What You Need to Know About LASIK Surgery

For many decades, eye problems such as refractive errors, could only be corrected by using prescription eyewear or other types of corrective lenses. Nowadays, eye doctors make use of a technology and surgery to treat poor vision more effectively, with LASIK surgery leading the way in terms of success.

Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis is a procedure that involves the use of an excimer laser to permanently reshape the patient’s cornea. It’s relatively new, having been approved for practice in Canada and the U.S. only during the 1990s. In addition to excimer laser, some LASIK surgeries make use of a mechanical blade device called a microkeratome to achieve the desired results.

The premise of LASIK surgery is that refractive errors are caused by an anomaly or damage on the eye’s cornea, and the only way to fix the errors is to remove the anomaly or repair the damage. A typical LASIK surgery lasts for about 30 minutes.

Despite the benefits it offers, LASIK surgeries also have their own limitations. First, LASIK may not remove the need for reading glasses, unless the patient wishes to have monovision (i.e., enhanced clarity when reading from a given distance) through the procedure. Second, persons who have underlying health problems or had undertaken refractive surgeries in the past may not be suitable candidates for a LASIK surgery, as their condition may inhibit the healing process.