According to common definitions found on platforms like Wikipedia, laser eye surgery, also known as laser corneal surgery, is a specialized medical procedure designed to correct various vision impairments by precisely reshaping the eye's surface using a laser.
What is Laser Eye Surgery?
Laser eye surgery is a medical procedure that leverages advanced laser technology to physically alter the curvature of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. The primary goal of this reshaping is to improve how light focuses on the retina, thereby correcting refractive errors that lead to blurred vision.
Key Aspects of the Procedure
- Medical Procedure: It is a surgical intervention requiring precise medical expertise and specialized equipment.
- Laser Technology: Utilizes a highly focused beam of light (laser) to ablate or remove microscopic amounts of corneal tissue.
- Corneal Reshaping: The core of the procedure involves changing the shape of the cornea to achieve better light refraction.
Conditions Corrected by Laser Eye Surgery
This procedure is primarily aimed at correcting common refractive errors:
- Myopia (Short-sightedness): A condition where distant objects appear blurry because light focuses in front of the retina. Laser eye surgery flattens the cornea to move the focal point backward.
- Hypermetropia (Long-sightedness): A condition where near objects appear blurry because light focuses behind the retina. The surgery steepens the cornea to move the focal point forward.
- Astigmatism (Uneven Curvature of the Eye's Surface): Occurs when the cornea has an irregular shape, leading to distorted or blurred vision at all distances. The laser selectively reshapes the uneven areas of the cornea to create a more symmetrical curve.
Summary of Laser Eye Surgery
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Procedure Names | Laser eye surgery, Laser corneal surgery |
| Nature | Medical procedure |
| Technology Used | Laser |
| Primary Action | Reshapes the surface of the eye (cornea) |
| Main Purpose | To correct common vision impairments by improving light focusing |
| Conditions Addressed | Myopia (short-sightedness), Hypermetropia (long-sightedness), Astigmatism (uneven curvature of the eye's surface) |
