Laser Eye Surgery

There are two main types of laser eye surgery open to people interested in having defective vision corrected by eye surgery. These are.

-          Lasik Known as Laser Assisted intrastomal Keratoplasty or Laser Assisted in- situ Keratomileusis.

-          PRK. Known as Photorefractive Keratectomy.

Whilst both of these methods of laser eye surgery are safe, and both use an instrument called an excimer laser, they differ in recovery times and in the operating room techniques.

Lasik Eye Surgery.

1. In Lasik Surgery the surgeon gains access to the cornea of the patients eye by, cutting and making a corneal flap, using either a microkeratome blade or a laser.

Tags: Corrected, Laser Eye Surgery, Lasik, PRK, Vision

Lasik is a very delicate eye operation performed on a patient who is suffering from defective vision such as farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism. The operation, which involves laser assisted in situ keratomileusis, is pain free, quick, and brings about good vision again almost immediately.

For the patient who has been accepted as a suitable candidate for the operation, and has passed all of the pre- op investigative tests, then the eye surgeon can prepare the patient and the operation can begin, so just what is involved and what is the procedure carried out by the eye surgeon?

1.      The surgeon may first of all administer eye drops to the patient to numb the eyes along with a mild sedative to make the patient more comfortable.

Tags: Eye Operation, Farsightedness, Lasik, Nearsightedness

The laser eye surgery named Lasek or Laser sub-epithelial Keratomileusis is also an alternative to Lasik eye surgery (Laser Assisted in situ Kratomileusis).

Essentially Lasek is a modified version of the earlier eye surgery know as PRK or photorefractive keratotomy.

The actual Lasek surgery is very similar to Lasik surgery, but instead of making a deep corneal flap to access the cornea for reshaping, a thinner flap is taken by only removing the epithelial layer covering the eye.

The laser is then used to reshape the underlying cornea before replacing the epithelium and allowing the eye to heal.

Tags: Cornea, Corneal Flap, Epithelial Layer, Trephine

If the outcome of the initial Lasik eye surgery, was not satisfactory, or complications were encountered, then additional eye surgery may be required.

Even though a recent survey indicates that 95% of the millions of people who have undergone Lasik surgery are content with their new vision, in some individual cases where certain variable factors have not entirely corrected the vision defect, then additional surgery. often in the form of Lasik enhancement surgery is called for.

How do you know if Lasik Enhancement is Necessary?

-          Be patient, do not expect a miracle! Although vision will have noticeably improved the next day, it may take a few weeks before normal vision stabilizes.

Tags: Cornea, Eye Surgeon, Laser, Microkeratome

Lasik eye surgery will successfully treat what are known as first-order eye aberrations, which are recognized to be nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, and these constitute up to 85% of human eye defects.

But there are other complex eye conditions, which Lasik does not treat completely, and indeed it is even conjectured that Lasik can play a part in inducing such complex higher-order aberrations.

Until fairly recently these higher-order aberrations, or refractive errors as they are known, have not received much attention, and whilst all eyes have aberrations to some degree, it is only with the advent of new eye surgery technologies, that diagnosis of the errors has become possible.

Signs of Higher- Order Eye Aberrations.

Tags: Causes, Refractive Error, Signs, Wavefront

For any person who is considering have laser eye surgery, apart from the aspects of having the surgery itself, there will be a financial consideration. How much will the whole procedure cost?

If we talk about the very popular and commonly used Lasik surgery, then the person should bear in mind that any price quoted will be for the cost of the operation on one eye only, so if both eyes are being treated on the same day, which is by no means unusual, then the cost will double.

Tags: Laser Eye Surgery, Lasik, Price, Standard Price

Today’s wavefront technology and its ability to measure the degree of aberrations or vision distortion with in the eye, put together with Lasik eye surgery, has now made customized, individual vision correction possible.

This technology is known as Custom Lasik or Wavefront Lasik. This procedure utilizes 3 dimensional measurements of how the individual eye processes images, and acts as a guide to the laser, which is reshaping the eye cornea for vision correction.

In wavefront technology the irregularities in the way the eye processes images are mapped, and the information is then used to reshape the cornea in such a way that these irregularities are eliminated, thus normal vision is restored to the patient,

Some Benefits of Custom – Wavefront Lasik.

Tags: Aberrations, Measure, Wavefront Technology

It is sensible for any person suffering from a vision defect, and is thinking about having Lasik eye surgery, to consider all aspects of the situation including his/her personal suitability, and the risks associated with such an operation.

With this in mind it is wise to consult with an eye doctor who will both carry out a detailed eye examination, and give advice about the operation itself and the associate risks. However a little self assessment will prepare the ground for Lasik surgery.

Some Considerations to be asked, for Suitability for Lasik Eye Surgery.

-          Is there anything about my employment which could preclude me from having Lasik surgery, and if not, can I afford the procedure?  Lasik Surgery currently costs about $2,500 per eye treated.

Tags: Lasik Eye Surgery, Self-Assesment, Vision Defects

All patients who undergo Lasik eye surgery do so to correct vision defects associated with Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism. This is achieved by eye surgeons reshaping the eyes cornea by the use of an excimer laser.

The Excimer Laser

IBM primarily developed the excimer laser for etching computer chips, but its potential for medical applications soon became apparent.

The laser has the capability of removing corneal tissue to within an accuracy of 0.25 microns, which is 0.00004 inches, so an accuracy of a hundredth thousandth of an inch are involved.

Tags: Hyperopia, Lasik Eye Surgery, Myopia, Vision Defects

Despite the much praise and popularity amongst patients who have undergone Lasik eye surgery, there is a body of opinion within the medical profession which seems to have strong reservations about the use of Lasik surgery.

Examples are quoted, whereby doctors, other than eye doctors, have had to treat many patients who have suffered from severe depression, resulting from losing their vision as a direct result of Lasik eye surgery.

It is well known that Lasik surgery is not entirely risk free and can have complications and side effects which include –

-          Loss of best vision sharpness and higher-order aberrations.

-          Difficulties with night vision, accompanied by starburst vision, glares and halos around images, and double vision.

Tags: Lasik Eye Surgery, Medical Profession, Reservations