LASIK eye surgery was first introduced more than 20 years ago. Since that time, millions of Americans have undergone LASIK surgery to improve their vision and live free of glasses and contacts. It is most widely used to correct vision such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. During the procedure, the eye is anesthetized with eye drops. The surgeon will create a flap at the outer edge of the eye, reshape your cornea with a laser and will close the flap again, much like the opening and closing of a book. It’s a pretty simple procedure but one with amazing results that last for life. The success and safety ratings for this type of procedure are very high, with very few side effects. You will have to meet with a skilled and experienced LASIK eye surgeon to know if you are a good candidate for the surgery, as not everyone is. Those who choose LASIK will experience better visual acuity similar to the level of vision experienced with contact lenses or glasses. Meeting with a Optical Masters doctor is the best place to get started if you want to know more about this procedure and how it can benefit you. We would love to help you know more about this procedure and what it can do for you!
 

So What Is It?

LASIK is a vision correction laser surgery. It stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. That’s a mouthful, hence the reason we just refer to it as LASIK. It is a revolutionary laser surgery performed to help people who want to be free of glasses or contact lenses but also want to enjoy enhanced vision. For those who currently don’t have 20/20 vision on their own, an improvement of that magnitude of vision is nothing short of amazing. According to Consumer Reports, the majority of people who opt for this procedure are looking for an alternative to glasses and contacts. Around 56% of patients have the surgery to correct nearsightedness, 35% to correct astigmatism and 20% to correct farsightedness. The procedure was first performed in 1991 and since that time, more than 21 million patients have undergone LASIK vision correction procedures to improve their eyesight. Millions have come away being ecstatic with their results--you could be next!
 

How Does It Work?

LASIK treatment relies on laser technology to permanently change the shape of the cornea of the eye, which is the clear covering of the eye over the iris and the pupil. Lasers provide certain benefits that hands-on tools (such as a scalpel) just can’t achieve. Lasers offer increased precision and help to decrease contamination/infection risks. We use an excimer laser to reshape the cornea of the eye, which will correct how your eye focuses light and hence, how you see. The refractive error of your eyes will determine what will happen with your LASIK procedure. Depending on the curvature of your cornea, and how long or steep that curvature is, your eyes will focus images at close range (nearsightedness) or farther away (farsightedness) or abnormally (astigmatism).

For people with myopia (a.k.a. nearsightedness), the laser will reduce the curvature of the cornea, which will reduce the eye’s focusing power. Images will focus closer to the retina so that vision is clearer near and far instead of just near. For those with hyperopia (farsightedness), we want to increase the eye’s focusing power, so we will reshape the cornea so it has a steeper curvature. Images that are usually seen far away will be able to focus closer, meaning you will be able to see objects close-by instead of just far away. With astigmatism, the cornea is shaped abnormally, but we can use the laser to make the corneal shape more symmetrical and smooth, so that vision is clear.
 

The Procedure Itself

The LASIK procedure is similar to opening and closing a book, as we mentioned. We anesthetize the eyes with topical eye drops and then we use the laser to make a corneal flap on the outer layer of the eye. This flap will be made almost at the edge of the colored part of your eye (or the iris). We will use the laser to cut and flip open the flap much like flipping a page of a book. The excimer laser is then used to reshape the cornea. Once the laser treatment is finished, we will replace the corneal flap just as if we were closing a book. The eye will be able to quickly heal the cuts made by the laser on its own. The eye is actually one of the fastest healing parts of the body, making this procedure (and recovery) smooth.
 

What Are the Benefits?

Not all people are candidates for LASIK eye surgery. Other options may be the best choice for improving your vision, but the only way to know is to meet with us for an examination. In most cases, the LASIK surgery will correct your vision and you will love living without the constant use of glasses or lenses. It is also a procedure with little associated pain and vision correction is almost immediate (the day of the treatment of the day after depending on how quickly your eyes heal). That’s two wins right there! The eyes heal quickly on their own and most patients no longer need corrective eyewear. Plus, the procedure has been around for a few decades and our doctors are very skilled and experienced at LASIK procedures.

Those who are the best candidates for LASIK are those who want a reduced dependence on glasses and contact lenses and have refractive errors that actually need correcting. You must be free of any eye diseases and also be prepared for possible side effects. Glasses and lenses may still need to be worn on occasion depending on how well your eyes perform in different situations (such as driving at night or dusk). LASIK refractive surgery has served millions of Americans over the last 20 years with little to no side effects (besides amazing vision that is). We can correct your astigmatism, nearsightedness or farsightedness with this quick procedure that lasts for life. Imagine waking up every day with an amazing vision without the use of glasses or contacts. What was once a dream can now be a reality with LASIK eye surgery.
 

Call for a Free LASIK Consultation

We know how important eye care is, as the eyes literally guide us through every part of our day. You should never feel pressured to do LASIK eye surgery. You should always seek out someone that has done thousands of procedures and is known for doing an exceptional job. Schedule a consultation with our Optical Masters doctors today by calling (720) 780-8881 and see if you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. We are very willing to discuss all of your options when it comes to improving your vision and will cater to your wants and needs. If you find that LASIK is right for you, we promise to provide you the best care possible to get you the results you desire.