How LASIK Surgery Works
How LASIK Surgery Works Before you can fully understand how LASIK surgery is performed, it is important to understand what LASIK surgery actually is. LASIK (short for “Laser In Situ Keratomileusis”) is described as a “procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea; the clear covering of the front part of the eye.” Its ultimate objective is to help end a person’s dependency on corrective eyewear, like glasses and/or contact lenses. The actual Surgery takes about 30 minutes to perform. The patient will be placed on a reclining chair in the same room that the equipment is located. Once in position, the surgeon will place an eye drop that is a numbing agent. The area the surgery is performed in will then be thoroughly prepped and cleaned. The surgeon then uses a speculum that will keep the eyelids from closing during the procedure. Once that is done, a type of ring is applied to the eye and high amounts of pressure will be applied to create a vacuuming effect on the cornea. You will most likely only experience a small amount of discomfort and/or pressure during this part of the surgery. Next, the surgeon will attach a cutting type of instrument, known as a Microkeratome, to the metal ring that is already attached to the eye. A small incision will be made into the cornea using this device. Again, the patient will be numb and most likely will feel no pain at this point in the procedure. Once the incision is made, the surgeon will take off the Microkeratome and the metal ring. Though you will be able to see at this point, your vision will be somewhat blurred during the remainder of the surgery. Next, the surgeon lifts up the flap of the incision made into the cornea and fold it backward. Once the tissue of the cornea is dried, the surgeon then places a laser over the eye and starts it. The laser will remove some tissue from the cornea. After the correct amount of tissue has been burned off, the flap will be placed back into its original position. After the initial procedure, your surgeon will then place a protective shield over your eye, so that it can have a chance to heal and not become infected with dust/dirt/pollen that may be floating through the air. There are no stitches used in the LASIK procedure, so if the shield is not used, the time to heal will take longer. The shield also helps to keep the patient from accidentally rubbing or scratching on the healing eye. The shield should be worn at all times, including and especially while sleeping! Though it may seem like a daunting and dangerous task, the LASIK surgery is performed on many, many patients on a daily basis. It is a fairly safe, painless and effective means of correcting impaired vision.
