LASIK corrects optical imperfections including nearsightedness, astigmatism and farsightedness. It’s quick, virtually painless, and results can be observed immediately. The vast majority of people return to full activities the very next day. LASIK works by changing the curvature of the front corneal surface using computer-guided laser systems. To fully understand how LASIK works, it helps to first understand how the eye works.
How the Eye Works
The eye works like an elegant biological camera. Light from the outside world is focused by the combined effect of the cornea and the lens, so that a sharp image is created on the retina. In an eye with no need for distance prescription, light is brought into sharp focus exactly on the retina. The optically optimal eye of a person with zero prescription can see clearly at all ranges, near and far. Nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism are all imperfections of distance vision.