Before you know what Lasik is, you need to understand essentially how the eye functions:
Our eye works just like a camera, with the front glass of our eye called the cornea, bending the light rays inwards and the light getting fine focused with the help of a lens on the camera film called the retina. Finally, the fibres from the film/retina make a wire/ optic nerve that takes all the signals from the camera (eye) to the computer (brain).
If the eyeball is longer or shorter than normal or the shape of the cornea is deviant from normal, a person needs to wear glasses or contact lenses to help focus the light on the eye camera film (retina).
We can’t change the length of the eyeball, but we can surely remove glasses by working on the cornea or on the lens. The process by which the shape of the cornea is remodelled so that you don’t need glasses anymore is called Lasik.
Laser in-situ keratomileusis or Lasik eye surgery corrects refractive errors. Lasik surgery altogether eliminates the necessity of spectacles or corrective lenses.
What are the different kinds of refractive errors?
There are four types of refractive errors
For people with myopia, distant objects seem blurry, while nearby objects appear to be clearer. It happens because of the mismatch in focusing power and eye length.
- Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
It is a common vision problem in which people see distant objects clearly, but objects nearby may seem blurry. This condition is also known as farsightedness.
This happens when the cornea flattens or curves unevenly. It disrupts the focus of both near and distant vision. Many people suffer from a combination of myopia, hyperopia with astigmatism. hyperopia with astigmatism.
It refers to long-sightedness caused by the loss of elasticity of the eye lens generally occurring in the middle and old age. It is also called the ‘Aging Eye’ condition.
Types of laser Refractive surgery
1. Surface laser treatments
There are three kinds of advanced surface ablation refractive surgery; PRK, Lasek and Epi Lasek. All of these techniques use an excimer laser to alter the shape of the cornea from the front surface. Advanced surface ablation does not involve creating a flap and preserves more tissue.
- It can be an option for people with thin corneas
- Useful for those having corneal scars
- Useful for low levels of correction
- Longer recovery
- Can be discomforting
Before Lasik surgery was developed, surgeons performed photorefractive keratectomy or PRK. Photorefractive keratectomy is a first-generation laser refractive surgery where a manual instrument is used to remove the outer layer of your cornea, called the epithelium. Then, an excimer laser is used to reshape your cornea so that your vision is improved.
2. Lasik surgery
Lasik surgery involves creating a thin flap on the cornea (front clear glass-like dome of the eye) with a femtosecond laser or microkeratome. This exposes the underlying corneal tissue. Then, Lasik specialists use an excimer laser to reshape the cornea in a unique pattern for each patient. Post-surgery, light rays bend appropriately and focus on the sensitive film of the eye called the retina. The result is a sharper and clearer vision.
Blade Lasik surgery
Blade Lasik surgery, also known as traditional Lasik, uses a microkeratome blade to cut a flap into the cornea. Then, Lasik specialists lift the flap to allow lasers to reshape the cornea. The extreme sharpness of the microkeratome blade helps the corneal flap to fit back in place allowing the eyes to heal.
Blade vs Bladeless Lasik
Pros and cons of traditional Lasik (Blade Lasik)
- The traditional method or blade Lasik is being performed for more than 30 years now
- Cost effective
- Pros and cons of bladeless Lasik (laser created flaps)
- Laser created flaps are more predictable and have consistent thickness throughout
- Offers the lowest risk for flap complications, including decreased risk of corneal abrasions
- Good options for patients with thinner or more curved corneas
- Rarely requires subsequent touch up surgery
3. ReLex SMILE surgery
During this eye surgery, surgeons do not make any flap and remove a thin layer of the cornea with a specialized and most advanced laser eye surgery system called SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction). With advanced technology in place, laser operation for eyes is considered as the best option for treating all kinds of refractive errors.
4. Presbyond or laser blended vision
Presbyond laser blended vision is a treatment for people who have an age-related vision disorder, known as presbyopia. As we age, the natural lens of our eyes starts losing its flexibility. It results in the loss of our ability to near-focus.
Presbyond laser treatment is suitable for people suffering from presbyopia. It is primarily used to compensate for reading glasses, though it can also be combined with correction for refractive errors like shortsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Many patients above the age of forty consider going for presbyond laser blended vision while going for any laser vision correction.
Presbyond laser treatment procedure
Before starting with the treatment, the patients eyes are numbed using anaesthetic eye drops. A lid speculum is fitted to keep the eyes open and stop it from blinking. A vacuum ring is placed over your eye while a femtosecond laser creates a tiny corneal flap. Then, the flap is lifted, and the exposed cornea gets treated with the excimer laser. The flap is repositioned, and the procedure is repeated for the other eye.
Benefits of Presbyond laser treatment
Works like Lasik
Presbyond laser treatment is an advanced form of Lasik vision correction. It uses a well-established procedure with proven long term results.
Presbyond laser treatment is always tailor-made based on an individuals requirements
Minimally invasive and offers quick recovery:
People who have undergone presbyond laser treatment can experience clear vision within 48 hours after the procedure.
Am I a suitable candidate for Femto Lasik?
- To undergo Femto Lasik, the candidate should be:
- Between 18-50 years of age
- Your refractive error should be stable for at least a year
- Having refractive error between -12 and +6 D
- Have a healthy cornea
- Not be pregnant or nursing
- Not having autoimmune diseases
- Advantages of Femto Lasik
Bladeless Lasik
- Femto Lasik (Bladeless Lasik) surgery is safe
- Eyes do not get in contact with the blade
- Femto laser eye surgery (Bladeless Lasik) surgery uses a femtosecond laser that is entirely monitored by the computer
- Femto Lasik (Bladeless Lasik) surgery is more accurate
- Femto laser eye surgery (Bladeless Lasik) is more accurate as the laser can be precisely focused.
- The beam work of the laser can be observed and controlled
- Femto Lasik (Bladeless Lasik) surgery is fast
- The measurement of the flap is easily manageable, according to the patient's particularities
- The laser process takes 15-20 seconds and the whole procedure is over in less than 15 minutes
- SMILE Vision Correction For Spectacle Removal
What is SMILE eye surgery?
Small Incision Lenticule Extraction or SMILE laser eye surgery is a blade-free laser vision correction procedure that does not require corneal flap.
ReLex SMILE eye surgery (a laser operation for eyes) is a fully automated next-generation procedure that gives long-lasting and stable results.
Choose SMILE Lasik eye procedure if you want laser vision correction procedure to be:
| All Laser |
Parameters |
SMILE |
| Bladeless |
Incision size |
2mm - Keyhole Surgery |
| Flapless |
Dry eye |
Less to no dry eye in comparison with Lasik |
| Minimally invasive |
Long term stability of correction |
Higher |
| Keyhole surgery |
Need for treatment |
Lesser |
| Safe and painless |
Ease for treatment |
Yes |
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Treatment option |
Myopia (Minus power) |
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Astigmatism (Cylindrical power) |
What is Contoura & Personalised LASIK?
Personalized Lasik is a bladeless procedure that utilizes a more customized technology called wavescan that measures the aberrations unique to an eye. This personalized/customized treatment creates a 3-D image of the eye.
Contoura vision utilises the shape of the cornea also known as topography for personalisation but still uses the excimer laser only. It creates a flap of 22 mm cut size thus coming with potential disadvantages of flap related problems and dry eyes, unlike SMILE, which works on the most advanced femtosecond laser platform. Corneal topography maps the curve of your eye, showing issues like swelling, scarring, or astigmatism. Hence contoura may have certain advantages only in corneas that are irregular or scarred, but does not carry advantage in routine refractive error (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism) correction.
This personalized treatment has been around for a decade and continues to be marketed in different avatars like "Contoura Lasik." The treatment, however, requires a flap & hence carries the same safety profile as Lasik.
If you have a thin cornea or a high refractive error and you have been pronounced unfit for LASIK surgery as a corrective procedure. Then don't despair: the Implantable Collamer Lenses technology is the ideal solution for you.
ICL or IPCL or Phakic IOL is a state-of-the-art intraocular lens suitable for all, especially for candidates deemed unfit for other cornea-based refractive surgeries wherein an ultra-thin Contact lens like specialized lens is implanted inside the eye.
Candidates for ICL/IPCL
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- Refractive error from as low as -0.5D to -20-D which should be stable
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- Candidate unsuitable for Lasik
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Phakic Lenses (ICl/IPCL)
ICL or Implantable Collamer Lenses and IPCL or Implantable Phakic Collamer lenses are both available in Spherical and Toric forms thereby correcting all possible refractive errors.
These lenses are placed inside the eye positioned between the iris and natural lens. Spherical ICL correct refractive errors ranging from -3-0D to -20. OD and Toric ICL can correct up to -3.0D to -23.0D and +1to +6.0D of cylinder/astigmatism as well.
Before The Procedure
Your surgeon needs to take precise measurements of your eye in order to identify the perfect fit lens to be placed. In some patients, a laser procedure is known as PI (Peripheral Iridotomy) may be needed to be performed prior to the Surgery to avoid any possibility of raised intraocular pressure.
With the latest technology, this is largely circumvented. Also, the surgeon would prescribe certain prophylactic antibiotics for a few days prior to surgery.
During the Procedure
It is important that you do not drive yourself home so make arrangements before the day of surgery.
Prior to implantation, you will receive topical anesthetic drops to minimize discomfort. Your surgeon may also administer a sedative. Then, the doctor will create two micro openings in the edge of your cornea that will be used to position the lens. The next step is the injection of the lens. The lens is folded and loaded into a small cartridge which will now be placed through the last opening. As the lens is injected, it will gently unfold in your eye. Special marks on the lens ensure proper positioning.
That’s it-the procedure takes about 15 minutes!
Because the opening is microscopic, it will recover naturally in a very short period without needling any sutures. A few hours after the procedure you will be able to leave the hospital
After Surgery
To complete the procedure, the surgeon will instill eye drops which help prevent infection and inflammation. You will continue to use these drops for several days once you are home.
DO NOT rub your eyes especially for the first 3 to 5 days.
If you experience pain or notice any sudden decrease in vision, you should contact your doctor immediately. Then your only instructions are to check-in for eye exams on a routine basis.
FAQ
What are the risks associated with Lasik laser eye surgery or Lasik surgery?
| Risks associated with Lasik laser eye surgery (Lasik surgery) are: |
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- Complaints of glare, double vision, and halos
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Is Lasik surgery procedure painful?
The procedure for Lasik surgery is performed with topical drop anaesthesia and is almost painless. Patients can walk in and out of the operation theatre in a few minutes. Centre for Sight provides one of the best laser eye surgeries in India.
What if laser eye surgery goes incorrect?
Albeit rarely so, but if the laser removes too much/too little tissue from your eye, you will not get clear vision results you were hoping for. A repeat Lasik surgery procedure can correct this after the eye heals fully.
How much time does it take to have a clear vision post Lasik laser eye surgery or Lasik surgery?
Most of the blurriness goes away by about the next day, though the clarity gradually increases over a couple of days after the Lasik surgery procedure. Call us to know anything about the best laser eye surgery.
Aftercare and recovery post Lasik laser eye surgery (Lasik surgery)
| • Cover your eyes with dark glasses just after the surgery is done. It will prevent you from inadvertently rubbing your eyes. |
| • Your eyes will be re-examined before you leave to ensure that the flaps are fine. |
| • Arrange someone to take you home as immediate driving is not advised. |
| • Take eye-drops and follow, do/don’ts as advised by the doctor. |
| • Do visit the doctor as you will be reviewed soon (a day or two) after surgery and periodically after that. Your vision will be evaluated, and corneal shape measured. |
Why can Lasik laser eye surgery (Lasik surgery) be better than contact lenses?
| Lasik laser eye surgery (Lasik surgery) can be better than contact lenses in the number of ways: |
- Lasik laser vision correction provides a long-term solution to the problem, whereas contact lenses offer a temporary way to live with the refractive error. Also, the long term cost-benefit ratio also gets skewed towards even the most expensive form of Refractive surgery than contact lenses.
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- Laser vision correction procedures allow people to see without any visual aids, whereas contact lenses need to be maintained, replaced, and taken care of in general.
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- Contact lenses increase the risk of eye infections and corneal ulcers, while LASIK doesn’t come along with these risks.
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Can you blink during LASIK surgery?
During the surgery, Lasik laser eye specialists put a speculum on the eyes to prevent blinking. Your eyes are anaesthetized before the surgery and then prevented from blinking or closing with the help of a speculum.
Can I watch TV or use mobile phone post-Lasik laser eye surgery or post-Lasik surgery?
Post-LASIK laser eye surgery (Post LASIK Surgery), you can watch TV or use a mobile phone, but you will feel uncomfortable for the first few days. It may be better to initially restrict viewing hours basis your comfort and doctor’s advice.
Can I see immediately after Lasik laser eye surgery?
Yes, you can see post-LASIK surgery, but the vision will be blurred it clears up within hours.
Can I bathe after the Lasik surgery procedure?
Yes, but it is advised to take a below-the-neck bath after Lasik surgery. Laser operation for eyes is sensitive; hence all precautions should be taken so that the patient gets the expected results.
When is Lasik eye surgery procedure not recommended?
Certain health conditions increase the risk of the laser eye surgery procedure. Eye specialists won’t recommend Lasik eye surgery if you have:
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- Eyelid disorders, eye injuries, inflammation of the cornea
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- Recent changes in vision due to pregnancy, hormonal changes, medications, etc.
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What is Contoura Lasik?
- Contoura LASIK is also a type of laser eye operation that is very useful in corneas with high irregularity.
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- It has gained popularity for the reasons that it does not use any blades during the procedure, just as in Femto Lasik or Lasik procedures.
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- It uses an all-laser technique.
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- It may offer some advantage in irregular corneas for personalizing the treatment.
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- It however requires the creation of a corneal flap, and is not a flapless
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