Lasik & Laser vision correction

Lasik, short for Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, is the most common laser eye surgery in the treatment of nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. It is a refractive surgery that reshapes the cornea to enable it to properly focus the light entering the eye onto the retina.

Lasik Laser eye surgery is painless and can last for only 15 minutes for both eyes. It is ideally suited for people who wish to eliminate the use of eye glasses or contact lenses and results can be ‘seen’ in 24 hours.

People for whom Lasik is not a viable option, a other vision correction surgeries are available like LASEK eye surgery, PRK and phakic IOL surgery. The eye specialist will recommend the best vision correction technique for your condition.

Your eye specialist will go through your health history in general and any medications you may be taking to determine if you are s suitable Lasik candidate. Your eyes will be thoroughly screened to ensure they are healthy enough to withstand the procedure. He/she will evaluate the thickness and shape of the cornea, the size of the pupil and type of refractive error (myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism).

The doctor will look for other eye disorders. The moistness in your eyes will also be checked and a precautionary measure may be taken to reduce your risk of developing dry eyes after surgery.

An automated instrument called a corneal topographer will be used to measure the curvature of the frontal eye surface. Thus the doctor creates a ‘map’ of the cornea. You may also be subjected to a wavefront analysis, in which light waves are sent through the eyes to provide a better picture of your vision aberrations.

If you use contact lenses, you will be asked to stop wearing them about two weeks before your eye exam and the Lasik procedure. Contact lenses can affect the natural shape of the cornea.

Your eye surgeon starts with a surgical tool called a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser to make a thin, round ‘flap’ in the cornea. He or she will then fold back the hinged corneal film to get to the cornea beneath (the stroma) A highly specialized excimer laser removes microscopic amounts of corneal tissue using an ultraviolet light. The laser thus reshapes the cornea so that incoming light is better focused on the retina, which improves vision.

For myopia, the cornea is flattened while a steeper cornea is desired for hyperemia patients. Excimer lasers can also rectify astigmatism by smoothing the cornea into a more regular shape. After the cornea is reshaped the flap is laid back into place covering the area from where the tissue was removed. The cornea is then allowed to heal by itself. The procedure requires only local anaesthesia and does not involve the use of stitches or bandages.

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

Laser Assisted Sub-epithelial Keratomileusis (LASEK)

Clear Lens Extraction or Refractive Lens Exchange

Phakic Intraocular Lens (IOL)

Intacs or Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segment

Astigmatic Keratotomy (AK)

Laser Thermal Keratoplasty (LTK)

Conductive Keratoplasty (CK)