Laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is performed by the surgeons using laser to reshape the cornea and correct the refractive error. It has become one of the most popular treatments for problems in the eyesight chiefly because it reduces the dependency on prescription eyewear such as spectacles and contact lenses.
The Refractive Errors
The refractive errors cause the light from an object to be defectively focused on the retina of the eye, thus resulting in a blurred image. The improper shape of the cornea causes these.
The refractive errors can be corrected by undergoing the LASIK surgery. The four types of refractive errors are:
- Myopia or Nearsightedness:
In this condition, the cornea is extremely curved, or the eyeball is longer than the normal eyeball from front to back, which causes the light rays to focus at a point that lies in front of the retina; this results in a blurry vision of the distant objects.
- Hyperopia or Farsightedness:
In this condition, either the eyeball is shorter than normal, or the cornea is very flat, which leads to a clear vision of the distant objects but a blurry vision of the objects that are near. The light rays focus behind the retina.
- Astigmatism:
In this condition, either the curvature of the cornea is uneven, or the shape of the lens is uneven, and that causes the blurring of objects at all distances because the images are not sharply focused on the retina. This distortion becomes very obvious in the dark when there are bright lights.
- Presbyopia or aging eye:
The natural aging process causes this condition. As we become older, our eyes lose the ability to change their focus. This condition occurs between 40 to 50 years of age. However, the refractive surgery cannot rectify this problem. Although it may make the distance vision clearer, it might end up making the near vision too blurry.
Appointment and Consultation with the Doctors
You should take an appointment and consult with eye doctors at clinic like Yaldo Eye Center clinics to know more about Yaldo Eye Center. The eye doctors will examine your eye and record your eyes’ medical history. Generally, people between the age of 21 and 75 years of age with no other eye problems, undergo the LASIK surgery. The doctors will discuss the entire procedure of LASIK, its advantages and disadvantages with you and then decide whether it is appropriate for you or not.
Procedure of LASIK
The LASIK may take up to 1 hour 30 minutes. A knife known as a microkeratome cuts a hinged flap in the cornea. The flap can also be created with a laser. The middle section of the cornea known as the stroma is then revealed by folding the flap back. A part of the stroma is removed by the pulses from the excimer laser, which is controlled by a computer. After that the flap is returned to its original position. The entire surgery is performed with a high degree of precision to have favorable results.