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The natural shape and curve of the clear dome in front of your cornea and the length of your eye dictates how clearly you see. If they are shaped just right, you will have clear vision at all distances.
However, if your cornea is too steep or flat – or your eye is too long or short – you will end up with blurry vision at near, far or all distances. This is because the cornea is not allowing light to properly focus on the back of the eye.
Laser corneal surgery (LASIK or AST) is performed to permanently alter the shape of the cornea using laser technology. Only a miniscule amount of corneal tissue is typically removed to create the ideal shape so light focuses more precisely on the retina.
Blurry distance vision, clear up-close vision – caused by a steep cornea or longer eye so light focuses in front of the retina
Blurry up-close vision, clear distance vision – caused by a flatter cornea or a shorter eye so light focuses behind the retina
Blurry vision at all distances – caused by an oval shaped cornea, rather than a round shape
Laser corneal surgery (LASIK or AST) is performed to permanently alter the shape of the cornea using laser technology. Only a miniscule amount of corneal tissue is typically removed to create the ideal shape so light focuses more precisely on the retina.
The condition of presbyopia (the need for reading glasses or bifocals) is not a refractive error. By age 40, many people start to develop what they might think is farsightedness because they need glasses to read things up-close. Presbyopia is actually the stiffening of the eye lens that occurs naturally over time – even to people who have had 20/20 vision their whole lives. As the lenses become less flexible, it becomes harder to focus on images like text messages, restaurant menus, medicine labels and more without some type of magnifier.
LASIK cannot correct presbyopia. However, a technique called monovision LASIK, where one eye is corrected for distance vision and the other eye is corrected for near vision, may be an alternative to reading glasses or bifocals.
While LASIK can help many people achieve clear vision, it is not recommended for everyone. To find out if your refractive error, corneal thickness and overall eye health is right for this amazing procedure, contact us today to schedule a free LASIK Consultation with our Refractive Coordinator. Once you qualify as a LASIK candidate you will be scheduled for a comprehensive pre-op exam with our LASIK doctors and experienced technicians in Harrisburg, PA, to plan your surgery.
