LASIK: Symptoms, Classification, Diagnosis & Recovery

LASIK eye surgery, also known as Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is the most well-known and frequently performed laser refractive procedure for correcting vision problems. It serves as an alternative to glasses or contact lenses.

During LASIK surgery, a specialized cutting laser reshapes the cornea, the dome-shaped transparent tissue at the front of the eye.

In normal vision, the cornea refracts light precisely onto the retina at the back of the eye. However, in cases of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, the light is refracted incorrectly, resulting in blurred vision.

While glasses or contact lenses can correct these vision issues, reshaping the cornea through LASIK surgery can provide the necessary refraction to correct vision.

Which Conditions are treated by the LASIK surgery:

LASIK surgery may be an option for correcting the following vision problems:

• Nearsightedness (Myopia): Nearsightedness occurs when the eyeball is slightly longer than normal or the cornea curves too sharply. This causes light rays to focus in front of the retina, resulting in blurry distant vision. Close objects can be seen clearly, but objects in the distance appear blurry.
• Farsightedness (Hyperopia): Farsightedness occurs when the eyeball is shorter than average or the cornea is too flat. This causes light to focus behind the retina instead of on it, resulting in blurry near vision and sometimes blurry distant vision.
• Astigmatism: Astigmatism is caused by the cornea curving or flattening unevenly, which affects the focus of both near and distant vision.

Types

• LASIK: This is the most famous form of laser eye surgery. It involves creating a hinged flap in the cornea using a sterile blade. The surgeon then uses a laser to remove very thin layers of the cornea.
• Intra-LASIK: In this procedure, the surgeon uses a laser to cut and reshape the cornea, rather than using a blade.
• Wavefront LASIK: It is one of the most advanced and latest techniques. It involves producing a 3-dimensional map of the cornea using a scan. This surgery is more accurate, increasing the chances of achieving 20/20 vision.

The signs and symptoms of an individual suffering that leads to LASIK Surgery are;

• Blurry vision
• Eye strain or discomfort
• Headache
• squinting to see the objects clearly
• Dry Eyes
• Inflammation