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Your eye is made of several parts, one of which is the cornea - the front surface on the outside of your eye. If the eye is shaped correctly, it "refracts" or bends the light to focus light onto the retina. However, if the eye is incorrectly shaped, it creates an out-of-focus image. That's where LASIK comes in.

LASIK (Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) is a procedure that uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea - and thus the shape of the eye - with extreme accuracy by removing the microscopic layers of corneal tissue. Using the skills we have developed over the years, we can precisely guide the excimer laser through a short yet thorough procedure that corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

What Do Your LASIK Options Look Like
One in four people are good candidates for LASIK. For example, LASIK cannot correct presbyopia, or the natural aging of the eye, which occurs after the age of 40 and often necessitates the use of reading glasses.

Before you can be considered for LASIK, we need to know what type of vision you have. Your family eye doctor usually has a comprehensive history. He or she knows whether you have normal vision, nearsightedness, astigmatism  or farsightedness. Of equal importance is whether or not your vision prescription has changed significantly in the past year.

Once we've determined that you are a candidate, Grossnickle Eye Center will then carefully map and measure your eye to ensure a precise outcome. Next, we'll determine whether your refractive error falls within the corrective range of LASIK. Lastly, we'll make certain that you have healthy corneas and good overall health. Once these issues are resolved, it's time to take the next step.

The LASIK Procedure
The LASIK procedure takes only 10 to 15 minutes to perform, but it will take several hours to prepare you for the outpatient surgery.

First, you'll be given a mild relaxant to relieve any anxiety or stress. Since you'll be awake through the procedure, its important that you be relaxed and calm.

Your eyes will then be anesthetized with special drops prior to the procedure. You may experience a very mild pressure sensation as the doctor creates the flap. The surgeon then gently  sculpts the cornea with the excimer laser, and replaces the flap.

What are the Risks?
While the risks of LASIK are minimal, we feel that it’s important for our patients to understand that it is a surgical procedure. As with any surgery these risks will be discussed in depth with you prior to the surgery.

Most patients find that the most common minor complication is eye dryness, which is preventatively treated with drops and in more extreme cases by plugging the tear ducts. There is also the risk of an infection or a complication of the corneal flap.

Grossnickle Eye Center’s complication rate is less than one percent. All the more reason to rely upon the experience and advanced technology available at Grossnickle Eye Center.

What Does the Future Look Like Afterward?

	We all know that there are no guarantees in life, but you should have some expectations. Although we cannot guarentee you 20/20 vision the majority of our patients have 20/20 vision the day after surgery. The vision correction you receive is considered permanent. In short, chances are good that you'll see immediate results. Over the next three months as your eyes adjust to the reshaping of the cornea, your vision will stabilize. In a small percentage of cases, our patients need additional correction with the laser to achieve their desired vision. Still for most patients, LASIK will mean seeing the world in a whole different way. Illustrated LASIK procedure

Additional Information
Food and Drug Administration www.fda.org
American Academy of Ophthalmology www.aao.org
Academy of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons www.ascrs.org
International Society of Refractive Surgeons www.locateanisrsdoctor.com
Books:
The Complete Book of Laser Surgery by Stephen Slade, M.D. with Richard N. Baker, O.D. and Dorothy Kay Brockman.