Understanding Lasik

What is LASIK?

LASIK, which stands for Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis, is the most popular laser refractive procedure in the world. Refractive surgery works by either reshaping the cornea, the clear window of the eye, or by implanting a prosthetic lens inside the cornea to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. At Commonwealth Eyes, we reshape the cornea with incisional techniques, surface laser ablation, or LASIK.

During the LASIK procedure, a small flap of corneal tissue about the thickness of a contact lens is created and folded back in order to expose the underlying tissue, or stroma, of the cornea. By creating the flap and keeping the overlying tissue undisturbed, the corneal immune system is essentially “fooled”, resulting in a minimal amount of inflammation and discomfort. The exposed corneal tissue is then ablated with the excimer laser in order to alter its shape. After the ablation is completed, the flap is repositioned onto the corneal surface where it seals without the need for sutures.

What to expect

LASIK procedures take approximately 10 minutes per eye and the only discomfort has been described as “moderate pressure on the eye.” Following your surgery, we ask that you protect your eyes with shields and keep them closed for the first several hours after the procedure. You will be prescribed antibiotic drops for the first 5 days after surgery.

Typically we see patients at one day, one week, three months, and thereafter as necessary. Many patients are stable at one week and sometimes do not feel the need to return for their remaining evaluations. However, each of these post-operative exams is important in tracking the healing process. This helps ensure that you achieve your visual expectations and underlines our commitment to excellent refractive surgery outcomes.

Technolas® 217z Laser Technology

At Commonwealth Eye Surgery we use only the best technology available. We have been selected by Bausch and Lomb as the Kentucky flagship for the introduction of their Technolas® 217z Excimer Laser, and was the first practice in the Commonwealth to offer flying spot technology.

By our standards the Technolas® 217z is the best laser for LASIK available today. Technolas dynamically tracks all movement of the eye 100 times per second during the procedure, virtually eliminating concerns of suboptimal treatment due to misalignment. And most impressively, the Technolas through Zyoptix software maps the unique wavefront of your eye, creating a true custom treatment pattern to maximize your visual potential.