Are you ready to reduce your dependency on corrective lenses or ditch them altogether?
The goal of laser vision surgery is to improve eyesight by reshaping the cornea, the part of the eye that lets light in and focuses it on the retina.
While LASIK is the most well-known of these procedures, there are many types of laser vision correction surgeries available, including LASEK, PRK, and more.
Learn more about laser vision surgery below and schedule a consultation at Zimm Cataract and Laser Center to see if LASIK is right for you.
LASIK is used to correct refractive errors and age-related vision problems, including:
With astigmatism, vision is distorted at all distances, near and far. This is due to the deformed shape of the cornea, which is shaped more like a football than a basketball. Light becomes unevenly focused as a result.
If you are farsighted, your vision up close will be blurry. This is because either the cornea is flatter or the eye is shorter than a typical eye. As a result, rather than focusing directly on the retina, light traveling through the cornea focuses behind the retina.
Nearsightedness causes blurred vision at a distance. This is either because the cornea has a steeper shape or the eye may have a longer shape than a typical eye. As a result, rather than focusing directly on the retina, light traveling into the eye focuses in front of the retina.
A disorder called presbyopia often occurs later in life. This is a condition in which the lens of the eye stiffens, making it harder to focus on nearby objects. Most people over 40 will naturally develop presbyopia and require reading glasses to read menus, labels, and other small print. Presbyopia cannot be corrected with traditional LASIK, but monovision LASIK may be an alternative.
There are several different types of laser vision correction, including:
The LASIK procedure entails reshaping the underlying corneal tissue. In order to get to the underlying tissue, ophthalmic surgeons cut a flap from the cornea's outer layer. Technological advancements in computer imaging techniques enable ophthalmologists to make precise corneal images and control the surgery, which calls for extreme precision.
Monovision LASIK is a type of LASIK where one eye is “set” to focus better on far objects, while the other is “set” to focus on near objects. The procedure works because of the way the brain blends the distances together.
With LASEK, the eye doctor applies a solution to epithelial cells to form a flap. A laser is used to reshape the cornea, after which the flap is closed. A soft contact lens is placed to promote healing.
The patients who are the best candidates for LASIK are:
LASIK does not always eliminate the need for corrective eyewear. In some cases, driving or reading glasses are still needed after LASIK is performed to correct near or farsightedness.
If you are tired of wearing corrective lenses or are dealing with a strong prescription, you might enjoy the benefits of LASIK. Talk to your ophthalmologist at Zimm Cataract and Laser Center today.