Considering LASIK? Expect your stay at the laser
eye surgery center to be approximately 2 hours. However, the
actual laser treatment might take only about 7 to 10 minutes per
eye. Though quite complex a procedure, its expedited nature
renders it a simplistic feel, at least superficially. LASIK is a
relatively painless procedure as opposed to other surgical
techniques.

Even though it's a surgery, LASIK is performed with the
patient awake and functional. However, the eye surgeon
typically administers a mild sedative (for instance Valium) and
anesthetic eye drops. The complete 7 to 10 minute process can be
broken down into two major steps. The initial step involves the
creation of a flap of corneal tissue. This is accomplished with
a microkeratome
(a surgical blade), or a femtosecond laser. A hinge is
left at one end of the flap and the flap is folded back to
reveal the
stroma (the middle section of the cornea).
The second step of the procedure employs a high precision
laser, an excimer laser, to reshape the cornea. The
excimer laser is a cool laser, that is, it achieves
precise ablation without heating or damaging the surrounding
tissue. After carving the cornea in the desired manner thereby
imparting the desired refraction to it, the flap is
repositioned. The flap remains placed by natural adhesion and
aids in the healing of the cornea.
Much like the procedure itself, the visual recovery is also
rapid in case of LASIK. Since the ablation is performed in the
stroma, under the corneal flap, the cornea does not register the
fact that it has been operated. As a result, the wound response
is muted, and that is the reason for a hasty recovery after
LASIK.
On the whole, LASIK is a fairly innocuous procedure,
without the need for hospitalization. Though the patient
might experience blurry vision immediately after surgery, the
visual acuity is restored within a day or two, and the patient
may resume his/her daily chores with ease. In fact, the
preparation towards the procedure (the preoperative examination)
may take up more time relative to the procedure itself. Finally,
the results achieved through this 7 to 10 minute LASIK procedure
are certainly worth the endeavor.
If you find a LASIK doctor that you are confident with, you
will be able to get more information about LASIK eye surgery
operations.
The LASIK Surgeons Directory -
find a LASIK doctor. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and
reports, provides news and views about
LASIK eye surgery operations at Your Lasik Information.
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