LASIK

How does LASIK improve my vision?

To have clear vision, the light rays that enter your eyes from all directions must be perfectly focused on your retina. The process of focusing light begins in the cornea, which uses its rounded shape to bend or refract light, so it targets the center of the lens. Refractive errors occur when the cornea is slightly misshapen.

If your cornea is too flat, steep, or irregularly shaped, it can’t properly focus light. LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) corrects this problem by precisely removing tiny pieces of your cornea to restore it to a functioning shape.

LASIK corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. 

What should I expect during my LASIK evaluation?

When you schedule a LASIK evaluation, your provider at Astorino & Associates Eye Center reviews your medical history to be sure you don’t have a health condition that prevents you from having a LASIK procedure. Then they perform a comprehensive eye exam.

During the exam, your provider measures the thickness of your cornea, determines your refractive error, checks intraocular pressure, evaluates your retina, and looks for signs of dry eye disease.

Some eye conditions, such as dry eye disease, must be treated before you have a LASIK procedure. Other eye conditions may rule out having LASIK.

After the eye exam, your provider uses a corneal topographer to create a map of your cornea. This image guides your procedure by providing details about the cornea’s shape and showing the areas that need correcting with LASIK.

How is LASIK surgery performed?

After applying anesthetic eye drops, your doctor cuts a thin flap in the outer layer of the cornea. The flap is folded over so the laser can directly access the inner cornea.

Many eye doctors cut the flap using a surgical tool with a blade. Astorino & Associates Eye Center performs bladeless LASIK surgery, using a specialized laser. This technique is more accurate, leaves a smooth edge around the flap, and may promote faster healing.

Mapping the position of your eye at the rate of 4,000 cycles per second, pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize the identified portions of your cornea. Then your doctor replaces the flap, which adheres to the cornea almost immediately and heals within a few days.

You notice the improvement within several hours after your procedure, but it may take 3-6 months for your treated eye to heal completely and your vision to stabilize. 

To learn if you’re a good candidate for LASIK, call Astorino & Associates Eye Center or schedule an appointment online.