Friday, December 21, 2007

more insight about lasik operation

LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive surgery procedure. You may hear people calling it "LASIX," but the name is actually short for "laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis."

Why is it so popular? LASIK has advantages over other procedures, including a relative lack of pain afterward and the fact that good vision is usually achieved by the very next day.

An instrument called a microkeratome is used in LASIK eye surgery to create a thin, circular flap in the cornea. Another, newer way of making the flap is with a laser.




The surgeon folds the flap back out of the way, then removes some corneal tissue underneath using an excimer laser. The excimer laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove ("ablate") very tiny bits of tissue from the cornea to reshape it. When the cornea is reshaped in the right way, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before. The flap is then laid back in place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed.

Both nearsighted and farsighted people can benefit from the LASIK procedure. With nearsighted people, the goal is to flatten the too-steep cornea; with farsighted people, a steeper cornea is desired. While this is not widely recognized by consumers, excimer lasers also can correct astigmatism by smoothing an irregular cornea into a more normal shape.

Process of lasik

Lasik is a minimally invasive procedure taking 10 to 15 minutes for both eyes. It corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. For over ten years, the Makati Eye Laser Center has helped thousands to gain freedom from eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Diabetic eye - how eye gets diabtese

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Cross section of an eye

Diabetic eye disease may include:

  • Diabetic retinopathy—damage to the blood vessels in the retina.
  • Cataract—clouding of the eye's lens. Cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.
  • Glaucoma—increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision. A person with diabetes is nearly twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults.

Eye diseases and how lasik laser will help in curbing it

ome eye problems are minor and fleeting. But some lead to a permanent loss of vision. Common eye problems include

  • Cataracts - clouded lenses
  • Glaucoma - damage to the optic nerve from too much pressure in the eye
  • Retinal disorders - problems with the nerve layer at the back of the eye
  • Conjunctivitis - an infection also known as pink eye

Your best defense is to have regular checkups, because eye diseases do not always have symptoms. Early detection and treatment could prevent vision loss. See an eye care professional right away if you have a sudden change in vision or everything looks dim or if you see flashes of light. Other symptoms that need quick attention are pain, double vision, fluid coming from the eye and inflammation.