WHAT IS LASIK?
"laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis"
is a procedure that uses cool laser energy to reshape the cornea. LASIK
candidates should be in good general health & present with a normal ocular
health evaluation. The surgery, takes about five to ten minutes, with the laser
application taking less than two minutes.
Click below for Patient Information Booklet about:
The cornea is a part of the eye that helps focus light to create an image on
the retina. It works in much the same way that the lens of a camera focuses
light to create an image on film. The bending and focusing of light is also
known as refraction. Usually the shape of the cornea and the eye are not
perfect and the image on the retina is out-of-focus (blurred) or distorted.
These imperfections in the focusing power of the eye are called refractive
errors. There are three primary types of refractive errors: They are myopia,
hyperopia and astigmatism. Persons with myopia, or nearsightedness, have more
difficulty seeing distant objects as clearly as near objects. Persons with
hyperopia, or farsightedness, have more difficulty seeing near objects as
clearly as distant objects.
Astigmatism is a distortion of the image on the retina caused by irregularities
in the cornea or lens of the eye. Combinations of myopia and astigmatism or
hyperopia and astigmatism are common.
In LASIK surgery, precise and controlled removal of corneal tissue by a special
laser, reshapes the cornea changing its focusing power. LASIK is a procedure
that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the
front of the eye, by using an excimer laser. A knife, called a microkeratome,
is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap.
The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middle section of the cornea.
Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and
the flap is replaced.
Lasik will not rid the world of glasses but will reduce the need for them. For
a general idea of what your vision should be after Lasik refer to the chart.
Remember that many factors such as age, pupil size, and astigmatism have an
effect on your final vision. This chart is based on a clinical study of 612
patients.
As with any surgery there are certain risks involved and no guarantees of the
exact outcome. We recommend that you
educate yourself on the pros and cons of Lasik before you make any
decisions on surgery.
Many of our patients are interested in LASIK to reduce their dependence on
corrective lenses, or eyeglasses. If you are a good candidate, one of these
procedures can be for you.
| LASIK Success Rate |
| Case |
Initial Rx |
20/40 |
20/30 |
20/20 |
| Mild |
-0.50 -3.00 D |
99% |
99% |
84% |
|
|
| Moderate |
-3.10 -6.00 D |
99% |
97% |
71% |
|
|
| Severe |
-6.10 -9.00 D |
99% |
95% |
60% |
|
|
| Extreme |
-9.10 -30.00 D |
75% |
58% |
30% |
*Results are based on a clinical study of patients treated with one or more
LASIK procedures for myopia.