What is Lasik Laser Eye Surgery

What is Laser Vision Correction?

Lasers are currently being used Worldwide for the correction of Nearsightedness, Farsightedness and Astigmatism.

"LASIK" is a recent advancement in the correction of refractive or focusing errors of the eye. This evolving laser technology offers new hope for sight without complete dependence upon corrective eye wear.

LASIK is a surgical procedure which combines a micro-keratome (an automated knife for shaving the cornea) and an Excimer Laser (an ultraviolet light beam) to reshape the cornea.

LASIK has quickly become the procedure of choice by leading eye surgeons around the world for the treatment of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Patients in record numbers all across Canada and the United States enthusiastically embrace the LASIK procedure because of the dramatic results they enjoy, and their rapid visual recovery.

Once the Excimer laser treats the inner surface of the cornea, the protective flap of the cornea is gently replaced. No stitches or shots are used during the LASIK procedure, and most patients enjoy improved vision as soon as one day after the procedure.

LASIK is proving to be the most effective procedure available today for treating a wide range of myopic and astigmatic conditions. It is extremely surgeon dependent and requires extensive training and experience with the use of the microkeratome - the mechanical device used to create the protective flap under which the laser portion of LASIK is performed.

Laser vision correction is a permanent outpatient vision correction procedure performed by certified ophthalmologists in which tissue is removed from the surface of the eye using an excimer laser. Laser vision correction is designed to reduce a person's dependency on glasses or contact lenses by reshaping the outer surface of the cornea using the energy pulses of light emitted by the excimer laser.

Why is it called "LASIK"?

The word LASIK is actually an acronym that stands for Laser Assisted in-Situ Keratomileusis. It is also sometimes referred to as Laser Intra-Stromal Keratomileusis, a procedure which uses an excimer laser system to reshape the stroma layer of tissue lying under the surface of the cornea. An automated microsurgical device called a microkeratome is used to create a thin flap on the surface of the cornea. The corneal flap is then laid back and the excimer laser reshapes the stromal layers of the cornea according to the patient's eye prescription. Once the laser has been applied the flap is closed and the laser procedure is complete. The procedure usually takes between 10 to 15 minutes, with the actual excimer laser treatment taking 15-90 seconds to perform.

The surface layer of the cornea remains intact and as a result, no bandage is required and LASIK patients experience virtually no pain or discomfort. Most LASIK patients can normally see well enough to drive a car the next day and complete healing is achieved within one to three months.

How does LASIK laser surgery corrects your vision?

Laser-in-situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a procedure used to reshape the cornea using a laser. This allows the cornea to better focus light on the retina so refractive errors are reduced or eliminated. The excimer laser that is used for LASIK uses a cool light beam to remove corneal tissue from the inner cornea. The beam of the laser is so accurate that it can cut notches in a single strand of human hair.

An instrument called a microkeratome is used to separate the surface layers of the cornea and create a corneal flap. This flap stays attached to the rest of the cornea on one side.

The Flap

The laser delivers pulses of ultraviolet light onto the inner cornea. Each pulse removes a microscopic layer of the inner cornea to reshape the surface of the cornea.

The laser beam

The corneal flap is put back into place where it bonds without the need for stitches.

The corneal flap

What is the Goal of LASIK?
The easy answer is - to be able to function without depending on glasses or contacts to see. For nearsighted patients, the goal of the procedure is to flatten the cornea. For farsighted patients, the goal of the procedure is to increase the curvature of the cornea. For astigmatism, removal of selected tissue at certain angles is performed to allow for the overall cornea to become more spherical in shape. After the laser, the corneal flap is returned to its original position. The corneal flap will stick in place without the need for stitches.