What Is LASIK Eye Surgery?

Laser-assisted-in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery is an elective procedure to treat multiple vision problems, including refractive errors. During this eye surgery, your eye doctor uses a special laser to reshape your cornea. The correction allows you to better focus light onto the retina at the back of your eyeball. After you’ve healed from the procedure, you won’t need glasses or contact lenses. A successful laser refractive surgery significantly improves the quality of your life through improved vision.

This is one of the most advanced laser surgeries, which leverages the latest medical technology. Through LASIK surgery, trained ophthalmologists can perform more precise eye treatments with faster recovery times. During the surgery, your eye doctor creates a flap in the cornea for easier access to the underlying damaged tissue. With better access to your cornea tissue, your doctor corrects any disorders for improved vision.

If you have persistent vision problems, it’s time to contact an experienced eye surgeon for diagnosis and treatment. The top-rated retina specialists at Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York (VRMNY) have years of experience in the most complex surgeries and in-office procedures to treat multiple eye problems.

What Eye Conditions Does LASIK Eye Surgery Treat?

Your eye doctor can recommend LASIK eye surgery to correct different types of refractive errors, including:

• Nearsightedness or myopia. Myopia is a refractive error that causes you to see nearby objects clearly, but the farther away an object gets, the blurrier it seems. This refractive error occurs because of an irregularly shaped cornea, resulting in incorrect focusing. In myopic eyes, light doesn’t come to focus on the retina, but in front of it.
• Farsightedness or hyperopia. This refractive error causes nearby objects to appear blurry while those at a distance are sharper. The problem occurs because of the shape of your eye lens or cornea, which forces light to focus behind the retina, instead of properly on its surface.
• Astigmatism. If your cornea has an irregular shape, you may have problems seeing both near and distant objects. The objects appear blurry because the light doesn’t bend properly as it enters the eye. That’s called astigmatism.
• Presbyopia. This is a refractive error of the eye that makes it difficult for you to see things up close as you advance in age.

TLC LASIK surgery improves your vision problems, but the procedure requires specialized skills and equipment. At the state-of-the-art eye surgery practice, with offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Westchester, the ophthalmologists use the latest eye treatment techniques and equipment. Your eye doctor has access to the best diagnostic imaging equipment and other medical technologies for accurate diagnosis and effective eye treatment.

What Are the Benefits of LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK surgery is one of the most innovative procedures, but it’s also one of the safest eye procedures to treat refractive errors in your eye. Some benefits of the procedure include:

• Effective vision correction
• Reduction in the need for eye glasses or contact lenses
• Painless eye treatment
• Immediate results after surgery
• Quick recovery within 24 hours
• No need for stitches or bandages
• Long-term positive impact on your vision

During your consultation, your doctor explains these benefits to help you make an informed decision. Your eye doctor at the New York City ophthalmology practice has confidence and experience in the procedure.

Who’s the Right Candidate for LASIK Eye Surgery?

While LASIK eye surgery is highly effective, it’s not suitable for everyone. Your doctor starts the treatment with a thorough examination of your eye to determine if you’re a good candidate for the surgery. Some factors that make you suitable for LASIK eye surgery include:

• You don’t have any eye condition that affects your healing.
• Your eye has sufficient cornea thickness to allow for reshaping.
• Your refractive errors are not extreme.
• Your contact lenses or eyeglass prescription isn’t too high.
• You have realistic expectations about the eye surgery results.
• You’re in good overall health.
• You’re not pregnant.
• You don’t have large pupils.

During your consultation, your doctor reviews your medical history and asks about any medications, health complications or allergies. Providing all the information helps your doctor create an individualized treatment plan to improve the results of your surgery.

What’s Involved in a LASIK Eye Surgery Procedure?

Your doctor may follow specific steps for your particular treatment, but the main steps in the surgery include:

1. Preparation. Before the surgery, learn about the cost and get someone to drive you home after your surgery. Your doctor may advise against wearing contact lenses for a few weeks before surgery. During an eye examination, your doctor looks for inflammation, an eye infection, large pupils and elevated eye pressure. Don’t wear eye makeup on the day of your treatment.
2. Before surgery. After examining the condition of your eye, your doctor measures the thickness of the cornea and looks for any irregularities. To prevent pain and discomfort, your doctor uses numbing drops and gives you a sedative. A special device holds your eyelids open.
3. LASIK surgery. To create a cornea flap, your doctor uses a femtosecond laser. The doctor folds the flap to access the stroma. Using laser light, your eye doctor corrects any defects on the underlying cornea to treat the specific refractive disorder. The doctor folds back the flap into place to cover the area of the cornea where the laser has removed some tissue.
4. Post-operative care. A post-op eye exam is necessary before you leave the VRMNY office. Your doctor recommends taking a few days off from work for faster recovery. Avoid strenuous activities that hinder healing. Use the provided prescription eye drops and artificial tears as directed.

The effects of LASIK eye surgery are immediate. While LASIK surgery corrects your vision, it cannot stop the aging process, so your eyes may continue to change. But to improve your vision or do away with contact lenses or glasses, contact the expert eye doctors at VRMNY for life-changing eye treatment.