The two most common vision problems are myopia, which is nearsightedness, and hyperopia, which is farsightedness.Some people experience both, which usually requires the aid of bifocal or trifocal lenses to correct.Myopia and hyperopia may also be accompanied by astigmatism.
Let us first review how the eye works so that we can understand what needs to be corrected when a vision problem exists.The human eye works in much the same way as the average camera.Light passes through a lens system and back onto the film.The cornea, which is at the front of the eye, is similar to the lens in a camera.The retina, at the back of the eye, is similar to the film in a camera.When vision is normal, the light rays of an image are able to pass through the cornea and focus directly on the retina in order to produce an image that is clear.
Myopia exists in an eye when the light rays that pass through the cornea do not focus on the retina itself but rather in front of it.This allows the individual to see clearly objects that are close but not far away.
Hyperopia exists when the light rays do not focus at all before they reach the retina.The result then is that hyperopic patients can only focus clearly on objects that are far away.Corrective options for both myopia and hyperopia patients normally include the use of contacts or eyeglasses.
In an individual suffering from astigmatism, the light rays in the eye form a line across the retina rather than converging into a single point.Different types of astigmatism include regular, irregular, and mixed astigmatism.
With today’s medical advancements, laser vision correction may be an option for those who suffer from myopia and hyperopia, with or without astigmatism.Surgical procedures such as PRK, LASIK, LASEK, clear lens extraction, and others are approved for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration for laser vision correction.
In PRK, LASIK, and LASEK an excimer laser is used to precisely remove tiny bits of tissue from the cornea in order to reshape it into a more normal configuration that will allow light rays to focus on the retina correctly.
Each type of laser vision correction surgery, or refractive surgery, involves a slightly different process, equipment, and surgical skill level.The difference in cost may also be a factor for the patient looking into refractive surgery, though there are many financial payment options available for laser vision correction.
It is important to understand that not everyone is a good candidate for laser vision correction.Surgical consultation is the first step to determining if you are a good candidate for surgery, and to determine which surgical procedure is right for you.
Laser vision correction is still a relatively new procedure and therefore new advancements are being made.The addition of new and improved lasers and other specialized equipment is keeping the cost of laser vision correction on average around $2000 per eye, though there are many factors that influence the cost of surgery.
A more important consideration than cost when deciding to have laser vision correction is in choosing a surgeon or surgical center.Any surgical procedure has risks; vision correction is no exception.Operating on the eye has been known to have side effects including dryness, seeing haloes and glares that make driving at night difficult, and even permanent vision loss has occurred.Some people still require the use of contacts or eyeglasses after having corrective surgery, though most people are able to pass a standard driver’s eye exam requiring 20/40 vision after recovery.
If you are concerned about the risks and possible side effects, talk to your ophthalmologist.Be sure that you are satisfied with his answers and fully understand what happens during laser vision correction surgery before you commit to having your eyes operated on.