Lasik

Understanding how refractive surgery improves vision requires a basic understanding of refractive errors and how the eye focuses light. When light reaches a curved surface it bends. This process of bending light is called refraction. The two main refractive surfaces of the eye are the cornea, the outer surface of the eye and the lens, inside the eye. These two curved surfaces along with other internal structures of the eye, work together to focus light onto the retina in the back of the eye. Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, which provides most of the focusing power of the eye. Light then travels through the lens where it is fine-tuned to focus properly on the retina. If light does not focus directly on the retina, the eye will be either nearsighted, farsighted or astigmatic depending on the location of that focus. These problems are called refractive errors.

If a person has a refractive error, then light is not properly focusing on the retina in the back of the eye. People who have refractive errors may wish to consider LASIK as an alternative to wearing corrective lenses. LASIK is a surgical procedure that corrects refractive errors by changing the shape of the cornea, and thus the way the eye focuses light internally. The goal of LASIK is to reduce or eliminate a person's Dependence on eyeglasses or contact lenses. Although LASIK cannot guarantee 20/20 vision for every patient, it can significantly improve eyesight and generally eliminate the need for corrective lenses for distance activities.