How laser eye surgery works
Lasik laser eye surgery
In all-laser Wavefront Lasik a thin flap is made on the surface of the cornea with a femtosecond laser by focusing thousands of tiny laser spots inside the cornea, the spots joining to create a perfect continuous cut. The flap is lifted and the cornea tissue underneath reshaped with an excimer laser. This laser emits short wavelength ultraviolet light that has the property of breaking the bonds between the molecules of the cornea. The excimer laser reshapes the cornea, altering its focusing power to correct the eye’s refractive error. For example in short sight the cornea is flattened to reduce its power. Lasik is quick and visual recovery painless and rapid. It treats short and long sight, astigmatism and wavefront abnormalities and sometimes reading glasses.
Lasek laser eye surgery
Wavefront Lasek is an advanced surface laser treatment. No flap is created. Instead the fine surface layer of the cornea is loosened and folded back. Excimer laser is applied to the cornea underneath to reshape it and the surface layer is then replaced. Lasek is simpler than Lasik as no initial flap is required. It is ideal for smaller prescriptions and people with thinner corneas, although the eye is uncomfortable for a few days afterward and visual recovery is slower than with Lasik. Lasek treats short and long sight, astigmatism and wavefront abnormalities and sometimes reading glasses.
My patients’ story
This lady was very short sighted with some astigmatism. Her glasses prescription was right eye: -7.00/- 1.00×10 and left eye: -6.50/-0.50×150. She had bilateral all-laser Lasik customised using the Wavefront Optimised platform for maximum quality of vision.
She says :