Vision Correction With Lasers?

Have you lived for many years with the frustrations of not being able to see clearly naturally? Imagine the freedom to wake up in the morning without contact lenses or glasses and actually see the alarm clock face without squinting. Imagine swimming in a pool without worrying about your contact lenses getting wet. Imagine putting your glasses away in a drawer and doing without them for years to come.

Thanks to advanced medical technology, "LASIK" (Laser In-situ Keratomileusis), an elective laser procedure for vision correction, is making natural clear vision a reality for thousands of people across the United States today.

The newest of three standard vision correction procedures, LASIK is fast becoming the procedure of choice for ophthalmologists to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. The quick, office-based procedure relies on state-of-the-art laser technology to reshape the cornea and thereby significantly reduce a patient's "refractive error" or need for ongoing vision correction.

"There are some people who are so nearsighted or farsighted that they are functionally blind. These patients have greatly benefited from vision correction with lasers," said John L. Swan, M.D., fellowship-trained corneal and refractive surgeon at Montgomery Eye Physicians. "With laser vision correction, most patients can achieve normal vision and experience decreased dependence on glasses and contact lenses."

A relatively painless outpatient procedure, LASIK literally takes minutes.

• For the patient's comfort, his or her eyes are numbed with drops.A computer controls the fascinating work of the laser: ultraviolet rays create a "cool beam" of laser light that gently reshapes the superficial layers of the cornea to match the curvature of a patient's glasses or contact lenses--essentially imprinting a patient's prescription right onto his or her eyes.
• After the procedure, the patient leaves with an eye shield and eye drops to help the eye heal.