What is LASIK Eye Surgery?

Although ‘LASIK eye surgery’ has become a popular term in the last few years, few people seem to actually know what the surgery entails or how it helps, unless they’ve been through it themselves. Many people think it’s a simple matter of your eye being cut with a laser in order to correct your vision. While that’s true, LASIK eye surgery is a bit more complicated than that.

LASIK eye surgery can correct vision in those who are nearsighted, farsighted, or suffer from astigmatism. The surgery for each condition involves the surgeon creating a small flap in the cornea by using a microkeratome blade or a femtosecond laser. The surgeon will then fold back the flap so that they can remove some of the tissue of the cornea using an excimer laser.

People who are nearsighted have a cornea that is too steep and so some of the tissue will be cut to flatten the cornea out. Those who are farsighted have the opposite problem, wherein their cornea is too flat and so cuts must be made in order to make it steeper. Corneas in those who suffer from astigmatism are generally misshaped and so cutting them can make them a more regular shape.

If you think that you might be interested in LASIK eye surgery, there are many steps that you’ll need to take before any surgery is actually done. The first is to find a good LASIK eye surgeon. This doctor will be able to examine you and your eyes and tell you what kind of a prescription is needed, how much of the cornea needs to be removed, and whether or not you’re a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. Even if you’re not, they may be able to recommend different types of laser eye surgery that may work for your situation.