Laser Vision Procedures
- Laser surgery for vision correction treats patients with nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. These conditions imply that there is a deficiency with how light reaches the retina (the back of the eye responsible for sending the visual message to the brain), usually due to an abnormally shaped cornea (the clear front "window" of the eye through which light passes to reach the retina). Laser procedures adjust the corneal tissue to improve vision.
- Laser eye surgery adjusts or removes the corneal tissue. In cases of nearsightedness, the patient's corneal tissue is too steep, and it is flattened during laser eye surgery by removing some of the corneal tissue. Farsightedness is due to the corneal tissue not being steep enough, and in this case, laser eye surgery steepens the corneal tissue for vision correction.
- LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) surgery is the latest development in laser eye procedures, employing laser technology to reshape the corneal tissue. It provides instant vision improvement in both eyes after the 15-minute surgery, according to AllAboutVision.com. The surgeon creates a flap in the surface of the cornea, either with a laser or a special blade. The flap is peeled back to readjust the corneal tissue beneath, and once the proper adjustment is made, the surgeon closes the flap. Vision improvement is immediate, although there are possible side effects. A highly effective vision correction procedure, LASIK satisfaction worldwide was reported at 95.4 percent or patients, according to a 2008 study conducted by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
- LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis) and PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) are two types of laser surgery that offer alternatives for those who do not qualify for LASIK eye surgery. Such patients typically have a thin cornea that is too frail to endure the flap-cut of LASIK surgery. LASEK and PRK work directly with the corneal tissue from the surface, but PRK removes the thin outer epithelium layer completely (it grows back), while LASEK does not. PRK is the original laser eye surgery treatment, which offers the same results as LASIK but with a longer recovery time.
- Inconsistent vision is the most common side effect of laser eye surgery, according to AllAboutVision.com as well as DocShop.com. Inconsistent vision means that the vision's strength fluctuates after the procedure, lasting from a few days to a few weeks. Patients commonly experience the fluctuation at night. Halos and starbursts, which produce a white glow and/or a glare around light sources, are part of inconsistent vision. So, too, are blurred vision, double vision and "ghosting," which is when patients see visual "echos" of lighted objects.
The duration and degree of inconsistent vision varies by individual. AllABoutVision.com suggests that side effects should subside within a few months at most, while DocShop.com reports that side effects can last up to six months after treatment. Less than 1 percent of laser eye surgery patients experience worsened vision conditions or severe side effects, according to AllAboutVision.com, which also reports that results continue to improve. - A patient's "best vision" is that which was achieved with prescription eyeglasses or contacts, and this is generally the goal of laser vision correction. It is not likely that a patient who achieved 20/40 with glasses will exceed 20/40 vision after laser eye surgery. LASIK eye surgery also works best on adults with mild to moderate vision deficiency. Results are permanent.
- Enhancement procedures are not uncommon, and are performed for undercorrection or continual blurriness and inconsistent vision that occur beyond three months after treatment. These procedures, if performed by the same surgeon, often have no additional cost. (AllAboutVision.com suggests that patients inquire about this before undergoing the initial surgery.) These procedures function in the same way as the first, except more rapidly. The aim is further vision enhancement.
