Laser vision corrective eye surgery has been a godsend for many people determined to do away with the use of glasses or contact lenses. Once upon a time, cost was a prohibitive factor with eye surgery but with the advent of new technology, laser treatment has afforded many the opportunity to take advantage of breakthrough techniques to improve vision.

It hasn't been long since lasers were first approved as surgical tools. In fact, we are only talking 10-12 years ago during the mid 1990's but the advancement in techniques has been amazing. And most of these breakthroughs have occurred in recent times.

It's important to make the correct distinction between some eye surgery procedures. For example, eye surgery can also be referred to as opthalmic or ocular surgery while laser corrective eye surgery is not generally the same as refractive surgery.

Lasers are not always used with refractive surgery to make incisions however, the term generally umbrellas the overall intention of the procedure to refract the cornea.

Laser Eye Surgery Procedures

- The choices of laser vision corrective eye surgery used to correct many problems affecting vision are numerous.   Cataracts refer to a clouding of the vision or the eye’s lens.  They tend to affect the elderly the most and can distort vision to degrees mirroring legal blindness.  Laser surgery can correct the problems that come from cataracts by simply reshaping and removing the “clouds” and changing the environment that creates them.

- Glaucoma is an eye disease that can lead to blindness due to blood pressure on the eye.  Affecting an estimated 3 million Americans, glaucoma is known as the leading cause of blindness.  There are several types of glaucoma which are mostly classified due to the urgency of the onset.  Laser surgery can stop the spread of the symptoms by relieving the pressure on the eye.

- Macular regeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly and those 65 years of age or older.  Macular regeneration affects the retina in that it breaks down or “regenerates” thus causing problems with the area of the eye responsible for sharpness and contrast in vision.  Laser surgery can treat macular regeneration but cannot entirely cure it, so the symptoms can be controlled but the process cannot be entirely stopped.

Laser vision corrective eye surgery has come a long way in such a short time and it's fair to say many have enjoyed a better standard of life because of it. The advances estimated over the next decade or two with this procedure are almost mind boggling.