What is Lasik Surgery?

Lasik surgery (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis), practiced only by the few in 1995 and FDA approved in 1998, is big business today. This specialized surgery actually changes the shape of your eye's cornea to give you better vision. The cornea operates like the lens in your camera that focuses light to project an image on film, only in your eye the light is focused on your retina. But because the shape of your cornea is not always perfect, the image produced by the light can appear blurry or suffer from distortion. That is why you can be nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism.

The Lasik surgery is designed to correct the eye and corneal irregularities so the light is more perfectly focused on your retina. If the term "vaporize the corneal tissue" brings on a palpitating heart and a flushing brow, you might want to stick with the glasses for now. But Lasik surgery is a growing phenomenon that has freed people from the cost and frustration of eyewear and contact lenses. This vision version of the fountain of youth offers to bring you within reach of the 20/20 vision you had at sixteen.