It is a hassle to have to put on your eye glasses or contact lenses every day. This is one of the prime reasons that it seems that no one wants to wear them anymore. A popular alternative is vision correction surgery. Let’s discuss the subject of Lasik, which is a type of vision correction surgery.
Lasik is also known as Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, but most people just know it as Lasik. As you can imagine, not many people use this drawn out name. With that said, this procedure improves vision by reshaping the eyes with a laser.
During this procedure, the surgeon uses a microkeratome blade to cut a small flap in the patient’s cornea. After folding the flap back, the surgeon uses the laser to vaporize a portion of the stoma. After this is done, the surgeon very gently places the flap back into place.
Lasik works because the stoma cannot heal itself after the procedure. Once the eye surgeon makes the alteration, it will not change from how he or she left it. In comparison, the cornea, where the flap was placed, will heal on its own.
Let’s describe the role the cornea plays in our vision process. It gathers the light in from outside your eye and focuses and bends the light to make an image on your retina. This is why reshaping your eye permits your eye’s ability to focus to increase.
When you visit an eye surgeon, don’t be surprised if he or she doesn’t want to treat you with Lasik eye surgery. The reality is that Lasik is not always the answer. There are other alternative such as Photorefractive Keratectomy or Lasek eye surgery.
As a quick refresher, Photorefractive Keratectomy is where a surgeon does not cut a flap in the cornea to access the stoma. Instead, the surgeon removes the cornea’s surface cells to reshape the eye. In Lasek, the same procedure is used but alcohol is used instead of a metal blade.
In summary, a useful tool in the battle for perfect vision is Lasik eye surgery. A word of caution though; do not have the expectation that Lasik is the only answer to your vision problems. Other alternatives may be better for you, as we have shown.