sometimes removing just a very tiny amount of tissue is necessary to correct the patient’s vision.

After removing the necessary amount of corneal tissue, the cornea needs to be re-shaped in order for it to focus better. After this is done the Lasik surgeon then places the flap back over the area. The entire Lasik corrective eye surgery takes about one to two minutes. If Lasik surgery is required in both eyes, the doctor waits a while after performing Lasik on the first eye before proceeding on to the second eye. Some patients may prefer not to have both eyes operated on at the same time. They may prefer to wait a few weeks for the first eye to heal before having Lasik on the second eye.

Using an excimer laser to profile the cornea has many advantages. It has an extremely high accuracy level and produces better surgical outcomes. The excimer laser is fitted with a control unit that controls the intensity and movement of the laser beam. Often there are uncontrollable eye movements that occur during surgery. The laser beam is trained to stay at the right side of the eye even if there is a slight eye movement. This gives the Lasik surgeon full control during surgery and can positively influence the outcome of the surgery.

The benefits of Lasik vision correction surgery and its high success rate far outweigh the low risks and discomfort associated with this surgery.