LASIK

LASIK has been the most widely performed and accepted form of laser eye surgery since it completed U.S. clinical trials in 1991. The term LASIK stands for Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, which means, "to reshape the cornea, from within, using a laser."

During LASIK surgery, a small incision is made in the cornea to create a flap. Then, a laser beam works within the cornea to reshape it for vision correction. After the reshaping, the flap is put back into place and serves as a sort of natural bandage.

With this technique, the cornea heals more quickly and reduces your discomfort during the healing process as compared to other laser eye surgeries.

Reshaping the Cornea

While eyeglasses and contact lenses also help correct certain vision problems, they are considered vision aids, not surgical procedures. LASIK and other vision correction procedures are, in fact, designed to help you eliminate or reduce the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

You may experience nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism because your eye isn't shaped correctly. LASIK vision correction uses a laser beam to remove small amounts of tissue from the cornea to reshape it and correct the refractive error. The reshaped cornea then focuses images directly onto the retina.

The LADARVision® System is the most advanced laser surgery system for LASIK vision correction. The system also offers Customized LASIK, a type of LASIK from Alcon, that customizes the correction procedure to your vision. It corrects problems that eyeglasses, contacts, and conventional LASIK eye surgery cannot.

Like any type of surgery, the LASIK procedure has certain risks. Learn whether or not you're a good candidate for LASIK.