Lasik Eye Surgery
Cindy Crawford did it. Tiger Wood did it also. So did the millions of Americans that underwent the revolutionary outpatient eye surgery known as Lasik. "As many as 1.7 million Lasik procedures will be done this year alone and about 2.7 million will be done in 2001" (Marsh, 2000). Lasik eye surgery uses a cold laser beam to correct vision by reshaping the cornea, the clear tissue that covers the front of the eye. Lasik is the acronym for laser assisted in situ keratomileusis. "Kerato means anything relating to the cornea, and mileusis is Greek for carving or sculpting. It is called situ because surgeons work on the cornea while it is in the eye" ("First the Flap, Then the Zap" 1999). The name Lasik refers to the use of laser to reshape the cornea without invading the adjacent cell layers. Lasik is a surgical procedure that is capable of correcting eye problems such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. LASIK is popular for a reason; it is quick, painless, and an effective procedure that is better than other surgeries that reshape the cornea to improve eyesight. For most people, the recovery period is at most a few days, which is one of Lasiks big advantages over a
Because the cornea bonds quickly, healing is rapid, and the eye does not require stitches. So many patients have to pay for the correction procedure from their own pockets. Most Health insurance companies and HMOs do not cover the cost because they generally classify LASIK surgery as an optional or cosmetic surgery. Under-correction or over-correction of the eye might be affect because it's not possible to predict perfectly how the eye will respond to the laser surgery. Step 4: The flap - the outermost 20 percent of the thickness of the cornea - is then lifted and reflected to the side. Some doctors deem certain pre-existing conditions contraindications to the procedure and will not perform surgery if patients possess them. The whole procedure takes about 15 to 30 minutes for two eyes. During this step the patient experiences a sensation of pressure just before his or her vision fades for a few seconds. Most patients are happy with the results, but 5% have postoperative complications. In less than 60 seconds, ultraviolet light and high-energy pulses from the excimer laser reshape the internal cornea (the stroma) with accuracy up to 0. The surgeon then marks the cornea with a water-soluble ink to guide replacement of the flap. "But it is important to realize that a person's eye can still change internally. Laser corrective eye surgery is so popular that some of the practitioners are opening up at shopping malls with glass room open to watching passersby. The laser does not cause any pain or discomfort to the patient. Also Lasik may leave a circular edge around the cornea that may temporarily or permanently create visible halos around bright lights.
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