LASIK

LASIK, or laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis, is a procedure  that  uses cool laser energy  to reshape the cornea. Candidates  should be in good general health and present with a  normal  ocular health evaluation. The surgery takes about five to ten minutes, with the laser application taking less than two minutes. 

The cornea is a part of  the eye that helps focus light to create an image on the retina. It works in much the  same  way that the  lens of  a camera  focuses  light to create  an image on film.  The  bending and focusing of light is also known as refraction. Usually the shape of the cornea and the eye are not perfect and the image on the retina is out-of-focus (blurred) or distorted.

These imperfections in the focusing power of the eye are called refractive errors. There are three primary types  of  refractive  errors: 

• Myopia – A person with myopia, or nearsightedness, has more difficulty seeing distant objects as clearly as near objects.
• Hyperopia – A person with hyperopia, or farsightedness, has more difficulty seeing near objects as clearly as distant objects.  
• Astigmatism – Astigmatism is a distortion of the image on the retina caused by irregularities in the cornea, or lens, of the eye. Combinations of myopia and astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism are common.

In  LASIK  surgery,  a precise and controlled  removal of corneal  tissue by a special  laser reshapes the cornea, changing its focusing power.  LASIK  is a procedure that  permanently changes the shape of the cornea,  the  clear  covering  of  the  front of  the eye, by  using  an  excimer  laser.  The  LASIK  flap  is created using a highly  sophisticated  and accurate  instrument  known as a  "microkeratome"  to create a flap in  the cornea.  A hinge is left  at one end  of this  flap.  The flap is folded back, revealing the stroma, the middle section of the cornea.  Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.

Am I a candidate for LASIK?

The ideal patient has not had a change in their prescription within the last year. This does not exclude candidacy for other patients who also may qualify. The surest way of defining your ability to fully benefit from LASIK is to have your eyes examined.

The LASIK procedure addresses nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK has become the alternative of choice for over two million eyes every year.

LASIK has produced consistently excellent results and its rapid healing characteristics and minimal, if any, discomfort has made LASIK  the most popular refractive surgical procedure in  history. Although individual results vary, most patients after having LASIK see well enough to pass their driver's license test without wearing their glasses or contact lenses.

Banville Optical serves the communities of Salem, Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Swampscott and North Shore Boston in Essex County, MA. We provide the following products and services:

• Designer eyeglass frames • Eyeglass frames for men • Eyeglass frames for women
• Prescription eyeglasses • Prescription sunglasses • Men sunglasses
• Women sunglasses • Progressive lenses • Eye contact lenses• Soft contact lenses
• EyeMed Vision Care and VSP vision plans • VSP doctors

For the finest selection of eyewear and contact lenses, call Banville Optical today at (978) 745-2774. You can schedule an appointment for an examination or you can also fill out our online Request an Appointment form. We welcome all outside prescriptions, so if you have a current prescription for your glasses, we can fill that too!