The lasik
is present since 10 years in the refractive surgery and it didn't have any changes in the principles, but great changes in the cutting quality and in the efficiency. The lasik technique has the advantage to be able to correct stronger shortsightedness than the surface PRK . It has a shorter visual recovery delay .

The lasik principle
( Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis ). The lasik intervention allows to cut a cornea level ( 160 µ ), in order to operate directly in the stroma.

The operation

1. A succion ring is placed on the eye. It is useful for two reasons: To maintain the eye in a proper position during the operation, to support and to guide the microkeratome in its cutting advancement.

2. The surgeon is placing the microkeratome on the succion ring.

3. The microkeratome advancement is regular and programmed, a corneal flap with a thickness representing 20 or 25% of the cornea ( 160 µ ) but it will stand together with the cornea with an hinge.

4. Once the cutting is done, the microkeratome comes back to its starting position and the surgeon is able to remove the microkeratome and the succion ring.

5. The surgeon lifts the cornea cover with a surgical spatule.

6. The laser process can begi . It's strictly similar to the surface PRK .

7. At the end of the laser intervention, the surgeon is replacing the cornea cover without any suture and the natural cicatrization is playing its full role in 2 or 3 minutes.

8. A protection shell is placed on the eye treated, because the link cornea flap \ cornea is still fragile for a moment.