What Is Lasik Laser Eye Surgery?

LASIK laser eye surgery is an intricate surgery procedure used to treat all degrees of nearsightedness. The doctor who performs it uses a small scalpel to cut a flap of the cornea, then removes part of the underneath tissue with a laser and put the flap back in its place.

In LASIK eye surgery, the skills of the physician or surgeon are more important than in the PRK procedure, where the computer does most of the work. This is the reason why it is mandatory to find a high-skilled and experienced surgeon who has done several such procedures before to perform it. The success of this procedure depends mainly on the doctor.

Advantages Of LASIK Eye Surgery

Most physicians agree that this kind of eye surgery is very appropriate for correcting very severe vision problems. It also allows a faster recovery than PRK and other procedures. In addition, patients who have undergone a LASIK laser eye surgery can see accurate enough to drive and read within just a week or so.

Does LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Have Risks?

For a limited number of patients, LASIK laser eye surgery can have some negative side effects, which include over or under-correction, scarring of the cornea, astigmatism, corneal infections, lower contrast sensitivity or problems with driving at night.

LASIK Laser Eye Surgery versus PRK & RK

There are physicians that still consider other surgical procedures as well. Some patients who had previously decided on LASIK laser eye surgery are often advised to undergo a so called PRK or RK procedure instead. After studying all the options they have and consider the possible side effects, many of them eventually agree on other methods.

Many clinical centers, while they do perform LASIK laser eye surgery in many situations, they claim that other procedures or methods are in some cases more suitable. For instance, some physicians believe that for a small number of patients with low or moderately nearsighted eye conditions, a RK (radial keratotomy) is more appropriate.

RK is an earlier eye correction surgery procedure that does not need an Excimer laser. The incisions are made radically along the exterior portion of the cornea with a hand-held scalpel. Such procedures are intended to help reshape the curvature of the cornea and allow light rays that enter the eye to focus properly on the retina. The success of the method depends on the length and number of these incisions. Some surgeons use this type of eye surgery for a small number of people with a disorder called mild myopia.

In contrast, other physicians and surgeons consider LASIK laser eye surgery as the best option whatsoever. While they do mention other options to their patients, such as PRK or RK, they don't recommend them in favor of these procedures.

Others claim that a RK procedure involves penetrating around 90 percent of the cornea, which can have negative impacts on the structure of the eye. Moreover, once you have undergone a RK surgery, you can never repeat it or have a PRK. This is the reason why some doctors would never recommend this method to anyone.

About the Author:

Dean Brooks is an internet publisher who likes to publish eye surgery and related information. You can read more at the website http://www.eyesurgery101.net

What Is Lasik Eye Surgery?

In the last decade or so, LASIK eye surgery has witnessed a phenomenal growth in its popularity. As of now, millions of people are choosing LASIK to meet their eye surgery needs. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that LASIK eye surgery is still a relatively new process about which a lot still needs to be known. In this article, we will tell you what LASIK eye surgery is and why you must ensure that the LASIK eye surgery you are getting is of high quality conducted by professionals.

First, a few basic facts:

- LASIK eye surgery (Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) is a procedure that is used to modify the cornea and allow a patient to see without the use of glasses or other visual aids. It can correct problems like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism (misshapen cornea). While not all patients may experience a complete restoration of vision, they can certainly see much better than before

- LASIK eye surgery involves minimal or no pain and requires much less recovery time than other eye surgery procedures like photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

- Dr Lucio Buratto and Dr. Ionnis Pallikaris jointly developed the LASIK eye surgery procedure in 1990. They based their technique on two older eye surgery procedures – keratomileusis and PRK. These surgical procedures involved more complications and brought about less than perfect results, so when LASIK offered fewer risks and better results, it proved an immediate success. In 1991, LASIK was twice performed officially by Dr. Stephen Slade, in Europe and later in the US

THE PROCESS

- Before you undergo LASIK eye surgery, you will be instructed to discontinue the use of contact lenses for 1 to 4 weeks prior to surgery to allow the cornea to return to its original shape

- At the start of the surgery, you will be administered a mild anesthetic, usually orally, and numbing eye drops, which will eliminate pain in most cases, though some patients still complain of some discomfort

- A device called a microkeratome is attached to a suction ring placed on your eye, the blade of which is used to cut a thin flap on the surface of the cornea. The flap is folded back, exposing a layer of tissue called the stroma, which is inspected for debris and dried

- You will then be asked to focus on a fixed spot as your doctor begins the laser, cutting and removing corneal tissue based on the measurements taken at the initial examination. The flap is then repositioned and left to heal. Because no stitches are used, you will be required to wear an eye patch to prevent rubbing, irritation, and pressure that might disturb the healing process

- Both eyes can be operated on at the same time if you are healthy enough and have enough recovery time. In some cases, a surgeon will recommend that the patient receive monovision treatment, which is the correction of only one eye. LASIK eye surgery typically takes about 5 to 10 minutes per eye

WAVEFRONT LASIK: NEW TECHNOLOGY ON THE BLOCK

The newest technology in LASIK is the wavefront laser. The first of these types of lasers received FDA approval in 2002. Wavefront technology sends a wave of light to the retina. The light then bounces back to a sensor, which measures the irregularities of the cornea and produces a 3-D map of the eye’s visual system.
The data from the sensor is then translated into a mathematical formula that the doctor uses to program the computer that controls the refractive laser. After wavefront LASIK, 90-94% of patients enjoy 20/20 vision or better as opposed to 80% with traditional LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK COMPLICATIONS

During surgery, complications related to the cutting or hinging of the flap occur in less than 0.5% of patients. Other complications occurring at less than a 1% rate include the development of irregular astigmatism owing to scarring, healing, or beam problems, infection, or other vision problems (halos around lights, blurry night vision), surgery performed off the center of the pupil owing to surgeon error or the inability of the patient to focus on a fixed point.

ARE YOU A CANDIDATE?

This can vary depending on your doctor and the type of laser used. The minimum requirements are that a patient must be at least 18 years old and has had no drastic change in vision over the past year. For patients with severe refractive errors LASIK eye surgery may not be an option, but almost anyone with stable and healthy eyes can be treated with some type of surgery.

COST OF LASIK

Plenty has been said about the cost of LASIK eye surgery. Some clinics, for example, may claim that they can perform the surgery at a starting cost of $299 per eye. But you should realize at once that the amount is far too low and that no one actually gets the surgery at that cost. On average, the cost of LASIK eye surgery is about $1,700.

About the Author:

Author - Marcus Grant http://www.health-articles.net http://www.custom-lasik.org

What Is Lasik And Is It Right For You?

LASIK is the acronym for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, a type of refractive laser eye surgery performed by ophthalmologists for correcting myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive surgery procedure and is one of many surgical options for correcting your vision. LASIK is regularly performed on people of all ages and is performed on millions of people every year.

Glasses
Glasses have been used for hundreds of years to correct vision by eliminating one or more of the three basic elements of blurring; nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Glasses or contact lenses are designed to compensate for the eye's imperfections and should always be your first option. LASIK patients may need to wear glasses or contact lenses for some activities such as night driving or reading small type even after surgery.

Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a condition caused by irregularities in the cornea or the lens of the eye that leads to distortion of the image on the retina. Astigmatism is most accurately corrected using a laser with software that is capable of ablating an oval pattern on the cornea. It is caused by a slightly oval shaped cornea that causes light rays to focus on more than one point in front or behind the retina and can be caused by uneven tissue removal. Astigmatism can be treated at the same time as nearsightedness and farsightedness with the use of LASIK.

Complications
Complications affecting vision after laser eye surgery are now reported at a rate of less than a few percents and less than 3% of LASIK patients undergo any lasting complications. Although LASIK is predominantly a safe procedure there are many different potential complications. The best way to help prevent LASIK complications is to choose a surgeon who is experienced and respected in the community for performing these operations.

LASIK is convenient because both eyes can be corrected at the same time and you are at the Laser Center for less than 2 hours. It is an unbelievable advancement in technology and offers a great solution to poor eye sight for most people, but do not forget it is not for everyone. LASIK is the newest method of eye surgery and does not require the use of traditional surgical instruments, like knives, in the use of delicate eye surgery. LASIK is an opportunity to change your vision for the better, and to improve your sense of well-being. The procedure is done most often on people who use glasses or contact lenses because of myopia (nearsightedness).

About the Author:

Find out more about LASIK at www.mrieck.com

What Is LASIK?

Laser In-situ Keratomileusis or commonly known as LASIK is a surgical procedure that is used treat a wide range of refractive errors in the eye.

The eyeball, cornea or lens being shaped imperfectly causes refractive errors of the eyes. The three common types of problem resulting from refractive errors are as follows:

1. Myopia or nearsightedness. This condition is where only nearby or close objects appear clear to the eye.

2. Hyperopia or farsightedness. This condition is the opposite of myopia and it is where only objects far away or at a distance are clear to the eye. Commonly elderly people require glasses to read a book.

3. Astigmatism, these are where images are blurred at a distance and near. A combination of the above two conditions.

As indicated above, LASIK is a procedure-using laser that can change the above condition that results in patients seeing clearly. In effective, LASIK eliminates the reliance on glasses and contact lenses and thus increases the individual's safety during outdoor activities or sport. In addition, the 24 hour corrected vision and improved conveniences are achieved with as little as 1% risk of side effects post surgery.

The LASIK procedure

Prior to the operation, anaesthetic is placed onto the surface of the eye to numb and reduce irritation. The eye surgeon then starts with an instrument (Microkeratome) to cut or peel a hinged thin flap of corneal tissue off the outer layer of the cornea or eyeball. The flap is then lifted to the side where the laser treatment can takes place.

The laser is then precisely pulsed to reshape the underlaying corneal tissue. The LASIK procedure uses an excimer laser, which is a new class of UV laser (approved by the FDA). It was originally developed for use in the microprocessor industry and later found its application in vision correction. These lasers have a much higher precision and accuracy that can change the shape of the cornea in the eye. It does this by breaking the intra molecular bonds in the collagen molecules during the laser pulse and thereby improving the way light is focused or "refracted" by the eye.

One pulse of the laser can remove and reshape the internal cornea with an accuracy of +/-0.25 microns. To understand the accuracy of one micron, a grain of salt is about 60 microns and the eye can see particles to about 40 microns. It would take about 200 pulses from an excimer laser just to cut a human hair in half. Once the corneal is adjusted, the flap is laid back to the original position prior to the cut and serves as a protective layer during the healing process. The whole process takes only 15 minutes for each eye, which is why LASIK has become popular.

After the procedure, the healing takes place quite rapidity as the cornea bonds quickly. Healing can vary from three days to a week with a final clear vision obtained. Your are now ready to view and see the whole world without glasses or contact lens.

About the Author:

To find out more news on LASIK I suggest you visit some online LASIK sites.

What Happens During Lasik Eye Surgery?

Lasik Eye Surgery was first started in the Soviet Union and has been a very popular form of myopia corrective surgery for the last 10-15 years.

LASIK laser eye surgery is no different than any other type of surgical procedure. LASIK laser eye surgery is considered a very simple surgical procedure that is repeated many times all over the world every single hour.

Once a patient has been verified to be suitable for lasik eye surgery, he or she will sit down in a reclining chair in a room specially designed for LASIK laser eye surgery. There will be a large machine with a microscope attached to it and a computer screen as part of a laser system. The whole process should not take more than 30 minutes to complete.

The first step your doctor will take is to clean your eye and place a numbing drop of liquid in it. With the LASIK laser eye surgery now underway a ring will be placed around the eye to create suction to the cornea. This will cause the first discomfort of the surgery and blurred vision, but it will only be temporary.

While the suction ring is still around your eye a cutting instrument, called microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in your cornea. From this point on during the LASIK laser eye surgery you will experience some fluctuating blurred vision.

During the evaluation for LASIK laser eye surgery your doctor should have informed you that you will need to be able to stare at a laser for 60 seconds or more during the surgery. You will do this after the tissue has been folded back and dried out by the doctor during the procedure. The laser will direct your eye to the spot that the surgical laser will use to perform the vision correction.

At this point LASIK laser eye surgery may take on an unexpected smell, that of something burning. This is probably because your eye is under the intense scrutiny of the laser that is correcting your vision problems. Though the laser may make some very human sounds (ticking) and smells (burning hair) it is still a very controlled process.

The computer in the room that is hooked up to the laser controls the amount of energy delivered to your eye. Some tissue will be vaporized and finally the flap of the corneal tissue is put back in place, effectively ending LASIK laser eye surgery.

After LASIK laser eye surgery is completed your doctor will supply you with a eye shield or patch for your eye to prevent irritation. It will make you look like a one-eye pirate but you will quickly realize how many times your eye gets bumped or you involuntarily rub it when you cannot do so.

Take the eye-patch off only when you feel confident that you won't be accidentally rubbing your eyes at anytime.

About the Author:

Sarah Hutts is the editor of two websites, http://www.health-wellness-care.com and http://www.beauty-fitness-secrets.com. There are more similar health, beauty and fitness articles at these websites. You may distribute this article as long as you mention her websites.

Lasik In New York

New York City is the one of the best places to be if you want to have Lasik surgery. There are a variety of laser vision correction surgeries from which to choose from in New York, including LASIK, LTK and PRK. These safe and effective procedures can reduce or eliminate your dependency on glasses and contact lenses.

Through the precise accuracy of laser light, the cornea is gently reshaped to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. These medical procedures are all done on an outpatient basis that uses a cool beam of light to gently reshape the surface of the eye's cornea and this help improve your vision. These procedures are designed to be a one time treatment to help normalize your vision, while also reducing or eliminating your dependence on glasses and contact lenses.

Laser vision correction is approved by the FDA as a safe, proven and effective procedure for myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. The treatments are painless because of the drops put into the eyes. Some patients may experience discomfort for one to three days after treatment, often described as the feeling of sand or soot in the eye. This passes quickly and your doctor can prescribe medication to alleviate any discomfort during your recovery.

When having lasik in New York, a cool beam of laser light is used to gently reshape the cornea. Lasik is generally the procedure of choice because it is performed under a protective layer of corneal tissue. There is less surface area to heal and there is minimal or no discomfort. The whole procedure is over in a matter of minutes, and corrects several difference eye conditions.

To improve your vision, a cool beam of light gently reshapes the surface of the cornea to make it more like a normal eye, allowing light to come into focus on the wall of the retina and thus improving your eyesight.

There are many Lasik New York specialists studying the use of lasers to reshape the cornea for the purpose of decreasing or eliminating dependency on glasses and contact lenses. In its infancy, this surgery involved the application of incisions to reshape the cornea, but today, thanks to their work, the laser has become the most efficient and least invasive means of performing this type of surgery.

If you think you want to have lasik performed on your eyes in New York, you should check into the procedure. It is not for everyone and there are risks involved. You might want to read books, magazine articles, and newspapers to see what is happening in this field. Medical procedures are constantly changing and being improved. Maybe you were not a good candidate back in the mid-1990's when you first thought about having this done. But, with the advancements in technology, you may now be a good candidate.

Your Lasik New York eye surgeons and their staff can provide you with details and answer your many questions. Do not hesitate to talk to them as they are the best sources of information. Now, relax, have your surgery and start seeing better in a few days.

About the Author:

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik New York.

The Lasik Vision Institute

You are hearing more and more about the Lasik Vision Center both in the media and from friends and coworkers. Many people you know have already had surgery and are thrilled with the final results-not having to wear glasses or contact lenses. Why are more and more people every year choosing to have their vision corrected by the Lasik Vision Institute?

There are a few very important reasons why people like the Lasik Vision Institute. They advertise that they have:

* Extremely qualified surgeons - they employ leading medical professionals from around the country and they are personally responsible for your eye care.

* Secure technology - they use FDA approved laser technology during each procedure.

* Confidence - their medical professionals have performed over 500,000 procedures.

* Personalized care and treatment - the medical professionals are extremely qualified and they work with you to offer you a choice of laser vision correction based on your individual needs (whether you want LASIK, LASEK, PRK and Custom Wavefront technology).

* Affordable - they offer reasonably priced procedures and easy financing so that everyone can have their vision corrected.

It is reasonable to be anxious about any surgery in or around your eyes. The Lasik Visition Institute understands your concerns and wants their patients to know about the pros and cons of having laser surgery.

You may feel some anxiety about laser vision correction. The laser eye surgery procedure is fast and reliable, and most people will be able see better than they did with their glasses or contact lenses. But, there is no guarantee that you will never need glasses or contact lenses again. Lasik is a great procedure, but it is not perfect and everyone's eyes are different. You may find that you still need glasses to drive at night.

If everything is okay, you will have your lasik surgery and go through your recovery period. The Lasik Vision Institute staff will answer your questions and provide you with suggestions on what to do after the surgery. It will take a few weeks during your recovery, but your eyes should get stronger and your vision clearer. Most people can return to work the day after their surgery with little or no discomfort.

Take your time, think about your options and then make an informed decision about your lasik surgery. You may end up with 20/20 vision and never have to wear glasses or contact lenses again. Or, you may find out that you do not qualify for this surgery. Either way, you took the time to learn about the procedure and know your options.

If you still want to use the Lasik Vision Institute perform your surgery you can be sure that they will provide you with all of the information you need up front. This includes the costs involves and monthly affordable payments. Their procedures can be as low as $299 per eye and up depending upon the type of surgery performed.

What are you waiting for? You have always wanted to get rid of your glasses and now you know about the Lasik Vision Institute. Contact them and see if they are the right medical group to perform your surgery. They are just a phone call away.

About the Author:

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik Vision Institute.