What Is LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK is a type of laser surgery for the eyes. It’s a procedure to correct refractive errors and improve vision—and is the most common type of refractive surgery. It’s one possible option for vision correction, along with glasses and contacts. The medical term for it is “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.”

With LASIK eye surgery, eye surgeons use lasers to change the shape of the cornea. This reduces the need for glasses or contact lenses to see clearly. It is an outpatient surgery, so patients go home the same day.

In this handy guide, we’ll discuss what LASIK eye surgery is, what makes someone a good candidate for LASIK, and how the procedure is done. We’ll also talk about what typically happens during LASIK recovery.

What Does LASIK Do?

You may know someone who used to wear glasses or contacts all the time but now rarely (if ever) wears them, thanks to LASIK. But what is LASIK surgery, and what does LASIK fix?

First, we’ll explain a bit about the cornea and how it helps vision happen.

The cornea is the clear dome-like covering of your eye. Part of the cornea’s role is to refract (bend) light and focus it onto your eye’s retina. The retina converts the light into signals and sends them to your brain, which interprets the signals as images.

A cornea with an irregular shape keeps the light from focusing onto the retina the way it should, making the images your brain “sees” unclear. This faulty focusing is a refractive error, the most common cause of vision problems.

So what does LASIK surgery do, exactly? LASIK surgery permanently alters the shape of your cornea so light focuses properly onto the retina. The procedure corrects refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism, resulting in clearer vision.

People who have had LASIK eye surgery might be able to totally do away with their glasses or contact lenses. Others might need to wear corrective lenses only in certain circumstances, like when driving after dark or reading.

LASIK Surgery: What to Expect

How is LASIK eye surgery done? Here’s what you can expect before, during, and after LASIK eye surgery.

Before LASIK Surgery

If you’re considering LASIK eye surgery, your ophthalmologist will perform a comprehensive eye exam. You’ll probably discuss why you want the procedure, whether it might benefit you, and your expectations for the outcome. Many people envision that LASIK surgery will make their eyesight perfect all the time. In reality, LASIK often corrects everyday vision, but you may still need glasses or contacts for certain activities.

During the exam, the doctor will check if you’re a good candidate for LASIK surgery. Not everyone is considered a good LASIK candidate. Your doctor will typically go over eligibility factors with you, such as:

• Age: You should be at least 18 years old, but ideally over 21. Why? This is when your vision has probably stopped changing. It’s best if your eye prescription hasn’t changed or has barely changed in the past year.
• Refractive Errors: You could have myopia up to -12 diopters (a measurement of how powerful your prescription is), hyperopia up to +6 diopters, or astigmatism up to 6 diopters.
• Cornea thickness: Your corneas should be around 550 microns thick.
• General health: Besides having healthy eyes, you should be in good overall health.

People are generally not good candidates for LASIK surgery if they:

• Have cone-shaped corneas (keratoconus), thinning or bulging of the cornea known as corneal ectasia, corneal scars or disease
• Have a history of eye conditions such as severe dry eyes, cataracts that affect vision, or glaucoma
• Have diabetes that isn’t under control
• Have an eye infection like blepharitis or keratitis
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding

If you’re a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, the doctor maps out and measures the surface of your cornea. The computer-assisted laser will use these measurements during the procedure.

During the LASIK Procedure

The actual LASIK procedure is usually done at an ophthalmologist’s office or a surgical center. LASIK eye surgery is an outpatient procedure, so you would go home the same day.

Most of the time, doctors perform LASIK surgery on both eyes, and the actual procedure can take less than 10 minutes per eye. But altogether, you can be in the office for an hour or more.

Let’s take a look at the main steps of the procedure:

1. First, your ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) gives you eye drops to numb your eyes.
2. Next, when your eyes are numb, the ophthalmologist puts a special suction ring and eyelid holder over your eyes to keep your eye still and to keep you from blinking. Your eyesight will dim or go dark.
3. Your ophthalmologist makes a thin flap in the corneal tissue using a laser (or a device called a microkeratome). The doctor folds the flap back.
4. The ophthalmologist reshapes your cornea using the laser, which has been programmed using measurements probably taken at your comprehensive exam. You may hear the device “clicking” while it’s in use.
5. When the ophthalmologist is finished reshaping the cornea, they fold the corneal flap back, where it will quickly heal over the next few days.

Right after the surgery, your ophthalmologist may give you a clear protective eye shield to wear over your eyes. Your doctor might also give you eye drops to help with dry eyes, a common side effect. Then, you’ll be sent home. You’ll need to have someone else drive you or accompany you since you’ll probably have blurry vision for a few hours.

Your doctor may suggest that you rest for 2–4 hours at home. Within the first 48 hours, your doctor will usually want to see you to check your eyesight and make sure everything is healing well. You’ll also have several follow-up appointments in the weeks and months that follow.

LASIK Recovery

The time it takes to recover from LASIK surgery will vary depending on the person. In general, you’ll be able to see clearly between one day and a week after LASIK surgery. Your eyesight can fluctuate, especially in the first few days, but it should improve each day. Vision generally stabilizes one to two months after the surgery.

Your ophthalmologist may give you instructions to follow during your LASIK recovery. For at least a week after LASIK surgery, and possibly longer, your doctor may want you to:

• Wear sunglasses outside during the day and an eye shield while you sleep
• Avoid rubbing or touching your eye
• Keep soap, makeup, lotions and chemicals away from your eye
• Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, streams, or ocean water, as they might be contaminated
• Avoid contact sports and strenuous activities
• Avoid using contact lenses

LASIK Side Effects and Possible Complications

LASIK surgery often comes with some normal side effects. Complications can occur, but only rarely.

Common LASIK Eye Surgery Side Effects

After your LASIK surgery, it’s common to experience these temporary side effects. They should subside as you heal.

• Discomfort, itching, or burning
• Glare, halos, starbursts, blurred vision and double vision, especially at night
• Excessive tearing
• Puffy eyelids
• Light sensitivity (photophobia)

If you experience severe pain or worsening side effects, see your eye doctor right away.

Possible Complications From LASIK

Serious LASIK complications are extremely uncommon. For example, in rare cases, eyes might not heal well or get infections or scarring that can cause vision loss. It’s best to discuss the possible risks with your eye doctor before the surgery.

Now See Here

Whether you’re considering LASIK surgery or not, keeping your eyes healthy is job one. Be sure to keep up with annual eye exams. And see an eye doctor right away if you have vision problems or other eye concerns.