12 Facts About LASIK

LASIK or Lasik, commonly referred to as laser eye surgery or laser vision correction, is a type of refractive surgery for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, and an actual cure for astigmatism, since it is in the cornea.

LASIK surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist who uses a laser or microkeratome to reshape the eye's cornea in order to improve visual acuity.

For most people, LASIK provides a long-lasting alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses.

LASIK is very similar to another surgical corrective procedure, photorefractive keratectomy, and LASEK.

For patients with moderate to high myopia or thin corneas which cannot be treated with LASIK and PRK, the phakic intraocular lens is an alternative.

Surveys of LASIK surgery find rates of patient satisfaction between 92 and 98 percent.

Some patients describe these symptoms post-operatively and associate them with the LASIK technique including the formation of the flap and the tissue ablation.

Daytime post-LASIK vision is optimal, since the pupil size is smaller than the LASIK flap.

When treating a patient with preexisting astigmatism, most wavefront-guided LASIK lasers are designed to treat regular astigmatism as determined externally by corneal topography.

Topography-assisted LASIK is intended to be an advancement in precision and reduce night-vision side effects.

LASIK technique was implemented in the US after its successful application elsewhere.

Systematic review that compared PRK and LASIK concluded that LASIK has shorter recovery time and less pain.