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| Procedure |
| There are several necessary preparations in the preoperative period. The operation itself is made by creating a thin flap on the eye, folding it to enable remodeling of the tissue underneath with laser. The flap is repositioned and the eye is left to heal in the postoperative period. |
| Operation |
The operation is performed with the patient awake and mobile; however, the patient is sometimes given a mild sedative (such as Valium) and anesthetic eye drops. LASIK is performed in three steps. The first step is to create a flap of corneal tissue. The second step is remodeling of the cornea underneath the flap with the laser. Finally, the flap is repositioned. |
| During the Surgery |
You will be awake during your surgery. Most doctors give their patients a sedative, such as valium. This will help you stay relaxed during the procedure. Anesthetic drops are used in the eye for pain relief. A suction ring is applied to the eye to hold it in place and keep the eyelid open. The surgeon uses an instrument called a microkeratome to cut a small flap in the cornea. This flap is folded back to reveal the middle section of the cornea.
The middle area of the cornea is the area that is restructured during the Lasik surgery. An excimer laser is used to accomplish this task. The laser vaporizes the tissue, changing the shape of the eye. During the procedure, you will only see orange and white light from the laser. When the tissue has been removed, the doctor will close the flap in the outer cornea. |
| Possible Side Effects |
Even though the refractive error may be corrected and the visual acuity may be good after LASIK, some patients experience one or more of the following side effects of the procedure: |
 Optical Aberrations: As with any refractive procedure, it is common for patients to notice halos, ghost images, shadows, and slight distortions for the first months after surgery. In unusual circumstances, these optical aberrations may interfere with normal visual activities. |
Night Myopia: Because only the central portion of the cornea is reshaped, eyes may become more nearsighted when the pupil dilates and allows light to enter through the peripheral cornea that had not been reshaped. Even if excellent unaided vision is obtained during the daytime, a thin pair of glasses may be required at night for optimum vision. |
Dry Eye: During the healing process, your eye may feel dry, and you may need to use artificial tear replacement for comfort temporarily. |
Discomfort: Most of the discomfort following LASIK occurs within the first 24 hours and can be easily controlled with Tylenol or similar mild pain relievers. The eyes may be transiently more sensitive to sunlight following surgery. |
| Advantages |
| Rapid Recovery. |
| Correction Of A Full Range Of Myopia. |
Repeatability - In the case of under-correction, LASIK may be repeated by lifting the pre-made flap and adding additional laser treatment. |
Long-Term Stability - Because there is minimal disruption of the normal corneal architecture and minimal wound healing, it is likely that there will be minimal refractive change over time. |
| Structural Integrity - The flap is secure after the first day, and the eye is not weakened |
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| No Scarring In The Central Cornea. |
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| No Need For Long-Term Post-Operative Eye Drops. |
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