Lasik eye surgery has become the most popular and widely used method in successfully correcting vision impairments. Lasik stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea. The Cornea is the transparent dome shaped part that covers the front of the eye. This refracts light along with the crystalline or aquula lens. This lens helps alongside the cornea to refract light to be focused on the retina. In Lasik surgery the corneal flap is folded back with the use of either a microkeratome or Intralase laser. Then an excimer laser removes thin layers of tissue from the crystalline lens and the corneal flap is positioned back in place. This allows for light to refract correctly creating clearer and more precise vision that often removes the use of glasses or contacts. This is an outpatient procedure and the use of anesthetic eye drops is used during surgery. Many people of all ages have found this method to be beneficial though there are rare cases of negative side effects.
Side effects that are unwanted can occur for several reasons. Varying causes create concerns such as over or under correction in which further surgery is required. This can be due to lack of hydration to the cornea during surgery, the calibration of the laser or the temperature and humidity level. Other side effects such as irregular or induced astigmatism can be caused often due to the position of the eye during surgery. Glasses or contacts are still required if this occurs. There is a 5% occurrence of patients who have low to mild nearsightedness who will not find improved vision and cannot be aided by glasses or contacts post surgery. Visual anomalies are rare but cases of corneal haze or a ground glass appearance occur but can be treated with eye drops. A dense haze post surgery will require further surgery. Other side effects include halos, starbursts or a decrease in night vision. In the rarest of cases blindness or a sight altering infection known as endophthalmitis occur without the ability of correction. Cataracts can appear more rapidly with the use of post surgery steroids or improper focus of light from a de-centered ablation due to eye position during surgery.
New technologies are now being used in facilities like those in Miami and Fort Lauderdale Florida that reduce the risk of the above-mentioned side effects in lasik and cataract surgery. The use of wave front analysis checks for proper eye positioning and cornea alignment pre-surgery. This decreases the risk for the occurrence of de-centered ablations. Also the use of a laser (Intralase) is being used to fold back the cornea instead of the carpenter plane like instrument the microkeratome. These methods are said to provide a better, safer Lasik surgery treatment. The cost of course increases from less than $1,000 per eye with conventional Lasik to $2,500 per eye with the new methods. When it comes to vision many people will find that they are willing to pay the additional fees for a risk decrease in this surgical procedure
