Laser Eye Surgery

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of eye Advantages of laser eye Summary physicians and surgeons. A global community surgery A laser is an intense beam of light. In Laser Eye Surgery of 32,000 medical doctors, we protect sight Surgery using lasers has advantages over surgery, one type of laser can be used to and empower lives by setting the standards other types of surgery. With some laser create heat energy, and another can be for ophthalmic education and advocating surgery there is much less risk of infection used to cut or sculpt. Ophthalmologists for our patients and the public. For more from the laser light. And the surgeon has often use lasers in surgery to treat certain information, visit www.aao.org. greater control and can be more precise eye problems, including glaucoma, macular using a laser rather than a surgical knife. degeneration and others. Also, laser surgery can be done in an outpatient surgery center or sometimes Laser surgery has advantages over other COMPLIMENTS OF: right in the doctor’s office. This means you types of surgery. With some laser can go home sooner, and recovery time is procedures, there is much less risk of often much shorter. infection from the laser light. Also, it offers the surgeon greater control and more Laser eye surgery can be very helpful in precision than a surgical knife. And with treating certain eye problems. But, as with laser procedures you can go home sooner all surgery, there are risks of side effects and recover more quickly. Like any surgery, and complications. Talk with your however, there are risks of side effects and ophthalmologist about the benefits and complications. Your ophthalmologist can talk risks of having laser eye surgery. with you about those.

If you have any questions about your eyes or your vision, speak with your ophthalmologist. He or she is committed to protecting your sight.

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160329_LOT O_051193-1_Laser Eye Surgery_03-16.inddSAMPLE 1 2/19/16 9:34 PM improve vision by changing the shape of retina tears or detaches from the back of the photodisruptive laser to help remove the What is a laser? your cornea (the clear dome-shaped eye, you lose vision. Ophthalmologists often cloudy lens so that it can be replaced with A laser is an intense beam of light. It is covering at the front of the eye) repair the retina with a thermal laser. The a clear, artificial lens. And sometimes after made when an electric current passes heat from this laser is used to seal the retina cataract surgery, the part of the eye that through a special substance, like a gas or to the back wall of the eye again. holds the artificial lens can become cloudy. a crystal. That substance determines the Eye problems often treated The eye surgeon uses a laser to treat this light’s color and how it can be used. Diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes can damage cloudiness and improve vision again. with laser surgery blood vessels in the eye, or cause new, An ophthalmologist often uses lasers in Ophthalmologists treat many eye conditions abnormal ones to grow. Ophthalmologists can and diseases using lasers. Here are some of surgery to treat certain eye problems. use a thermal laser to seal leaking blood the most common conditions treated with vessels. It can also be used to slow or stop laser surgery. the growth of abnormal blood vessels.

How is a laser used in Retinal tears or detachment. The retina is a Macular degeneration. The macula is a small surgery? nerve layer lining the back of your eye. If the area of your retina. It is the part of the retina There are two different kinds of lasers that gives you your central vision. This is how used in eye surgery. you read, sew or recognize a face. With macular degeneration, the macular tissue With a thermal laser, the light becomes breaks down or is affected by abnormal blood heat energy when it reaches the eye. This vessels growing under the retina. This causes heat can be used to: a loss of central vision. When abnormal blood vessels grow and leak, ophthalmologists may close leaking blood vessels use a thermal laser to stop this bleeding and destroy abnormal tissue, such as a prevent further damage. tumor A laser can make an opening in a cloudy lens Glaucoma. This is a common, serious eye capsule to restore normal sight. seal torn or detached tissue problem that causes blindness if not treated. treat the eye’s drainage system to It happens when fluid inside the eye does not allow fluid to flow out of the eye drain as it should. Pressure in the eye rises, Refractive surgery. Some people have properly damaging the optic nerve that connects the difficulty focusing on objects either close eye to the brain. Ophthalmologists use a up or far away. This is called a refractive With a photodisruptive laser, the light thermal laser to treat the eye so that fluid can error. With LASIK and other refractive is used like a knife to cut or sculpt eye drain properly again. surgery procedures, ophthalmologists use tissue. It can be used to: a photodisruptive laser to reshape the Cataracts. This is when the eye’s normally eye’s cornea. Light is focused properly in cut thin tissue in the eye that blocks clear lens becomes cloudy, affecting vision. A laser may be used as part of surgery to repair the eye, improving vision. vision retinal detachment. Some ophthalmologists might use a

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