Eye Laser Surgery is a safe and effective procedure that can treat a variety of vision problems. It also prevents some eye conditions from worsening and causing vision loss.
The most common type of laser eye surgery is LASIK, which permanently changes the shape of your cornea. This is done by using a laser to cut a thin flap on the surface of your cornea. The surgeon then reshapes the cornea using pulses of laser light. This reshaping is based on a detailed three-dimensional map of your eye obtained during diagnostic corneal mapping.
LASIK is used to correct short-sightedness (myopia) and long-sightedness (hypermetropia). The laser is used to flatten the central apex of the cornea, improving near and distance vision.
In this method, your ophthalmologist uses a femtosecond laser to create a small flap in your cornea. This is folded back to allow the surgeon access to the stroma, or middle layer of the cornea. The laser is then used to reshape your cornea, improving the way it focuses light onto the retina for clearer vision.
This is a popular treatment for people who have high levels of myopia and need to reduce their need for glasses. It can also help those who have severe astigmatism, a refractive error caused by an abnormally shaped cornea or lens.
Other types of laser eye surgery https://eyelasersurgeryvancouver.ca are used to treat other ocular issues, such as dry eyes, glaucoma, retinal tears, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. These procedures are faster, less invasive and cause less post-procedural complications than traditional surgery.
PRK, LASEK and TransPRK: In these treatments, the surgeon separates your cornea’s epithelium before reshaping it with a laser. The epithelial tissue is repositioned and then bandaged by the surgeon to keep it in place while it heals.
After LASIK, some people may have blurred or hazy vision in one or both eyes, and some people can’t see well at all. If this is the case, you may need another laser surgery to improve your vision.
Laser corneal sculpting: This is the most common and most effective way to correct myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. The procedure involves a small flap of corneal tissue being created with a femtosecond laser, which is then folded back to reveal the stroma. The surgeon then uses pulses of a cool laser to reshape your cornea, focusing the light more evenly on the retina for better vision.
Your ophthalmologist will use this technique to improve your near and distance vision, as well as your intermediate vision. The procedure is usually performed on both eyes, but you can have your surgeon work only on the eye that needs the improvement.
SMILE: This technique uses a femtosecond (a small laser) to make a small incision on the edge of your cornea. This is then sealed off with a small, self-sealing device to prevent infection and to reduce the risk of bleeding during surgery.
This is a relatively new procedure that is very effective for treating astigmatism and is becoming more popular with people who wear contact lenses. The femtosecond laser uses small, focused bursts of laser energy to reshape the cornea and improve the way it refracts light. It is often a more expensive and complicated treatment than other laser methods, but it has proven to be very successful in most patients.