LASIK Eye Surgery

Lasik is the acronym for laser in situ keratomileusis . It involves the use of a laser to reshape the cornea without invading the adjacent cell layers. The cornea is the transparent tissue that covers the iris (the colored part of the eye), the pupil (the dark middle of the eye) and the anterior eye chamber.

 

Anesthetic drops are applied to numb your eye and prevent pain during the procedure. A lid speculum is placed in the eye to hold the lids apart for the procedure, eliminating possibility of blinking. The cornea is marked with water-soluble ink to guide replacement of the flap. The suction ring is placed on the eye and your eyesight will go dark for about 20 seconds. A precise flap-making instrument, the Bausch & Lomb Zyoptix XP microkeratome is used to create a thin flap of the corneal tissue. The surgeon raises the epithelium layer of the cornea to expose the portion beneath and is lifted and reflected to the side.

 

The computer-controlled excimer laser removes the tissue under the flap and reshapes the cornea of the affected eye. In less than 20 seconds, ultraviolet light and high-energy pulses from the excimer laser to reshape the internal cornea (the stroma) with accuracy up to 0.25 microns, or 1/4000 of a millimeter. The flap is then put back into its original position. Because the cornea bonds quickly, healing is rapid, and the eye does not require stitches.

 

Immediately after LASIK, the doctor will have you rest for a bit, then you can go home (someone else must drive). At home, you should relax for at least a few hours.

 

You may be able to go to work the next day, but many doctors recommend a couple of days of rest instead. They also recommend no strenuous exercise for up to a week, since this can traumatize the eye and affect healing.

 

To know more about Lasik eye surgery, call us or use our online form.