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Imagine being able to work, drive, read the clock, play sports do just about anything without always having to reach for your glasses or contacts. A new eye treatment called LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis) could make this a reality for you. If you're a candidate for LASIK, the doctors at the Eye Surgery Center can reshape the surface of your eye using a laser, so that the images you see focus more clearly. The result can be a dramatic improvement in your vision and your lifestyle. Could LASIK Change Your Life? Needing glasses or contacts to see may cramp your lifestyle. Glasses fog up, fall off, scratch, and break. Frames and thick lenses interfere with side vision. Contacts can irritate your eyes, especially if dust gets under a lens or you have dry eyes or an allergy. Both glasses and contacts can limit your choice of careers or sports. LASIK may be an option that could reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contacts. Is LASIK Right for You? The success of LASIK depends mainly on your eyes. You may be a good candidate for LASIK if your vision is stable, you have myopia (nearsightedness) with or without astigmatism (irregular curvature of the cornea, the clear covering of your eye), and you have no other eye problems. You also need to understand the possible risks and be realistic about what to expect. * LASIK works well for most people, but there is no guarantee that you will have perfect vision or will never need distance or reading glasses again. * It takes just several days to a few weeks for your eye to heal and your vision to clear. * You'll feel minimal discomfort during and after the procedure. Evaluating Your Eyes. The doctor at the Eye Surgery Center will examine your eyes to make sure LASIK is right for you. Your eyes will be dilated and your refraction (the way light focuses in your eye) measured. The doctor will also examine your cornea, take computerized measurements (corneal topography) of the shape of the cornea, and measure the thickness of the cornea using ultrasound. These and other tests help the doctor detect problems that could make LASIK the wrong decision for you. Risks & Complications Before LASIK, you'll be asked to sign a consent form. The doctor will discuss the following, as well as other possible risks of LASIK, with you. * There is a very small risk of infection, which could scar the cornea and decrease vision. * Vision could worsen, or farsightedness or irregular astigmatism could develop. Variable vision is also possible, although unlikely. * Some people are more sensitive to glare or see halos around lights, but this usually clears. * The corneal flap may be knocked out of position and lost, requiring repositioning or replacement. * Very rarely, a haze may develop in the cornea during the first few weeks after the procedure. Normally, this clears quickly. Rarely, vision may remain cloudy for a month or more. Your cornea focuses the light that enters your eye. Problems with the shape of the cornea can keep you from seeing clearly. During LASIK, special instruments reshape the cornea. This allows the cornea to better focus light so your vision is closer to normal. Reshaping the cornea is called refractive surgery. LASIK can correct for a larger range of myopia that can other refractive procedures such as PRK or RK. LASIK also cause less discomfort and requires a shorter recovery time than most other refractive surgery procedures. The Normal Eye. In the normal eye, the cornea has a rounded curve. Light rays pass through the cornea and the pupil to the lens, which refracts, or focuses, the light onto the retina (a light-sensitive tissue lining the inside of the eye). The light falls directly on the retina, and resulting image is clear. The Myopic Eye In the myopic eye, the cornea has too steep a curve, and the distance from the cornea to the retina is too long. This means light rays focus in front of the retina, so images look blurred. The farther away an object is, the fuzzier it looks. If the cornea has an irregular curve (astigmatism), objects may also be distorted. What is an Excimer Laser? An excimer laser is one instrument used during LASIK. It produces a concentrated beam of ultraviolet light that can be precisely focused. The beam is so accurate that it can cut notches in a human hair. And because the excimer laser generates almost no heat, the surrounding tissue is rarely damaged. What is an Automated Microkeratome? Another instrument used to perform LASIK is an automated microkeratome. This instrument can make extremely thin and precise cuts. It is used to separate the surface layers of the cornea during the LASIK procedure. You are awake during the procedure, but your eye is numbed with drops so you feel no pain. You lie flat on a reclining chair. Your eyelid is held open with a special instrument. A small suction device steadies your eye while the microkeratome separates surface layers of the cornea. You may feel some pressure in your eye during this process. You're asked to look at the light to center your eye under the laser. The laser makes some noise as it removes a thin layer of your cornea. The laser treatment typically takes less than one minute. You'll be in and out of the Eye Surgery center in about an hour. How LASIK Reshapes Your Eye. The doctor at the eye Surgery Center flattens the curve of the cornea by removing some layers. A computer precisely calculates the exact amount of cornea to be removed. * First, a small section of the front of your cornea is lifted away. This corneal flap stays attached to the rest of the cornea on one side. * The laser delivers a programmed number of pulses of ultraviolet light onto the newly exposed part of the cornea. Each pulse removes a microscopic layer of cornea. * Finally, the corneal flap is put back into place. Pressure holds the flap in place as it heals, so stitches are not necessary. The center of the cornea is now flattened, so light rays are focused more directly on the retina, and the images are in better focus. Your Recovery and Follow-up. After treatment, your eye needs time to heal. Your vision will probably be a little blurry at first, but it should clear in a few days. Your doctor will monitor your recovery during the next few weeks. You can probably expect maximum improvement in your vision within 3-4 weeks after LASIK. As Your Eye Heals. To protect the cornea as it heals, a shield may be placed over your eye. This shield should be worn according to your doctor's instructions. Your doctor may also give you one or more types of eyedrops to help control pain, prevent infection, and promote healing. Your Eye Surgery Center doctor will give you a schedule for using your eyedrops. To help prevent complications, be sure to follow the schedule exactly. Do's * Arrange for a ride home after LASIK. You won't see clearly enough to drive. * Use your eyedrops exactly as directed and keep all follow-up appointments. During follow-up visits, your doctor at the Eye Surgery Center will closely monitor your healing and evaluates your progress. * Wear sunglasses when you're outdoors your eye may be sensitive to bright light until it heals. * Protect your eye from getting bumped as it heals. Don'ts * Don't rub or bump your eye. Touching or rubbing your eye may prevent the healing layer of the cornea from reattaching properly. * Don't plan to return to work until your doctor says it's okay, usually in a day or two. * Don't drive until your vision clears. * Don't go swimming, sit in a whirlpool or hot tub, play active sports, or wear eye makeup until advised by your doctor. Evaluating Your Progress After treatment, the doctor at the Eye Surgery Center regularly checks that your cornea is healing properly. Depending on how your eye heals, a second treatment may be needed to bring your vision even closer to normal. Glasses or contacts may still be needed in some cases, but with a much weaker prescription. Your doctor may wait to see the results of your first LASIK before treating your other eye. When to Call Your Doctor Call your doctor at the Eye surgery Center if you have any questions or notice any of these signs of a problem. INCREASED PAIN 24 HOURS OR MORE AFTER TREATMENT DISCHARGE, REDNESS, OR INCREASED IRRITATION INCREASED BLURRING OF VISION Provided by Eye Surgery Center Serving the Metropolitan Area of St. Louis, Missouri Located in Belleville, Illinois |