subject: How To Determine If Laser Eye Surgery Is Right For You Tips From A Professional [print this page] Laser eye surgery has enabled millions of people to achieve clear, crisp vision without the aid of glasses or contact lenses. Refractive surgery has made it possible for a variety of visual errors, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and higher order aberrations, to be corrected efficiently and effectively with a minimal investment of time. Some people achieve better than 20/20 vision unaided. But how do you know whether laser eye surgery is right for you?
When most people think of laser eye surgery, they immediately think of LASIK. In LASIK surgery, an excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea so that the eye can more clearly process images. In order to access the underlying corneal tissue, a laser eye surgeon must create a flap in the outermost layer of the cornea using a cutting device called a microkeratome. In the case of all-laser LASIK, a laser is used to create the corneal flap. In either case, you must have sufficiently thick corneas to qualify for LASIK. Patients with thin corneas are most likely unable to undergo the LASIK procedure safely.
If an eye surgeon determines that your corneas are too thin for you to undergo LASIK, you may find that LASEK or PRK surgery is better suited to you. LASEK requires a much smaller corneal flap than LASIK, while PRK requires no corneal flap at all, but rather the complete removal of the outermost corneal layer. Both LASEK and PRK offer similar results to LASIK; however, both involve longer healing periods with a greater risk of discomfort.
Aside from corneal issues, laser eye surgery may be right for you if:
You are at least 18 years old
You have had stable vision for at least one year
You have no corneal scarring
Your eyes have been generally healthy (e.g., no infection or injury) for at least one year
