Steps of Lasik

Lasik is a surgical procedure used to correct a person's vision by reshaping the cornea. While there have been some risks associated with Lasik, unfavorable side effects are rare. Knowing how the procedure works and weighing the risks and benefits is recommended.

Lasik Consultation

• A consultation with a doctor is is the first step in order to check corneal health and thickness and intraocular pressure. A Wavescan test on the patient's eye gives the doctor a "map" of the eye that he can read to determine if the patient is a good candidate for Lasik.

Preoperative Exam

• The preoperative exam is required in order to exclude any internal eye diseases that have gone undetected. For a period of time before the exam (generally one to four weeks), a patient must not wear contact lenses so that the cornea returns to its natural shape.

Preoperative Basics to Know

• An oral sedative may be given to help the patient to relax since during surgery since the patient must look at a flashing red light while keeping the head very still. The doctor will put drops of anesthesia into the eye and then an eyelid retainer is put in place to prevent the eye from blinking.

Surgery

• A doctor uses a laser to cut the cornea, creating a protective corneal "flap." Then she uses a "cool beam" laser to reshape the cornea to correct near-sightedness, astigmatism and far-sightedness. The corneal flap is then replaced over the reshaped cornea.

Postoperative Recovery

• Most patients remain in the doctor's care for approximately a half an hour after the surgery so that the doctor can perform the first postoperative exam, during which he will supply the patient with special eye drops to aid in healing. The patient will likely return the next day for a second postoperative exam.

Precautions

• Lasik surgery is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, individuals who have a vascular, autoimmune or immunodeficiency diseases. Lasik is also not recommended for people under 18 years of age.