Wednesday, September 23, 2009

What is Lasik?

By Janie Lemore

Due to the constant hassle of putting on glasses or contact lenses every day, no one wants to wear them anymore. Vision correction surgery has been becoming more and more popular as a result. Let us discuss the most popular alternative to glasses or lenses, Lasik eye surgery.

The term Lasik stands for Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. For most people, this doesn't mean anything. In laymen terms, Lasik is where a patient's eyes are reshaped by a laser, which results in improved vision.

This procedure consists of a small flap being cut into the patient's cornea by a microkeratome blade. The surgeon then uses a laser to vaporize a portion of the stoma, after folding the flap back. Once the procedure is done, the flap is very gently put back into place.

Lasik works because the stoma cannot heal itself after the procedure. Once the eye surgeon makes the alteration, it will not change from how he or she left it. In comparison, the cornea, where the flap was placed, will heal on its own.

Let us briefly discuss what the cornea does. The cornea produces an image on your retina by focusing and bending light. With the Lasik eye surgery, the surgeon is able to adjust your eye's focusing ability by reshaping the cornea.

Don't be surprised if your eye surgeon does not want to treat you with Lasik eye surgery. As much as we may want it to be, the answer is not always Lasik. Other alternatives exist, such as Photorefractive Keratectomy or Lasek eye surgery.

As a quick refresher, Photorefractive Keratectomy is where a surgeon does not cut a flap in the cornea to access the stoma. Instead, the surgeon removes the cornea's surface cells to reshape the eye. In Lasek, the same procedure is used but alcohol is used instead of a metal blade.

As shown, Lasik is a wonderful tool for obtaining good vision, although it is not for everyone. Therefore, please trust your doctor if he or she suggest other alternatives. While you may have the power of the Internet behind you, only he or she has the numerous years of medical school.

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