LASIK - Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis

Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a procedure that involves the medical option of surgery to correct vision. The cornea is an important part of the eye that helps the complex muscle and nerve mechanism to focus light and create the desired image on the retina. The shape of the cornea and that of the eye are not perfect. This results in the image on the retina being blurred or distorted. The imperfection in the focusing power is referred to clinically, as refractive error. One of the three types of refractive errors is myopia. Myopia or nearsightedness creates a difficulty to focus on distant objects. The next is hyperopia or farsightedness, where the person has difficulty focusing on objects close at hand. The third is astigmatism. This condition causes distortion of the image on the retina because of certain irregularities.

LASIK is carried out with the intent of reducing a person's dependency on glasses. Laser-Assisted Keratomileusis enables the surgeon to change the shape of the patient's cornea, permanently. The cornea is treated with the help of an excimer laser. The micro keratome is the knife used to make the incision in the cornea. The stroma, which is the middle part of the cornea is then treated with the help of a laser vaporize that is controlled via a computer. The damaged portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced and this results in the enhanced vision. In LASIK surgery, the attempt is to remove of corneal tissue and reshape the cornea within a controlled environment.

Radial Keratotomy or RK is distinctly different from LASIK. In the former, a sharp knife is used to slit the cornea to change its shape via sculpting and using a laser. The major difference between the two surgeries is the way the middle layer of the cornea is exposed prior to being vaporized. While in Radial Keratotomy the top layer of the cornea or the epithelium is scraped to treat the stromal layer, in Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis a flap is cut and folded back. The LASIK procedure is the latest and tried-and-tested application in vision correction, the world over.

LASIK has now become the main surgery option that doctors use to treat myopia. However, prior to opting for the refractive procedure, it is essential to weigh the pros and cons on a tested personal value system, without the egging on of friends or the doctor. It is important to conduct a little research, either online or offline. There have been some patients who have lost vision that could not even be readdressed or corrected with glasses or contact lenses or re-corrective surgery, after going through LASIK treatment. Some patients have gone on record with the development of glare and double vision and largely affected nighttime vision, post surgery.

Only a percent of patients achieve perfect vision post surgery and many still need glasses or contact lenses. The surgery could also result in 'dry' eyes that could cause great discomfort and reduce visual quality. It is a relatively new technology and treatment option. In fact, it is as new as 1998, when the first laser was approved for the application of the LASIK eye surgery. The long-term safety and effectiveness of LASIK surgery is still being observed and recorded and is yet not known for sure. This procedure uses the innovation of the laser technology to reduce the use of additional surgical equipment.

LASIK involves the use of the computer in surgery and this adds to the precision of the operation and the quality too. The treatment is like any other option involving surgery and the results are also just as varied, person to person.