The use of technology in medicine is becoming increasingly common. As a result, there are numerous high-tech surgical options for those wanting to correct defects in their vision. Laser eye surgery is used principally to correct three vision defects, namely long sight or hyperopia, short sight or myopia, and astigmatism, which relates to images being fuzzy and out of focus when looked at from any distance.
These conditions arise due to the way images get focused on the retina by the eye. The retina, incidentally, is situated at the back of the eye, and is the light-sensitive layer. The ability to focus depends on certain factors: the horizontal length of the eyeball, the way the cornea is shaped, and the lens. The cornea lies on top of the pupil and iris and forms the surface sheath. It is arched and accounts for about two-thirds of the eye’s focusing power. During laser surgery, the shape of the cornea is changed permanently. The laser directs ultraviolet beams that vaporize tissue. It is referred to as a ‘cold’ laser, as it can remove specific layers of tissue without interfering with the surrounding tissue.
The most commonly performed laser surgeries are Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK), first popularized in the early part of the 90s, and Lasik, introduced shortly after. In the former, a computer-guided laser beam is used to vaporize surface level corneal tissue. This process reshapes the cornea just enough to correct vision. The healing process is complete shortly thereafter.
In the latter, which is significantly more complicated, a flap of the cornea is sliced and lifted, and then a computer-guided laser beam is used to eliminate corneal tissue from the insides. After this, the flap is closed and healing occurs on its own. Lasik quickly gained in popularity because it had fewer side effects and healing took place quickly and naturally. Besides, most patients reported a major improvement in their vision after Lasik surgery.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Lasik Laser Eye Surgeries
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Lasik surgery is done on the cornea of the eye, with the aim of correcting vision. Lasik has been around since the mid-90s and uses a special tool to slice a part of the cornea in order to create a thin flap of tissue from...
-
An Introduction To Laser Eye Surgery
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Laser eye surgery essentially falls into two categories: PRK, or PhotoRefractive Keratectomy, and LASIK, or laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis. These two types of laser surgery have been modified to create variations on the same theme. LASEK as opposed to LASIK is a more modern version...
-
Laser Vision Correction
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Laser vision correction, or refractive surgery, is the latest technology used for the treatment of vision loss. High success rates and the involvement of minimal surgical procedures have made laser correction a popular choice. It is now considered a simple and safe alternative form of...
-
Laser Eye Surgery
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Good vision and eyesight can make or mar the quality of a person’s life. The conventional method of correcting vision is through spectacles or contact lenses. In recent times, however, laser surgery has become a much-sought-after alternative. The laser is aimed at the cornea, the...
-
Lasik
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Lasik, which stands for ‘laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis’, is a kind of laser treatment or refractive laser eye surgery for individuals with a high degree of myopia, that is greater than 5 diopters. It is also known by alternate names like ‘Laser Vision Correction’. The...
-
New York Lasik
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The cornea is the clear covering of the front of the eye that helps to bend and focus light so that it can form an image on the retina. This is analogous to the way in which a camera lens focuses light to form an...
-
Vision Correction
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
From ordinary spectacles to contact lenses and laser surgery, vision correction has come a long way since the first pair of spectacles was made in the 13th century. These new methods of correction can potentially restore vision back to normal. They attempt to reduce any...
-
Lasik Surgery Complications
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea using an excimer laser. A specially designed knife called microkeratome is used to cut a flap in the cornea, with a hinge being left open at...
-
Lasik Complications
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Although comparatively rare, complications because of Lasik surgery do happen. On the good side, there has never been any reported case of blindness after a PRK or Lasik surgery. One of the most common complications that can occur is known as the ‘Halo Effect’. This...
-
Lasik Surgery
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Today, one of the biggest advancements in ophthalmology is laser surgery. In spite of this, only about 20% of ophthalmologists in the United States are trained to perform this operation. The popularity of Lasik surgery is attributed to the fact that it is a fast...