Vision Correction Surgery

• Vision Correction Surgery Introduction
• Risks
• Vision Correction Surgery Preparation
• During the Procedure
• After the Procedure
• Next Steps
• When to Seek Medical Care
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• References
• Authors and Editors
• Related vision articles:
  Astigmatism - on WebMD
  Astigmatism - on MedicineNet
   

Vision Correction Surgery Introduction

Refractive surgery for vision correction has made tremendous advances since its start as radial keratotomy, or RK. The concept was first used in the early 1960s by Sato in Japan. The original procedure, however, didn’t work for most people.

RK is the earliest form of vision correction surgery. It was perfected in the 1970s by the Russian ophthalmologist Fyodorov and was first performed in the United States in 1978.

Today, several different options exist to help the majority of people who wear glasses or contact lenses reduce their dependence on their corrective lenses. In almost all cases, refractive surgery is elective and cosmetic.

• Vision correction surgery can benefit people with myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.
  
  
  • Myopia occurs when near objects are clear and distant objects are blurry. The eye is too long for its focusing ability; thus, objects are blurry.
    
    
  • Hyperopia occurs when near objects are blurry and far objects are clear. In this case, the eye is too short for its focusing ability, which causes the blurriness.
    
    
  • Astigmatism is best described as distorted or warped vision due to the surface of the eye being somewhat irregular in shape. Here, the eye has various focal points causing images to be distorted.
  
  
• Vision correction surgery will usually not benefit people with presbyopia (the inability to see objects up close). This condition affects all people older than 40-45 years. In presbyopia, the lens loses its ability to change shape and thus focus the eye up close. Presbyopia is not a problem of the eye being too long or too short.

• Today, various options in vision correction surgery include the following:

• Radial keratotomy (RK)
  
  
• Laser vision correction
  
  
  • Photorefractive keratotomy
    
    
  • Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)
    
    
  • Laser thermal keratoplasty
    
    
• Intacs
  
  
• PRELEX (presbyopic refractive lens exchange) or clear lens extraction

• Who is a candidate for laser vision correction? Laser vision correction can be used to treat myopia, myopia with astigmatism, hyperopia, hyperopia with astigmatism, or astigmatism alone. Not every person requesting laser vision correction is a candidate for the surgery. Factors, such as very high refractive errors, certain ocular diseases, and certain medical diseases, may prevent a person from being a candidate for refractive surgery.

• Criteria for laser vision correction
  
  
  • Age 18 years or older for myopia or hyperopia
    
    
  • Age 21 years or older for astigmatism
    
    
  • Stable refraction for at least 1 year
    
    
  • Myopia between -0.50 and -14.00 diopters (If more than -14.00 diopters, a clear lens extraction is considered.) (Diopter is the unit of measurement of glasses or contact lenses; higher numbers are stronger prescriptions.)
    
    
  • Astigmatism <5.00 diopters
    
    
  • Hyperopia <+6.00 diopters
    
    
  • No eye problems, such as keratoconus, herpes keratitis, unstable refractive error, corneal disease/scarring, or cataract/glaucoma
    
    
  • No medical problems, such as collagen vascular diseases (lupus), autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis), immunosuppressive diseases (AIDS), or pregnant or breastfeeding; no keloid formation during wound healing; no diabetic retinopathy if diabetes is present
    
    
  • Not taking medications such as Accutane, Imitrex, or amiodarone