Many people around the world rely on glasses or contacts to correct vision, but with technology today glasses and contacts are not the only way to 20/20 vision. The answer could be refractive surgery. Refractive surgery is an exciting way for those who have abnormal visual acuity to correct  their eyesight with rapid improvement of vision, extremely low level of discomfort, and rapid healing rate. The words, refractive surgery, refer to a surgical procedure, either laser or non-laser, that can improve the eye's focus by changing the shape of the cornea. The cornea is the clear dome on the front of the eyeball that refracts light entering the eye into the lens, which then focuses it onto the retina.
 

For you to have clear vision, both the cornea and the lens must focus light rays so that the light falls perfectly onto the retina. The retina then converts the light rays into impulses that are sent through the optic nerve to the brain, which we see as images. If the image is not focused properly, we will not see a clear image. This condition is known as a refractive error, hence the term refractive surgery.

There are three common types of refractive conditions; myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. All of which can be reduced or corrected by refractive surgery.

A key factor in determining your success with refractive surgery is knowing your eyesight and your lifestyle, as well as finding a skilled surgeon who fits your needs. Your doctor should know your visual needs and your history to be able to help you decide which procedure is right for you.

What is Lasik Surgery?

LASIK - short for "laser in-situ keratomileusis"

LASIK has become the standard of care in refractive surgery and is used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In this procedure, the surgeon creates a hinged corneal flap before the excimer laser is applied to vaporize a small amount of corneal surface. After the laser is used, the corneal flap is replaced, bonding almost instantly and without stitches. Because the surface of the eye is not disturbed, there is little post-operative discomfort, few complications and a quick recovery time.

There are three common types of Refractive Errors:

Myopia - (nearsightedness) is a refractive error that causes poor distance vision. Either the eye being too long can cause myopia or your cornea having too much focusing power, as a result the image focuses in front of the retina.

Hyperopia - (farsightedness) is the opposite of Myopia. The distant images are seen as clear but the objects up close appear blurry. An eye that is too short or a cornea that lacks the necessary refractive power to focus images on the retina causes this.

Astigmatism - is a condition that blurs and distorts near and far objects. A normal cornea is round with even curves. If you have astigmatism, your cornea is shaped more like the back of a spoon, curves more in spots and not in others. Light rays have more than one focal point and focus on different areas of the retina.