LASIK Eye Surgery: Basic Info about the Procedure

For a person to see clearly, the cornea and the lens must refract (or bend, in simpler terms) light rays so they focus on the retina, the layer of light-sensing cells that occupy the back portion of the eye. The retina is what converts the light rays into impulses that are sent to the brain, where they are identified as images. If the cornea and lens don't focus light into the retina properly, the image you see will be blurry. This inability of the cornea and the lens to do their job is called refractive error.

Refractive errors are usually caused by an imperfectly shaped cornea, lens, or eyeball. Examples of refractive errors are myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. For these eye conditions, LASIK eye surgery offers a viable solution.

LASIK is short for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. In a LASIK procedure, a low-powered laser is used to reshape a patient's cornea to improve the way the eye focuses light rays into the retina. Only ophthalmologists can perform this type of eye procedure. Ask your medical doctor for a referral to a licensed ophthalmologist who performs LASIK.

LASIK is an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home directly after the ophthalmologist performs the procedure on you. Healing is relatively fast, but you may want to take a couple of weeks from work after the surgery to allow your eyes to heal properly.