LASIK surgery is a laser vision correction procedure approved for the treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and in some cases, presbyopia correction. Before making your decision, learn about the LASIK procedure, its benefits, and its risks, and discuss any questions you have with your doctor. It can treat both myopia and hyperopia with or without astigmatism.



Questions to ask yourself: Am I a good candidate for LASIK? What are the advantages? And what are the disadvantages? Can I correct my vision problem some other way? Am I aware of complications that may arise following surgery?

LASIK represents the combination of two separate procedures: 1) making a corneal flap, and 2) sculpting the cornea under the flap with a laser. LASIK can treat both myopia and hyperopia with or without astigmatism. Patients have been treated from over 87 countries.

Though the excimer laser had been used for many years before, the development of LASIK is generally credited to Ioannis Pallikaris from Greece around 1991. Before 1999, all LASIK was performed off-label, meaning the FDA did not approve its use. This next-generation LASIK addresses underlying vision problems that previously were undetectable and untreatable.

In the United States alone, Laser surgery is performed on over a million patients every year, and it is currently the most popular refractive surgery available. If you are interested in laser vision correction, consider what surgery can do for you. Choosing the right LASIK surgeon is a critical part of any eye surgery. Your surgeon should be available to answer your surgery questions prior to the procedure.

The surgery is worthwhile for anyone who is unhappy wearing glasses or contact lenses. The surgery is best suited for healthy patients who are at least 18 years of age. The surgery may now also be an option for presbyopia correction; the surgery can correct one eye for distance vision and the other eye for close vision in a procedure known as Monovision.

At the vision correction centers, surgery begins after the patient is made comfortable with numbing anesthetic eye drops. The surgery itself is virtually painless, and results can be seen immediately. Those who found out about LASIK eye surgery open their once blurry eyes and are instantly able to see the alarm clock and the beautiful morning - no glasses and no contacts.

It's important to be aware that the surgery is not a guarantee of perfect vision, and some patients may require additional surgery to further enhance their vision. And there may be complications. We don't know the long-term effects of the surgery. However, the vast majority of patients who have undergone laser eye surgery are happy with the results. In addition to general ophthalmology care and regular eye exams, eye surgeons usually offer their patients the latest vision correction procedures, including LASIK, Custom LASIK, PRK, Intacs for Keratoconus, and Cataract Surgery.

If your vision insurance or health insurance policy or plan doesn't cover the cost of laser eye surgery or the cost of LASIK eye surgery or vision correction or any other eye procedure you need you might consider traveling to another country to get the low cost laser eye surgery you need.

LASIK eye surgery, or Laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis, has changed the way millions of Americans have viewed the world for several years now. Before making your decision, learn all you can about the procedure, its benefits, and its risks, and the cost of laser eye surgery. Discuss any questions you have with your eye doctor or laser vision surgeon.