Laser Assisted in-Situ Keratomileusis (or LASIK for short) is a procedure designed to reduce or eliminate nearsightedness or farsightedness with or without astigmatism. Nearsightedness, also called myopia, occurs when the shape of the eye is elongated so that light is focused in front of the retina (the "seeing" part of the back of the eye). Farsightedness, also called hyperopia, occurs when the shape of the eye is shortened so that light is focused behind the retina

LASIK corrects nearsightedness by flattening the cornea (the clear window in the front of the eye). It corrects farsightedness by steeping the cornea. In the first step of the procedure, a thin flap of tissue is partially lifted off the cornea with a lamellar keratome (corneal shaper). In the second step, a small amount of the cornea is ablated (vaporized) with the excimer laser under the flap. The flap is then placed back in its original position and remains in place without stitches.

LASIK was developed over 10 years ago, and more than 1 million patients have now been successfully treated. It has gained widespread acceptance and is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Who is a candidate for LASIK?

Candidates for LASIK may experience difficulty wearing glasses and contact lenses. Most people have tried contact lenses and have difficulty wearing lenses due to allergies, dryness of the eyes, astigmatism, or other irritants. Generally the best candidates have moderate to high levels of myopia (-2.00 to -14.00 diopters) or hyperopia (+1.00 to +5.00 diopters). In addition, their lifestyle or career may require good vision without the use of glasses or contact lenses to function well.

Local Ophthalmologists doing LASIK:
Valley Eye Clinic
Alexandar Eye Institute

Corneal Reshaping literature