Lasik Surgery: All You Need To Know

LASIK surgery can be done by people with ametropia (shortsightedness, astigmatism, and hyperopia), individually or in combination. However, the surgical option depends on the assessment made by the ophthalmologist, as some candidates may respond better to PRK or LASEK surgery. People with ametropias combination can correct them all in one procedure. The patient’s cornea must be thick enough for the surgeon to be able to make, with the use of a laser, the appropriate alteration for their case;

Prerequisites

There are different limits for each ametropia. The minimum thresholds are dictated by eyeglass dependence, meaning anyone who relies on eyeglasses would have large enough ametropia to qualify for LASIK surgery. The maximum limits, however, are more restrictive. The ideal indications are myopia less than 8.00 degrees, astigmatism less than 4.00, and hyperopia less than 4.00.

Necessary Exams

Before performing LASIK surgery, the ophthalmologist must have a thorough eye consultation. All vision surgeries must include in their preoperative topography and central pachymetry exams, along with the retina’s evaluation, including corneal thickness measurement, refraction, corneal mapping, pressure, and pupil dilation.

These are the minimum tests that must be performed, according to the consensus of the Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology, the Ophthalmological Center Specialized in Ocular Surface, and the Brazilian Society of Refractive Surgery.

However, the doctor can order other tests, such as corneal tomography, which evaluates the cornea in three dimensions, and ocular aberrometry – the study of optical aberrations of the whole eye and the study of aberrations of higher orders. This battery of tests will also assess whether the patient needs a personalized LASIK.

Pre-Procedure Care

On the day of your LASIK surgery, it is best to eat a light meal and take any medications that may be prescribed, such as antibiotics. Do not wear eye makeup or have any voluminous accessories in your hair so as not to interfere with the positioning of your head. In addition, treating inflammation and infections of the ocular surface, such as blepharitis, are critical to the success of the surgery.

How It Is Performed

During the LASIK procedure in discover vision for example, a microkeratome or femtosecond laser is used to cut a thin layer on the cornea, about 0.1 mm thick. This first procedure, called a flap, sets LASIK apart from other refractive surgeries.

This coverslip is lifted, and the newly exposed corneal tissue is treated with the same laser used in LASEK and PRK (excimer laser) eye surgeries for corneal remodeling and grade correction. Fixing the patient in the laser light during surgery is critical for a perfect correction. After this step, the removed corneal flap is placed back, and the surgery is complete. With these you can know about prk vs lasik surgery.