If you are considering having laser eye treatment then it’s important that you understand the differences between the 2 most popular procedures which are Lasik and Lasek. In some instances your laser eye surgeon may insist that you are only suitable for either Lasik or Lasek based on the findings of the tests carried out during your laser eye surgery consultation. In this situation, you have no option but to go with the procedure that is advised by your surgeon. However, if you are suitable for both types of laser eye treatment, then it is important to understand the key differences between the 2 techniques so you can make an informed decision.

Lasik and Lasek are both types of laser eye treatment and involve reshaping the surface of your eye (cornea) to eliminate the prescription in your glasses or contact lenses. The reason you need glasses in the first place is because the light entering your eye is not focussed precisely onto the retina, which is what is required for perfect vision. If you are long sighted, the light entering your eyes falls behind your retina, whereas if you are short sighted the light entering your eye falls in front of your retina. Both Lasek and Lasik reshape the surface of the eye to ensure that the light is refocused permanently onto the retina.

The key difference between the 2 techniques is the way in which the surgeon accesses the part of your cornea which is to be lasered. During the Lasik procedure, your surgeon creates a flap (thin layer of cornea) using a micro-keratome (surgical blade) thus enabling the surgeon access to the inner layers of your cornea that need to be lasered during the Lasik surgery.

There is however no flap created during the Lasek procedure. Instead, the epithelium (outer corneal layer) is loosened with alcohol and then gently moved to the side. This enables the surgeon access to the inner layers of your cornea that are to be lasered during the Lasek eye surgery. This layer is then replaced back over the eye and smoothed over.

The vast majority of people choose to have Lasik (7x more popular than Lasek) and this is primarily due to the fact that the recovery period following surgery is much quicker when compared with Lasek. Most people can return to work and normal activities the day following Lasik surgery, whereas with Lasek it can be up to 1 week. There is also more discomfort involved with the Lasek procedure which is another reason people usually choose Lasik. People involved in extremely physical jobs or who play contact sports are usually advised to have Lasek. The reason for this is that your cornea is slightly weakened during Lasik as a result of the creation of the flap. There is no flap created during Lasik meaning there is no weakening of the eye.

In summary, Lasik eye surgery is the most common procedure, mainly due to the quick and painless recovery procedure. Lasek may be advisable in certain situations but this will be discussed with you by your laser eye surgeon.

What is a Laser?

LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The first word is a good place to begin. A laser is a light. Not a light like the one in your living room, but a special kind of light. It has unique qualities.

Monochromaticity - A laser has only one wavelength or color. A regular light bulb has a range of wavelengths.

Directionality - A laser has a narrow beam which does not diverge. Compare a laser pointer with a regular flashlight.

Intensity - A laser is an extremely powerful light. A simple laser can produce light which is a hundred times more intense than sunlight.

These properties make the laser useful in light shows, war games, and incidentally, health care. Within medicine, lasers were first adapted for eye surgery.

The Excimer Laser

Lasers are differentiated from each other by the wavelength of their light beam. A laser generated from krypton gas produces light with a wavelength of 647 nanometers (nm). This wavelength falls within the visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation and is seen as red. An argon laser which is used in retinal surgery has a wavelength of 514 nm and is green. A holmium:YAG laser with a wavelength of 2.13 micrometers is useful in the treatment of hyperopia.

The excimer laser uses a combination of argon and fluoride gases to produce radiation in the ultraviolet range (193nm) which is invisible to the naked eye. This laser light has the ability to break molecular bonds in a process called photoablation.

In 1983, it was first realized that this laser could be useful for corneal surgery. Why? Because this laser was different. Unlike other lasers, the excimer had the ability to remove corneal tissue with a high degree of precision, and equally important, without causing thermal damage to the remaining tissue. Sculpting of the cornea entered into the realm of possibility.

It is difficult, yet desirable, to comprehend the degree of precision exhibited by the excimer laser. A millimeter is one thousandth of a meter or four hundredths of an inch. A micron, or micrometer, is one thousandth of a millimeter. That is, one millionth of a meter. For the sake of comparison, a potato chip is about 500 microns thick, a human hair is about 50 microns thick and a single red blood cell is seven microns in diameter. The excimer laser has the ability to sculpt the cornea within a fraction of a micron.

Advocates of laser eye surgery point out that the steadiest hands in the world cannot even approach that level of surgical precision.

There are other kinds of lasers on the horizon which act in a similar fashion to the excimer. The light from these solid state lasers is produced from a crystal, whereas the excimer beam is created from a gas. Technically, solid state lasers are not excimer lasers, but that’s a whole new area to explore.

Recovery period after LASIK surgery is fast but important, especially in its early stage. A good eye recovery is the main advantage of LASIK surgery and it can guarantee the patients to resume their work as earlier as possible as a result of the benefits of a successful surgery.

The short recovery time is mainly due to the particular type of surgical intervention. Most LASIK surgery will use the advanced laser technology. The laser burns the tissue in the inner part of the stroma without having to cut the tissue in other surgeries. The cutting process only takes 8-10 minutes. In that case, the substances are not really injured and the healing requires no long time.

Generally speaking, the proper recovery time is usually 48 hours, though the patients will be asked to be also careful for the remaining two days. Complications after LASIK surgery can be preventable with proper precautions.

6 tips on how to do eye care for a quick recovery is given in the following.

1. An eye shield is needed to prevent the eye infection.

2. Itching or rubbing on eyes should be completely avoided during the first 7 days.

3. Be careful when you are in shower. Do not let water strike your eyes directly and escape from soap and shampoo in the eyes. It is better to have less baths during the first week after surgery.

4. An intended medicinal product is intended for recovery, Use of antibiotics, steroids and other drugs are required to prevent dry eyes.

5. Light exercises are recommendable, but be sure to avoid any vigorous exercise as the sweat is harmful to your eyes, especially the sports like boxing and karate.

6. Do not work very hard in the first few days to give a rest to your eyes.

The syndromes like ghosts, halos, starburst regular or irregular astigmatism after surgery are all common complications in the period of the first few weeks to six months because the complications can be gradually solved and finally disappear. However, if the complications still exist after six months, you have to go to your doctor for a further examination.

Remember one sentence that carelessness is the killer of eyes during the recovery period after LASIK surgery, so be cautious to do the eye care to ensure a brighter vision.

There are 24.6 million LASIK surgeries performed worldwide and an estimated number of over one million LASIK procedures performed annually in the USA alone. With the prevalence and increasing popularity of LASIK to improve and correct vision, and with a high satisfaction rate for those who underwent the procedure, you may find yourself asking – am I a good candidate for it?

Good candidates for the LASIK procedure are people who are over 18 years of age and have stable prescription glasses or contact lenses for two years. Surgeons want to find out if you have stable vision since people aged 18 and younger have visions that are still developing. Another criteria would be having vision problems such as near-sightedness (myopia), far-sightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism or any combination of these with low or moderated degrees of refractive error. People who want to be free from using contact lenses and glasses, and have realistic expectations of surgery results are also good candidates.

Patients with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s disease, HIV, AIDS, lupus, or other chronic diseases are not good candidates. The same is true for people taking certain medications such as steroids, retinoic acid since they may also impair wound healing and affect the outcome of the surgery.

This procedure is not for women who are pregnant or breast-feeding. Pregnant women have fluctuating hormones which causes increased retention of body fluids that may change the shape of your cornea and temporarily change your vision. After surgery, patients are often required to take antibiotics and other medications to promote healing and prevent infections. These medications when ingested by women who are either pregnant or breastfeeding may harm or pose risks to their babies.

Another criteria worth mentioning is to find out if you have sufficient corneal thickness and pupil size. The surgeon would need to cut out a flap of your cornea to sculpt it so having sufficient thickness is important since operating on thin corneas may cause blindness complications. Pupil size is also important in order to help the surgeon plan the corrective procedure better and also to take into consideration your night vision after LASIK surgery. Patients with dry eyes should not undergo this procedure since LASIK may worsen your condition.

Not everyone is eligible to undergo LASIK. Patients should consult their doctors first for potential risks and complications before undergoing any procedure. It also wise to learn more about the procedure itself, the outcomes, short term and long term complications, risks and benefits of this procedure. Lastly, get a list of reputable surgeons who have competency and adequate experience of performing this procedure.