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Why Is LASIK Effective?

Woman smiling after LASIK Eye Surgery

Millions of people around the world have chosen to get LASIK to live a life free of glasses and contacts. This is because of one simple fact: LASIK works.

LASIK has a staggering success rate of 96%! That means almost all patients who have had LASIK are satisfied with their procedure.

What’s not to like? But what exactly makes LASIK work so effectively? Keep reading to learn more about LASIK and why it works!

How LASIK Works

Understanding how LASIK works is key to understanding why it’s so effective. LASIK surgeons correct your vision by altering the shape of your cornea.

The cornea is the clear tissue that covers your pupil and does much more than protecting the eye. The cornea focuses most of the light that enters your eye. The lens then further focuses this light onto the retina.

A clear image occurs because of light refracting off an object focused on a single point of the retina. When the light focuses too far, not far enough, or scatters, this results in a refractive error.

More often than not, this is the result of a misshapen cornea.

When the surgery begins, numbing eye drops help prevent any pain during the procedure. Then, a small circular incision is made in the top layer of the cornea using a laser.

This circular cut (or flap) is then left attached by a small amount of tissue. The flap is then opened, allowing access to the thicker middle layer of the cornea.

From here, a small amount of corneal tissue gets removed. This is what leads to the correction of refractive errors and clear vision. The flap is closed and allowed to heal on its own.

Vision improvement is usually noticeable immediately. It may take a day or two before blurriness goes away.

The Research, Technology, and People Behind LASIK

Since LASIK became FDA approved in the nineties, it has never stopped evolving! There are decades of research and studies behind LASIK’s success.

When LASIK was first FDA approved, it was a completely different procedure! It was a procedure that used blades instead of lasers.

Using excimer and femtosecond lasers lends another layer of precision to LASIK. Bennett & Bloom also uses wavefront treatments on patients who have higher corneal irregularities.

Even with LASIK as an all laser procedure, it will continue evolving and getting better!

You Must Be A Candidate For LASIK

One of the things that have lent itself to LASIK’s success is the candidacy process. To get LASIK, you must qualify first.

This includes factors like:

  • being at least 18 years old
  • having thick enough corneas
  • not being pregnant or currently breastfeeding at the time of the procedure
  • being in good health
  • having eye conditions like dry eye under control before getting LASIK
  • having a stable prescription that hasn’t changed in the last 2 years

When you schedule a LASIK consultation, you’ll undergo an extensive eye exam. You’ll also need to disclose your medical history and medications you’re currently on.

Wondering if you are a good LASIK candidate? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Bennett & Bloom in Jeffersonville, KY and find out!