LASIK laser eye surgery is a very common and almost routine procedure these days. The
preoperative steps surgeons take vary slightly from practice to
practice. They may include measuring the thickness of the patient's
cornea with an ultrasonic probe (a process called pachymetry), placing
a drape around the eye to pull back the eyelashes, and positioning an
instrument called a speculum to hold the patient's lids open. Your
surgeon will talk with you about the preoperative protocal he or she
follows.
To
ensure your comfort and confidence during laser eye surgery, your head and neck are kept snug in
an inflatable pillow, your lids are kept open with a speculum and your
eyes are treated with numbing drops that prevent your eye from reacting
to stimuli. You may also be given an oral sedative if necessary.
After
patients are given a topical anesthetic (eye drops) to numb the eye (so
they experience no pain), the surgeon applies the vacuum ring, the
patient experiences a sensation of pressure just before his or her
vision fades for a few seconds. The microkeratome - the instrument the
surgeon uses to create the flap - and the laser do not cause any pain
or discomfort. For several hours after the procedure, many patients
describe a mild burning sensation, such as after opening the eyes while
swimming in chlorinated water. After the first few hours, this
uncomfortable feeling usually subsides.
To
treat nearsightedness with LASIK Laser Vision Correction, the
cornea must be made flatter. This is accomplished by removing tissue
from the center of the cornea.
To
treat farsightedness with LASIK Laser Vision Correction, the
central cornea must be made steeper. This is accomplished by directing
the laser beam to remove tissue from around this area.
To
treat astigmatism with LASIK Laser Vision Correction, the
cornea must be made more spherical. By changing the pattern of the
beam, tissue is removed in one direction more than the other.
The
technology associated with laser vision correction is such as to build
in safety measures. Throughout the procedure, the surgeon is observing
your eye and tracking your eye movements through the microscope. With
any large deviations, the surgeon will simply stop the laser ablation
and restart the process when the eye is perfectly aligned. Although eye
movement is a
concern of many patients, those who have experienced the LASIK laser
vision correction procedure rarely note a problem-maintaining fixation
throughout the short laser ablation.
LASER
EYE SURGERY 