As more and more patients take advantage of LASIK, the medical field continues to learn more the procedure. These new advancements are helping improve the experience for patients both during the surgery and in post-op.
Patients have been taking advantage of the opportunity to experience near perfect eyesight without the inconveniences of glasses or corrective lenses for nearly 30 years. For patients who qualify for the procedure, advancements in techniques are providing lifelong effects for being able to see clearly.
LASIK is performed using a tightly focused beam of ultraviolet light to break down the molecular bonds in a patient’s cornea. The high tech procedure is used to create a flap in the cornea that is then folded back, which alters the shape of a patient’s eye.
While this all sounds very complicated, the incision made is less than a nanometer wide and takes almost no time at all. In fact, the entire procedure typically takes only about 15 minutes from start to finish.
LASIK is proving more and more impressive with longer term effectiveness as the procedure is perfected. Customized treatments, a greater understanding of ectasia (weakening of the inner layers of the cornea), and the ability to make shallower incisions have further reduced the number of issues with LASIK surgery over the years.
Refractive surgeons who perform LASIK use a variety of sophisticated diagnostic tools to better understand each patient’s unique situation. Doctors can then accommodate each case with a customized plan, rather than forcing every person into a standard protocol. Reading the topography of the cornea gives doctors the information they need to make these decisions.
Advancements in the procedure are producing less inflammation and fewer issues creating the flap in the cornea for patients undergoing the procedure these days. The FDA has even approved a new topography-guided ablation for minor asymmetries on corneas for patients who have not had previous surgeries.
Adequate pre-op preparation and greater precision during the procedure make LASIK a great option for patients who want to improve their vision. Palmetto Eye & Laser Center is the first private practice in the Upstate area of South Carolina to offer WaveLight® Laser Suite technology for LASIK. Contact Palmetto Eye & Laser Center using our online contact form to learn more about LASIK vision correction.
