LASIK:
Everything you need to know
Laser eye surgery can help reduce your need for glasses and contact lenses in your day-to-day life. Along with guidance from your eye doctor, the information below can help you understand your options for laser eye surgery.
LASIK: Everything you need to know
Laser eye surgery can help reduce your need for glasses and contact lenses in your day-to-day life. Along with guidance from your eye doctor, the information below can help you understand your options for laser eye surgery.
Commonly performed procedures
Did you know that LASIK is one of the most common refractive surgical procedures performed?1
Enhanced quality
of life
Laser eye surgery can help reduce your need for glasses and contact lenses so you can enjoy your favourite activities without limits.1
High
availability
There are many skilled and experienced laser eye surgeons available in your area.
What is LASIK?
Laser eye surgery, also referred to as LASIK or refractive surgery, is a common procedure that can correct vision to reduce your dependence on glasses or contact lenses.1
During surgery, your surgeon will use an advanced laser to change the shape of the front of your eye (the cornea) to improve your vision.2
What LASIK solutions are available?
Whether you have been diagnosed with nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or a combination, there are many types of procedures available to help correct these conditions and to improve your vision and your quality of life. Alongside discussions with your doctor, the information below can help you to choose the type of surgery that is right for you.
Non-customized procedures
Non-customized laser vision correction uses a standard eye model or simple formulas.3 No two eyes are identical, but non-customized surgeries typically provide visual outcomes and vision sharpness similar to a basic eyeglasses prescription.4
Customized procedures
With customized laser eye surgery, like wavelight® plus and wavelight® Contoura®, your doctor will consider the unique features of your eye when developing your surgical plan.5,6 Using this detailed information, a fully customized procedure can improve on the sharpness and quality of vision that you will achieve after surgery.7
Wavelight® plus is Alcon’s most advanced and customized laser vision correction surgery. Using 3D ray-tracing technology to scan each eye, your doctor will plan and perform a procedure that is uniquely tailored to you.5,7 This approach maximizes the sharpness and quality of vision that you will have after surgery, so you can be ready for whatever life might bring.6
Compare your laser eye surgery options
Reduced dependence on glasses or contact lenses is a potential benefit of laser eye surgery – individual patient results may vary.
As with any surgical procedure, there are risk factors associated with laser eye surgery. Please consult your eye care professional to determine if this procedure is right for you.
How does laser eye surgery work?
Laser eye surgery is a very common, quick procedure that is often completed in a matter of minutes. Your eye doctor will apply numbing eyedrops and use a laser to reshape the surface of the cornea, correcting your nearsightedness or farsightedness.1,2
After the surgery, your doctor may prescribe medication or eyedrops to help reduce any discomfort, although most patients experience little pain. Your doctor will also schedule follow-up appointments in the months following the procedure to check your healing progress.1
Reduced dependence on glasses or contact lenses is a potential benefit of laser eye surgery – individual patient results may vary.
As with any surgical procedure, there are risk factors associated with laser eye surgery. Please consult your eye care professional to determine if this procedure is right for you.
Types of vision problems that can be treated with laser eye surgery
Most common vision problems are caused by refractive error, which means that the eye’s ability to focus images is reduced. In an eye with clear vision, the light passing through the eye lands on the retina at the back of the eye, transmitting a signal to the brain that creates a clearly focused and sharp image.1
Uncorrected refractive error, in addition to impeding the ability to focus, can cause other common symptoms, including double vision, glare or halo around bright lights, squinting, headaches, hazy vision and eye strain.
The most common types of refractive error are nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism, which are often treated with glasses and contact lenses. Laser eye surgery is another option to correct refractive error by reshaping the cornea and improving your vision while reducing the need for glasses or contact lenses.1
What is nearsightedness?
Nearsightedness (myopia) occurs because the shape of eye is elongated, so light focuses in front of the retina. This causes distant objects to appear blurry and indistinct, while close objects remain clear and in focus.1
What is nearsightedness?
What is farsightedness?
Farsightedness (hyperopia) occurs when the curvature of the eye is more blunt than normal, so the light entering the eye focuses behind the retina. People with farsightedness have difficulty seeing well up close, but distant objects remain clear and in focus.1
What is farsightedness?
What is astigmatism?
Corneal astigmatism is a common condition that can occur in combination with nearsightedness and farsightedness in which the front of the eye (the cornea) has an oval shape rather than a round shape. This causes light to scatter as it enters the eye, focusing both in front of and behind the retina. People with astigmatism can have difficulty focusing on both near and distant objects and may experience streaks or halos around sources of light.1
What is astigmatism?
Am I an ideal candidate for laser eye surgery?
If you want clear vision while reducing your need for glasses or contact lenses, laser eye surgery may be a great option. Discuss your eye health and lifestyle with your eye care professional using the information below to help you prepare for your surgical consultation.
What qualifies me for laser eye surgery?
The following criteria can be used as a general guide to determine if you may be a candidate for laser eye surgery2:
- Moderate vision problems (nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism)
- No pre-existing eye conditions (such as glaucoma, dry eye disease or cataracts)
- Good physical health
- Stable vision (meaning that your current vision is no longer worsening)
Is laser eye surgery safe?
Laser eye surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures to correct refractive error.1 After surgery, many patients no longer require glasses or contact lenses to correct their vision and are very happy with their vision and quality of life.2
Reduced dependence on glasses or contact lenses is a potential benefit of laser eye surgery – individual patient results may vary.
As with any surgical procedure, there are risk factors associated with laser eye surgery. Please consult your eye care professional to determine if this procedure is right for you.
How much does laser eye surgery cost?
The cost of laser eye surgery can depend on a variety of factors. When considering the cost of surgery, think about how much money you typically spend and will continue to spend on glasses and contact lenses. Many patients view laser eye surgery as a one-time investment in their quality of life and the future of their vision.
https://freetools.textmagic.com- Your eye doctor can provide you with more specific pricing information and can help you to make the decision that is right for you and your vision goals./unicode-detector.
Find a surgeon near you
Use our Surgeon Finder tool to locate a surgeon near you that offers laser eye surgery.
References:
1. Laser Eye Surgery Hub. Cataract Statistics & Resources. Available at: https://www.lasereyesurgeryhub.co.uk/cataract-statistics/. Accessed: August 20, 2018.
2. terHorst C. American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). “Choosing an Artificial Lens for Cataract Surgery.” Available at: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/best-artificial-lens-IOL-cataract-surgery. Accessed: November 1, 2021.
3. Acrysof IQ Vivity® Extended Vision Intraocular Lenses (IOLS) Directions for Use.
4. Acrysof® IQ PanOptix® Trifocal IOL Directions for use.
5. Alcon Data on File, 2020.
6. Cataracts. National Eye Institute. Available at: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/cataracts. Last updated: August 3, 2019. Accessed: November 5, 2021.
7. Mayo Clinic Staff. What you can expect [Cataract Surgery]. Mayo Clinic. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cataract-surgery/basics/what-you-can-expect/prc-20012917. Last updated: July 30, 2013 Accessed: August 20, 2018.
