Laser eye correction is the most commonly practiced procedure use to correct vision problems caused by refractive errors, including myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness) and astigmatism (distorted vision when looking at objects at any distance).
During laser eye correction, a laser device is used by the surgeon to make permanent changes to the shape of the cornea. The laser that is most often used is the Excimer laser, which produces a beam of ultraviolet light to vaporize tissue. If the shape of the cornea is surgically altered it can correct mild to moderate refractive errors in most people.
There are two types of Excimer laser surgery performed commonly these are PRK (Photo-Refractive Keractectomy), which was first introduced in the early nineties, and LASIK (Laser Assisted in situ Keratomileusis), which was introduced in the mid-nineties. There are also procedures more recently developed called LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis) and Epi-LASIK.
PRK
In here, the outer layer of the cornea (epithelium) is removed by the surgeon with the use of a surgical blade or blunt instrument. Guided by a computer, the laser beam is then used to vaporize minimum amount of tissue under the surface of the cornea. This procedure removes enough tissue to reshape the cornea in a way that corrects vision.
LASIK
This is a more complicated surgery and in this procedure, the surgeon cuts a flap in the cornea with a very sharp blade or laser, and then lifts it and with the use of a computer-guided laser it removes calculated amounts of tissue from the inside layers of the cornea. Afterwards, the flap is then put back and the eye heals more quickly than with PRK.
LASEK
This procedure is a variation of PRK and LASIK. Here, the surgeon cuts the outer layer of the cornea (epithelium) with a fine blade, and uses alcohol to loosen and lift it in a single layer. In this procedure the laser beam is then directed at tissue under the epithelium, almost the same way as with PRK. Once the laser procedure is finished, the epithelium is put back in its place. This is best suited to vision problems that require minor correction only.
Epi-LASIK
This procedure is a modified LASEK wherein the outer layer of the cornea is removed with a mechanical device using a blunt, rather than a sharp blade.
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