How Lasik Works

Laser corrective surgery, or as it is more commonly known, LASIK, includes several different kinds of procedures.
These procedures vary and the best decision for you is one that your doctor advises. There are several vision
centers in the St. Louis area that are able to perform this procedure and that you can consult regarding your
vision needs.

The pre-operation
procedure is simple but can take some time to complete. First, if you are a contact lens user, you will need to use
glasses for a while to undo the corneal flattening that contact lens use causes. Once the doctor has determined
that your eyes are back to a normal shape, you will need to go in for your surgery. The doctor will give you a
sedative to keep you calm during the surgery and an anesthetic for your cornea.

Standard LASIK is the simplest, least expensive surgery available and is best suited
for most people. If you have a standard prescription and standard sized corneas, this procedure will probably work
for you. The doctor will first create a flap in the cornea, which will cover the cornea after the surgery to speed
healing. Then the doctor will use computer guided lasers to reshape the cornea and improve your vision.


Those that cannot qualify for standard LASIK, due to unusually shaped
corneas or complex prescriptions, can usually qualify for custom, or wavefront LASIK. In this procedure, the
standard computer program is abandoned in favor of a custom program designed for the patient's specific vision
issues and cornea shape. This can be complex and is generally more costly. The pre-surgical visit is also longer.

Flapless LASIK surgery is also known as
PRK. In this version, a more basic form of LASIK, there is no corneal flap created at the beginning of the
procedure, which makes the recovery process longer, usually several days or a week, than it would have been with
traditional LASIK. This procedure is most commonly used on patients who do not qualify for traditional LASIK
surgery.

Multifocal Intraocular Lens Implants, which are generally used for cataract patients, involves placing a small,
flexible lens inside the eye to replace the clouded lens. The multifocal lenses specifically allow for both close
and distance vision replacement, although in some cases the patient might choose to have a lens implanted that
corrects for only near or only distant vision.

No matter what kind of LASIK surgery you receive, you will need antibiotics and eyedrops
to be used for several weeks after the surgery. You will also need to avoid any activities or locations that could
be dangerous to your eyes, for example, you will need to stop swimming and avoid dusty environments until your eyes
have healed completely. This serves as a way to protect the cornea during the recovery process.


Choosing the kind of LASIK procedure you need is a decision best made by you and your doctor together. By talking
with one of the doctors at a local vision center in St. Louis, you can get started on the road to perfect vision.