that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser.  Lasik literally “fools” the cornea into not knowing it has been wounded.  LASIK has brought happiness and freedom from glasses and contact lenses to millions of people.  Many patients who have LASIK end up with 20/20 vision.  Some doctors believe that LASIK is a suitable procedure for correcting the most severe refractive errors.

Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye (excimer laser) surgery is a treatment to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.  Laser was first performed to correct near-sightedness in Germany in 1988.  The Food and Drug Administration first approved the excimer laser in October 1995 for correcting mild to moderate nearsightedness.  The surgeon uses a knife called a microkeratome to cut a flap of corneal tissue, removes the targeted tissue beneath it with the laser, and then replaces the flap.  At present, a number of other lasers for are currently being tested in FDA-sanctioned studies to determine their safety and effectiveness.  Some patients may still need glasses or contact lenses following laser vision correction, though their prescription level will be much lower than before.

There are different types of laser eye surgery.  Refractive surgery gently reshapes the cornea by removing microscopic amounts of tissue from the outer surface with a cool, computer-controlled ultraviolet beam of light.  The actual surgery usually takes less than a minute, and you're awake the whole time.  Many patients experienced mild corneal haze following surgery, which is part of the normal healing process.  There is little if any discomfort during surgery because the cornea and eye are anesthetized by drops.  Even if you see perfectly after laser eye surgery, you may still need reading glasses or bifocal contact lenses once you hit your 40s.

Laser is relatively new and we are still in the process of determining the short and long-term effects of this technology.  Find out the facts about LASIK, where to go for LASIK, and how to talk with the people who know about laser eye surgery.  Use this website as an educational resource for LASIK facts, to assist you in learning more about laser in general, the procedure itself, LASIK surgeons and their experience and education, practice locations, understanding the costs and potential risks and complications.  Visit often as we will be continually updating our laser resources and products as newer technology becomes available.