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LASIK in Cleveland
Laser in Situ Keratomileusis

Have you ever wondered what it would be
like to see without your glasses or contacts?

The most popular vision correction procedure in the Cleveland are and throughout the US is LASIK, or Laser in Situ Keratomileusis. LASIK is a virtually painless outpatient procedure that takes only minutes per eye to perform. Because of the laser's incredible precision, LASIK can be used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. It can even improve vision in people with extremely high prescriptions.

During your LASIK procedure, your Cleveland LASIK surgeon will use a state-of-the-art laser to reshape the cornea (the clear surface on the front of the eye) so your eye can focus light naturally on the retina. Almost all patients notice an improvement in their vision immediately, and most return to their normal activities the very next day. After laser vision correction, nearly all patients achieve sight within 1 to 2 lines of 20/20 vision on an eye chart. In most cases, they are able to drive, play sports, watch movies and do all the things they love-without glasses or contact lenses.

Understanding The Eye

How LASIK Works

Surgery & Results

Understanding The Eye
The key to understanding LASIK is to understand how the eye works. Sharp, clear vision is the result of light rays passing through the cornea, pupil and lens and focusing directly upon the retina. If the cornea is not round, or it is too steep or too flat in relation to the length of the eye, light rays focus either in front of or behind the retina resulting in "refractive errors" such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Many people who have refractive errors place contact lenses on their eyes to improve the way the cornea focuses light. LASIK is just another way of improving the way the cornea focuses light. Click here for more in-depth information on How the Eye Works

How LASIK Works
LASIK uses a cool laser light to reshape the cornea to your prescription. LASIK combines the lifting of a protective flap with the precision and accuracy of laser technology. First, the eye is numbed using "eye drop" anesthesia. A small instrument is then placed between the eyelids to prevent blinking during the procedure. Next, a small, hinged flap is made in the cornea using an instrument called a microkeratome. During this process, some patients report feeling pressure, but no pain. The flap is lifted back, and the laser is used to reshape the cornea, according to the patient's eye prescription. A microscopic amount of corneal tissue is altered to change the cornea's shape, allowing light rays to focus more directly on the retina. During the re-shaping, which usually lasts less than a minute, the patient is asked to look directly at the laser's fixation light. Once the re-shaping is complete, the thin flap is folded back into place and smoothed down over the cornea. It bonds securely, without the need for stitches. After the procedure, some patients report watery eyes or an itchy sensation, which usually goes away within 12 to 24 hours

Surgery & Results

Before Surgery
Before your surgery day, your Cleveland LASIK doctor will go over everything you need to know about the procedure, so you know exactly what to expect. Your eyes will be thoroughly tested to determine if you are a good candidate for surgery and just how well LASIK will improve your vision. Your Cleveland LASIK doctor may decide that you are a better candidate for one of the other procedures he performs. The day of your LASIK procedure, your Cleveland LASIK doctor may recommend that you have been out of soft contacts for several days and hard contacts or gas permeable lenses for three weeks. Although the procedure itself only takes a few minutes, you will be at the center for about two hours. The doctor will put a few numbing drops in each eye. Some patients also choose to have valium prior to the procedure to help them relax.

During Surgery
On your surgery day, you will need to bring a friend to drive you home after the procedure. During the actual procedure, your Cleveland LASIK surgeon will put numbing drops in your eye so you will feel no discomfort, and proceed to explain each step of the surgery. In just minutes, your LASIK procedure is complete!

After Surgery
So now that you’re done with surgery, its time to sit back and relax. You will need to have someone drive you home, as the eyes will take a short time to fully heal. You will need a long nap after surgery to let the eyes heal, and you should be enjoying your clear vision almost immediately. The day following surgery, we’ll schedule you for a follow-up examination to make sure everything is healing correctly. You will be examined at regular follow up visits to make sure you are doing the very best possible. You will need to wear an eye shield while sleeping for the next few days.

Your Results
You will notice dramatic visual results within the first 24 hours following LASIK. It may take an additional day or two to be able to resume all of your regular activities. While LASIK has been extremely successful in improving patients' vision, it is important to keep in mind that results may vary from patient to patient. In the event that optimum results were not achieved with the procedure, our Cleveland LASIK surgeon offers enhancements should any additional correction be necessary.

If you’ve ever wondered what life would be like without glasses or contacts, find out more about improving your vision with LASIK.

Click Here for a list of internet resources on vision correction

Click Here for information on the major risks and benefits of vision correction.

For more information on what LASIK and other vision correction
procedures can do for you, Contact a Cleveland eye surgeon

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