Laser Eye Surgery

The eye doctors at Sugar Land TSO have extensive experience in the pre-operative assessent and post-operative care of LASIK procedures. These days LASIK is head and shoulders above other vision-correcting procedures in popularity, but there are other refractive surgery options as well. We will help you find the ideal solution and partner with the best surgeon to perform your procedure.

LASIK Basics

LASIK which some people erroneously call “LASIX” is short for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.” Why is it so popular? LASIK has advantages over other vision correction procedures, including a relative lack of pain afterward and the fact that good vision without glasses or contact lenses is usually achieved by the very next day.

An instrument called a microkeratome is used in LASIK eye surgery to create a thin, circular flap in the cornea. Another, newer way of making the flap is with a laser.

The surgeon folds the hinged flap back out of the way, then removes some corneal tissue underneath using an excimer laser. The excimer laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove (“ablate”) very tiny bits of tissue from the cornea to reshape it.

When the cornea is working properly, it focuses light that enters the eye to a point on the retina, providing clearer eyesight. The cornea’s function is dependent upon its shape. Refractive errors including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can all be treated with LASIK. For nearsighted people, the cornea is too steep, so the surgeon will flatten the front portion; in farsightedness, the goal is to create a steeper sloped cornea; astigmatism is corrected by smoothing it to a more normal shape.

For more information about LASIK, PRK, Corneal Transplants and other treatment options, talk to your optometrist at Sugar Land Texas State Optical.