Publish date December 1, 2010

Everything You Wanted to Know About LASIK

Lasik is a procedure that removes refractive errors of the eye (nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, so one does not have to wear glasses or contact lenses…

With precise removal of corneal tissue, Lasik procedure directly optimizes the optical properties of the eye. Depending on the patient’s dioptre, computer calculates the exact amount of corneal tissue that should be removed in order balance existing diopter.

A large number of people who are short-sighted, far-sighted or have astigmatism can undergo LASIK surgery. Must have at least 18 years and healthy eyes – they cannot have retinal diseases, scarring of the cornea, glaucoma or other eye diseases. These people are mostly dissatisfied with wearing glasses or lenses in everyday life.

Among the absolute contraindications to this procedure are included keratoconus, corneal disease, cataract  and age below 18 years, and some of the relative ones are thin cornea, dry eye syndrome, and frequent changes in diopter in a relatively short time.

There are also systemic diseases of the organism which can affect the outcome of surgery such as diabetes, some autoimmune diseases like erythe lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and others. Also, pregnancy or planning pregnancy and lactation are included.

It is important to emphasize that the laser cannot improve vision, but only removes dioptre, and the need for wearing glasses or contact lenses. If there is a visual impairment of the eye (vision condition that cannot be fixed with glasses or lenses, and any other procedure or surgeries), it must be emphasized that visual impairment remains after application of the laser.

Before the procedure is carried out, consultation and examination by an ophthalmologist are necessary, during which appropriate method will be advised to patients. If the patient wears soft contact lenses, they should be removed two weeks before surgery, and four to six weeks if he or she wears rigid contact lenses.

In LASIK method a small lid is formed on the cornea that is lifted before lasering. Usually, both eyes are operated at once. Recovery is rapid, and the vision is practically the next day returned to normal. The patient can choose between the conventional method of mechanical microkeratom (which is cheaper) or a more modern method when a lid is formed with the help of laser (FEMTOSECOND LASER). There is also an individualized approach to surgery using wave scan technology, which detects any irregularities on the surface of the cornea and provides an objective diopter of the patient.

  • The price of LASIK surgery that takes only a few minutes, including preparation, ranges from 700 to 1800 EURO per eye, depending on dioptres and applied methods.

When applying PRK method that preceded LASIK, recovery is slightly longer and the operation is performed one by one eye. The advantage of this method is that it can operate on thin corneas, and the lid on the cornea is not necessary. The method of removing the dioptre without the formation of the lid is also LASEK where, with the help of alcohol, superficial epithelium is peeled, the laser vision correction is performed and then the epithelium is returned back to its place to heal. This method is a modification of PRK, and also has its limitations.
In the postoperative procedure, antibiotic drip is necessary for a week and artificial tears over the next six months. Return to normal life activities and sports usually occur two weeks after surgery.

Some think they can go blind from laser eye surgery, which is wrong, because the laser operates only on the surface of the eye. It cannot damage the eye because the effect of laser rays is confined only to the area of the cornea and only in that one layer of the cornea as previously programmed. Regarding the query about the longevity, the method is permanent. In most cases, more than 90 percent, there is no refund of the diopter. Increased ability to partially restore dioptre exists if dry eye syndrome develops, which is the case for those who has irregularly moistened their eyes after surgery and those who have high nearsightedness or farsightedness.