LASIK SURGERY
LASIK Surgery
The acronym LASIK stands for Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. The term keratomileusis refers to changing the shape of a deep layer of the cornea.
As with PRK, the LASIK procedure also uses the Excimer laser to reshape the cornea. However, in LASIK surgery, sculpting of the cornea is carried out beneath a thin, protective, corneal flap.
The LASIK method of vision correction performed in the interior of the corner offers several advantages over vision correction performed on the surface of the cornea, as in the PRK procedure.
Rather than vaporizing the epithelial cells to expose the corneal stroma, in the LASIK procedure, a special instrument containing a knife called a microkeratome creates a flap of tissue which remains attached to the cornea by a hinge. This flap is then lifted up like a hinged lid, exposing the stroma. The laser part of the LASIK procedure then takes place in the exposed corneal stroma.
The laser component of the LASIK procedure itself usually only takes around thirty to ninety seconds, and based on what refractive errors the patient has, different amounts of tissue will be removed.
After the exposed corneal stroma has been treated by the laser and minute amounts of cells vaporized, the flap is returned to its original position. It is actually held in position by the eyes natural capacity for suction, thus giving increased comfort and rapid recovery time.
The entire LASIK procedure takes approximately ten to fifteen minutes per eye, and with minimal discomfort.