How LASIK Works
Three Steps to 20/20 Vision
1. The first step of a LASIK procedure is the creation of the corneal flap; a thin segment of the outer layer of the cornea.
2. Next, the flap is lifted and a cool laser is used to re-shape the underlying corneal tissue to correct any irregularities.
3. Finally, the flap is folded back into place where it bonds quickly. Healing is rapid and most people can return to work the very next day.
Creating the LASIK Flap
Lifting the LASIK Flap
Reshaping the Eye
Securing the LASIK Flap
LASIK takes only minutes per eye. You can expect to feel little to no pain throughout the entire procedure. Some people sense just the slightest sensation of pressure. Inserting or removing contact lenses or just rubbing eyes that are tired from wearing glasses can produce more discomfort than a LASIK procedure.
You can expect to start seeing better right away. However, your eyes will need to rest while the healing process takes over. After the procedure, you’ll be asked to go home and relax or take a nap. After a good night’s sleep, you can expect to wake to your first morning without lenses. One of our patients’ most frequent comments after LASIK surgery is that they can see the alarm clock for the first time without the need for glasses.
Freedom to swim, hike, travel and work without the inconveniences of glasses or contacts – this is just the start of life after LASIK.
Key Questions About The Technology Behind The 3 Steps
· What Is Intralase or Blade-Free LASIK?
Blade-free LASIK is the most advanced evolution for the flap-creation step. In the ‘bladeless’ or ‘intralase’ technique, a laser forms a series of bubbles in the corneal tissue to create the flap, rather than using a blade. The advantages with this advanced technique are more accuracy and stability, and greater patient comfort.
View Video: Bladeless LASIK· Which Technology Solves Night Vision Problems?
Many of us suffer from night vision problems with or without refractive surgery. In the earliest days of laser vision correction, some patients reported halos and ‘star bursts’ after their procedures, especially when driving at night. Patients with large pupils were susceptible to this complication.
Today’s advanced lasers have dealt authoritatively with night vision issues. In fact, many of Dr. Womack’s patients report improved night vision after the procedure.
· How long does LASIK last?
The refractive errors corrected by LASIK stay corrected for the rest of your life. Since the cornea is living tissue there can be minor fluctuations and occasionally the need for enhancements as the cornea adapts following the procedure. These are a normal part of the post-operative process.
After the post-operative processes are complete, you can expect your vision to improve and stabilize, with many LASIK patients reporting excellent vision following the procedure that gets even better in the next months and years.
Your eyes age as you do, and for most of us who’ve reached 40, another element of the eye will cause vision trouble – especially creating the need for reading glasses. This element is the eye’s lens, which gradually loses flexibility and results in a condition called presbyopia, or the need for reading glasses. Monovision LASIK can help this condition significantly.
By the time you are in your 70s you will be experiencing another set of age-related vision problems which LASIK doesn’t address. However, depending on the age at which you have your procedure, you can expect decades of excellent vision free of the effects of refractive error.
