Spectacles and contact lenses are only two methods of correcting refractive errors. Ophthalmologists have for long struggled to develop a more permanent way of treating refractive errors. While a myriad variety of procedures have been developed to treat refractive errors, the safest, most effective and most popular method by far is LASIK performed with the Excimer Laser. In special circumstances, you may be better suited to other vision correction procedures, like PRK or LASIK. The LaseRx Clinic offers all these procedures, and your Doctor will help you make the right choice.
In LASIK, the refractive error is corrected by appropriately reshaping the cornea to change its curvature, and hence, its focusing power. The Excimer Laser is used to perform this reshaping, by appropriately removing microscopic amounts of tissue. The excimer laser was originally developed to etch microchips. Soon, its ability to precisely sculpt human tissue, particularly corneal tissue, was uncovered. The Excimer laser is a cool laser, which does not heat corneal tissue. It breaks inter-molecular bonds within 0.5 microns of corneal tissue, leading to that tissue getting removed from the cornea. It leaves behind extremely smooth surfaces.
The 193 nm Excimer Laser light, controlled with computer precision, gently pulses to remove a microscopic amount of tissue from specific areas of the cornea. This changes the curvature of the cornea, allowing images to be more sharply focused on the retina.
The beam of light vaporizes microscopic amounts of tissue as it breaks inter bonds. Each pulse of the laser removes .25 microns of tissue or 1/39 millionths of an inch. This allows the cornea to be re-sculpted into a more desirable shape, gently and precisely.
The excimer laser is used for a variety of corneal surgical purposes, of which the most common is corneal reshaping for the correction of refractive errors. It is also successfully used to treat corneal diseases and has helped the partially blind and blind recover their sight. The excimer laser thus has the potential to change the landscape of ophthalmology, especially in terms of refractive corrections.
Utilizing the accuracy and precision of the excimer laser, LASIK changes the shape of the cornea to improve the way light is focused or "refracted" by the eye. By adjusting the pattern of the laser beam through its computer, it is possible to treat high levels of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
LASIK surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure in the comfort and convenience of the excimer laser surgical suite. The entire vision correction procedure takes less than 30 minutes and both eyes are done the same day. The procedure is performed using topical anesthesia (eye drops). Some patients report a slight, post-operative discomfort that can usually be alleviated with medications. Patients see a dramatic improvement in their vision within the first day. Most patients return to their normal activities within a day or two. |
