What should you know about Laser Eye Surgery?
Thousands of people across the world are turning to laser eye procedures to remove their dependency on glasses and contact lenses for correct vision and Canada is no different. Laser procedures are used to correct vision impairments like near-sightedness (myopia), far-sightedness (hypermetropia) and distortion in vision (astigmatism). Recently, the procedure has also been used to correct the inability to focus on close objects (presbyopia).
The process
The laser procedure is a simple one in which ultra-violet rays are used to vaporize eye tissue. This is done so that the focus of the object being seen can correctly be placed on the retina, the light sensitive area of the eye. Changing and adjusting the shape of the cornea (the part of the eye that we can see externally) can help in correcting the focus to ensure perfect vision.
Specific types of laser procedures
The most commonly used laser surgery procedures in Canada are:
- PRK (Photo-Refractive Keractectomy) - The first among all the laser eye correction procedures, PRK is still used today. A layer of the cornea is removed using a surgical instrument guided by a computer for precision. This process requires about a week for the healing process to complete.
- LASIK (Laser Assisted in situ Keratomileusis) - Introduced in the early 1990's LASIK requires more expertise to perform. First the cornea is lifted to expose the inside of the eye and then a laser is used to remove calculated amounts of eye tissue from the inside of the cornea. The latest in LASIK surgery is the Wavefront technology to ensure more accurate correction.
- LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis) - The A variation of the LASIK surgery, the LASEK procedure lifts the layer of the cornea by using alcohol. The tissue under the epithelium is modified using the laser. The healing takes about 2 weeks for this process.
- Epi-LASIK - Another modification of the LASEK procedure that employs a blunt blade instead of a sharp one to make modifications.
Benefits
The most significant benefit of a laser surgery is the freedom that it gives from the daily hassles of wearing spectacles or contact lenses. The process can return normal vision to those who have had to otherwise make do with add on support for years.
Things to watch out for
The PRK procedure may involve some pain that is experienced for a couple of days after the surgery. Hazy vision is also expected during the healing stage. The process is not always permanent and sometimes the refractive index of the cornea returns to original, resulting in the need for a second sitting.
Even though there is a lower chance of pain post a LASIK surgery, the process requires high levels of precision resulting in a higher level of complications like dry eyes, poor night vision or weakening of the cornea.