LASIK

Refractive Eye Surgery

There are different forms of refractive eye surgery and which type of surgery is right for a particular patient can be determined by a number of factors.

The way vision works depends on how well the cornea and lens of the eye permit light rays to make their way onto the retina. Light rays are refracted (bent) to focus on the retina. If the cornea of the eye is not shaped correctly, vision can become blurry because light is not refracted properly on the retina. The shape of the cornea can often be corrected by refractive eye surgery. Vision errors can include myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism (an irregularly shaped cornea which causes blurred vision).

Refractive eye surgery reduces or eliminates a patient's need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. A patient is screened to determine if they are a good candidate for refractive eye surgery and some conditions may prevent a patient from having the surgery. Each type of refractive eye surgery (also called the Lasik procedure) is different and the determination of what type of surgery best fits the patient will be determined by the eye surgeon.

The different types of refractive eye surgery include: laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), surgery/wave front-guided LASIK, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), radial keratotomy (RK), astigmatic keratotomy (AK), automated lamellar keratoplasty (ALK), laser thermal keratoplasty (LTK), conductive keratoplasty (CK) and intracorneal ring (Intacs).

Lasik refractive eye surgery is used to correct nearsightedness. When a patient is nearsighted they see things more clearly close up than at a distance. The Lasik technique is the most popular of all the eye surgery techniques and is used to reshape the cornea so that so that light rays are sent correctly to the retina. A new procedure called wave front-guided LASIK provides the eye surgeon with advanced data in measuring the optical distortions or refractive errors in the eye and is becoming the new standard in refractive eye surgery. PRK and RK refractive eye surgery is also used to correct nearsightedness but is a less popular method than Lasik.

The other forms of refractive eye surgery are used to correct other types of vision problems such as astigmatism, farsightedness and to reduce or correct the collagen content in the eye. The patient's eye surgeon will conduct tests to determine which type of refractive eye surgery is best for him and if he is a candidate at all. Some of the determining factors include the health of the eye, what kind of vision correction is needed, and how much correction is required. Physical health and pupil size can also be determining factors.

Refractive eye surgery has become a procedure with good results for many patients. One must remember however that any form of surgery not only comes with its benefits but its risks as well. Discuss with your doctor all of the risks and benefits and that will aid in making an informed decision about receiving refractive eye surgery.