laser eye surgery
Corrective laser eye surgery, also known as LASIK surgery, is the process of re-shaping the eye's lens so light rays come to focus directly on the retina giving the patient clear 20/20 vision. It is an increasingly popular surgery with over 100,000 people in the UK electing to have laser eye surgery every year.
Laser eye surgery is a surgical procedure performed by a trained doctor on patients who are under an anaesthetic. The doctor starts the process by cutting away a flap on the cornea of the eye - the outer layer of the eye's lens - to reveal a deeper layer called the stroma. A laser is then used to reshape the stroma to achieve optimal vision in the eye. Laser reshaping often takes less than one-minute to complete, after which the cornea flap is replaced.
For people who no longer wish to wear glasses or contact lenses laser eye surgery is a very attractive option, allowing them to see clearly without any artificial aids. However, recent studies have revealed that laser eye surgery is not 100% infallible. Surgery failure rate can be as high as 3%, leaving up to 3,000 people in the UK each year with less than perfect vision after treatment or worse.
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