Surgical Treatments

LASIK procedure is fast, results are almost immediate, and there's minimal discomfort during recovery.

What To Expect?

It's common to feel some anxiety before any surgical procedure. But the LASIK procedure is fast, results are almost immediate, and there's minimal discomfort during recovery. These are reasons that LASIK is among the fastest-growing ocular surgery today.

Unlike earlier approaches to refractive surgery, LASIK does not remove the sensitive upper layer of the cornea. Instead, the surgeon creates a flap consisting of the upper corneal layer, uses a laser to remove a predetermined amount of the underlying corneal tissue, and then replaces the flap without sutures.

Preparation

Patients are first given an oral medication to relax them. Antibiotic, anesthetic, and anti-inflammatory drops are then instilled into the operative eye(s). The surgeon covers the eyelashes and applies a speculum to hold the eyelids open. The opposite eye is temporarily covered with a patch.

The next step involves the use of a microkeratome to cut the flap of corneal tissue. A suction ring is placed on the eye. Similar to a donut, the suction ring has a large central hole, which is centered over the entire cornea. When the suction is turned on it's normal to feel some pressure and vision may temporarily go dim or black.

Creating The Flap

The foot pedal is then pressed and the microkeratome begins its forward pass across the cornea.

After nearly cutting a circle, the blade reaches a "stop", creating a hinged corneal flap. The microkeratome direction is then reversed. When the reverse pass is completed, the suction can be turned off and the microkeratome (and suction ring) are removed from the eye. With the microkeratome removed, the doctor can then use a special instrument to lift the flap, inspect it, and gently fold it out of the way.

The Laser Application

The patient is instructed to lock their gaze on the red laser light. The surgeon then depresses the foot pedal, and the laser application begins. A suction noise and a clicking sound can be heard during the ablation of the corneal tissue.

The length of the actual laser treatment varies from 30 to 90 seconds. Afterward, the corneal flap is carefully placed back into its original position. It adheres by itself -- without stitches -- due to the pressure within the cornea.

Recovery and Healing

The flap adheres to the underlying cornea in a matter of minutes and the surface of the cornea is gently stroked with a special sponge to encourage this process. When the treatment is complete, the surgeon may apply a bandage contact lens to the eye and then the patient can sit up and walk to the recovery area. The entire procedure takes about 10 minutes per eye. An examination of the treated eye is done after three to five minutes and many doctors will re-examine the eye again after 10 to 20 minutes.

The exam the day following surgery is the most critical. The flap is examined for proper positioning and the absence of folds. If there is any irregularity, the flap will need to be lifted and repositioned as described for the initial LASIK procedure.

Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are used for one to three weeks, depending on the surgeon's recommendation. Vision the morning after surgery is commonly 20/40 or better without glasses. Most people get back to their normal routine quickly - even going back to work the day after surgery.