Laser Vision Correction (Refractive Surgery) is a term given to surgical procedures designed to correct certain vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism with the use of the excimer laser.
The excimer laser is a computer controlled ultraviolet beam of
light (a cool laser beam) that sculpts the cornea by removing microscopic layers of tissue thus reshaping the cornea so that light is focused more directly on the retina, thereby reducing or eliminating a variety of refractive errors. The cornea is made flatter to treat nearsightedness, steeper to treat farsightedness and/or more spherical to correct astigmatism.
Since the invention of the excimer laser in the early 1980's, it has undergone numerous clinical trials to refine its use and determine its safety and effectiveness. The excimer laser is now routinely used around the world.
Each pulse of the laser disrupts the molecular bonds between the
corneal cells with accuracy up to 0.25 microns (or 0.00004 of an
inch) which makes it extremely accurate and precise. The more tissue removed, the more the refractive power of the cornea is altered. Often, only 50 microns of tissue, i.e., about the thickness of a human hair, are removed to achieve the proper amount of correction. Its accuracy, combined with the non-thermal characteristics, provide refractive surgeons with a tool that can deliver more consistent and predictable results.
Presently the Excimer Laser is widely used for two refractive procedures; LASIK (by far the most common procedure being performed) and PRK. Both procedures are done under a topical anesthetic (numbing drops).
