The Ins and Outs of LASIK

LASIK is so common these days everyone knows a person who has had this amazing surgery. But if you haven’t had it yourself, there can be some mystery surrounding the procedure.

At Central Valley Eye Medical, our ophthalmologists have performed thousands of LASIK procedures, so for this springy pair of March blogs, let’s provide some info to enlighten you about LASIK at our three Central Valley locations.

What is LASIK?

LASIK is an acronym for laser in-situ keratomileusis (no wonder people prefer to simply say LASIK!), a medical laser eye surgery that corrects vision in patients who are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism.

When vision is compromised, light enters the clear front part of the eye, the cornea, and is improperly directed at the retina (the layer at the back of the eye that is sensitive to light). This is usually because the cornea shape causes the light to be refracted at a slightly incorrect angle. In a LASIK procedure, the cornea is reshaped so that light is properly focused on the retina to provide improved vision. The first laser eye surgery was performed in 1996 and is commonplace today.

The benefits of LASIK

LASIK is a powerful procedure, especially for a person who has had poor vision his or her entire life. It can take a person who has worn glasses as long as he or she can remember and instantly transform their vision to 20/20 or sometimes better. Here are some facts about LASIK:

• The results are immediate or within a day after surgery.
• There are no stitches, needles, or bandages in the procedure.
• LASIK works in roughly 96% of patients.
• LASIK eliminates the need for glasses or contact lenses.
• There is very minimal pain involved.

What happens during the procedure and how long does it take?

Patients receive a sedative to help them relax along with local anesthetic eye drops that completely numb your eyes. Two lasers are used — the first creates a thin flap in the cornea, the second reshapes the underlying corneal tissue. The whole process takes all of 10 minutes!

Say goodbye to your glasses or contacts with LASIK from Central Valley Eye Medical Group. Call us at (800) 244-9907 to schedule your consultation.

Posted in: LASIK