LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Explained


Laser Eye Surgery in the UK

To find out whether you are suitable for laser eye surgery or to get a quote, please complete the form on the right hand side and then click the send button. An advisor will contact you.


LasikFor decades, people have been using spectacles and contact lenses to correct problems with vision. This all changed with the advent of LASIK – Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. Now people affected with vision defects can get corrective surgery, allowing them to be free of corrective eye wear.

LASIK eye surgery is the most common type of refractive laser eye surgery. It comprises 2 stages, the first produces a flap in the cornea, or front of the eye. The second part involves using a type of laser known as an eximer to vaporise part of the underlying tissue. This re-shapes the cornea, correcting the problem with vision.

The predecessor to LASIK was PRK (photorefractive keratectomy). This involved virtually the same procedure as LASIK, just minus the flap producing part. In essence, the front covering of the cornea, the epithelium, was removed. This would inevitably grow back, needing another round of PRK at a later stage. Eventually, LASIK was developed to overcome this problem. By introducing a flap into the cornea, the tissue removed below it would not grow back, permanently correcting the visual defect.

Initially, the best method for producing a corneal flap was a microkeratome. This is a very fine razorblade that vibrates and cuts fairly precisely. This became known as ALK or Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty and involved the use of a microkeratome not only to produce a flap, but also to remodel the cornea itself. Even though fairly good visual outcomes were achieved, it lacked the precision remodelling that was required for excellent outcomes.

When trying to find a better remodelling tool, it was noticed that a laser could provide a high level of precision, whilst still being relatively easy to use. The combination of microkeratome and laser use became known as LASIK eye surgery.

Recent advents in the field of laser technology have allowed eye surgeons to completely remove microkeratomes from the procedure. Nowadays, a special type of laser known as a femtosecond laser is used. This emits a pulse of light over a very short space of time, which is enough to cut a flap in the corneal tissue. Not only is the laser quicker, but it provides much more accurate cuts than a microkeratome, in a fraction of the time. Overall

LASIK has become a valuable tool, not only correcting the patient’s vision, but also decreasing pain and recovery times associated with corrective eye surgery.  If you are considering laser eye surgery you should book an opticians eye test or contact your nearest laser eye surgery clinic.

7th July 2009

<<<more laser eye surgery news


Laser Eye Surgery Enquiry Form

Complete this form if you would like information about laser eye surgery including costs & suitablity.