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