Laser Eye Correction Surgery - Viable Treatment Options For Vision
Dean Forster
One of the most popular forms of laser eye correction is LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. This type of eye surgery changes the cornea shape. The cornea is the clear membrane that stretches over your pupil and your iris (the colored part of your eye). After the surgery, the cornea should focus the light the way it should on your retina instead of on a point in front of or behind the retina, which is what causes either nearsightedness or farsightedness. You won't have to wear contacts or glasses again.
If you want to consider eye surgery, your ophthalmologist will discuss several types of laser surgery with you. One type is PRK in which the top layer of the cornea, called the epithelium, is scraped away. Then an excimer laser reshapes the tissue located on the surface beneath, called the stromal. After the surgery, the top layer has to grow back prolonging the recovery period. A second type is LASEK (Laser Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratomileusis). This is an advanced form of PRK. It uses an alcohol solution to soften the epithelium so that it can be removed in one piece. After the stroma is reshaped to correct the vision, the epithelium is put back over the eye, which speeds up the healing process. A third type is Epi-LASEK. This modified version of LASEK, uses a "separator" to keep a living layer of epithelium in good shape while waiting to be replaced after the reshaping of the stroma. Its provides the advantage of reducing pain and recovery time even more than LASEK.
Another form of laser eye correction is LASIK, which uses a microkeratome metal blade to make a physical cut to the cornea creating a flap. The excimer laser then reshapes the eye. After the reshaping, the flap is put back into position. This is does not create pain in most patients. The best advantage is that vision is corrected immediately.
Even newer laser procedures include wavefront technology. These procedures are the most expensive of the surgeries available. All laser eye correction surgeries are outpatient procedures, but they generally are not covered by insurance plans.
Your eye doctor will probably recommend that you explore other forms of vision correction before you resort to a laser eye correction procedure. Of course traditional optometry methods such as glasses or contact lenses, which will cost much less than surgery, are one option. Unlike diseases of the eye, cornea shape is not a progressive problem so it shouldn't get worse. Sometimes they actually improve as we age. Cataracts are never removed with laser eye surgery of any type. The clouded lens has to be physically removed and replaced with a lens implant. Although the operation is outpatient and takes only a few minutes to complete, it is not done through laser procedures. Discuss all of your options before deciding on any one vision correction procedure.
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