Laser eye surgery is one of the most popular eye surgeries used to correct vision permanently. Specifically, it is an irreversible procedure that will permanently alter the curvature of your cornea. Some of the more common types of laser eye surgeries include PRK, LASIK, or LASEK. For all these procedures, the surgeon uses a laser beam to reshape the cornea and improve the eye's ability to focus. Before discussing these procedures, let us briefly explain some general vision problems.

In the normal eye, light rays pass through the cornea at the front of the eye and the lens behind it focuses them as a sharp image onto the retina at the back. When the cornea or eye is misshapen, however, we see a distorted or blurred image, referred to as a refractive error. The most common errors are:

An ophthalmologist (ophthalmic surgeon) performs the laser eye surgery, most commonly in a laser eye clinic, with a computer-controlled laser that uses pulses of ultraviolet light to reshape the corneal surface — flattening it in short-sighted people, sculpting a steeper curve if you’re far-sighted and evening the curve out to correct astigmatism. Ophthalmologists are registered medical doctors who assess eyes, diagnose diseases, prescribe corrective devices and carry out medical and surgical procedures. However, they need no formal training to do laser eye surgery.

Let us discuss some common laser eye procedures.

LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis)

This laser eye procedure is used for treating astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness. The surgeon cuts a tiny flap in the outer layer of the cornea so a laser can reshape the tissue underneath, before the flap is placed back over the treated area. The flap is either cut with a miniature scalpel or created ‘blade-free’ with a fast, computer-guided femtosecond laser, which is also called by its brand name, IntraLase. This procedure usually takes about one minute per eye. Currently, LASIK is the most popular procedure and your eyes should feel fairly comfortable the day after surgery, when you can probably resume normal activities.

PRK (photorefractive keratectomy)

This type of laser eye surgery is used to treat mild to moderate farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism. The outer layer of the cornea is reshaped in order to correct vision. The laser is treated to the surface of the eye that entails no flap creation. The surgeon instead scrapes off a portion of the very top corneal layer — it’ll grow back naturally — before reshaping the surface with a laser. The surgery generally lasts less than a minute. PRK is a simpler procedure than LASIK with a lower potential for complications and was the most common technique before LASIK gained popularity during the last decade.

LASEK (laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis) and EpiLASIK (using a finer tool)

A LASEK eye surgery is a modified and refined procedure based on PRK, where the top layer of the cornea is pushed aside during the surgery and replaced afterwards to preserve more corneal tissue. However, both procedures still involve laser surgery on the surface of the cornea, not inside the eye, as with LASIK. It is used mostly for patients with thin corneas, for whom a LASIK procedure will be more risky. This type of eye surgery can have some side effects, such as a slightly longer healing period with more discomfort.

Wavefront-guided technology

The latest development in laser eye surgery that can be used with both types of procedure and has the potential to improve the quality of vision, especially when correcting larger refractive errors. It involves taking a detailed scan of the eye that’ll reveal all its refractive errors and programming this information into the laser, which can then deliver a more tailored treatment.

While many surgeons would always choose laser procedures and the most advanced technologies, some still advise a few patients with specific eye conditions to have a non-laser surgery instead. All eye surgeries have possible side effects and involve certain risks, so you should consult a physician to explain to you the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure.

With that in mind, if you’d like to consult with a laser eye surgeon in your nearest area thereafter, please choose to your left. Your surgeon will work with you to determine how you can achieve the best vision results while outlining all options and costs.

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