What Is LASIK? A Simple Guide From an Eye Surgeon

Imagine waking up in the morning and reading the clock across the room — without reaching for your glasses. For millions of people, that is exactly what LASIK has made possible.

LASIK is short for "Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis." That sounds complicated, but the idea is simple: we use a precise laser to gently reshape the front surface of your eye — called the cornea — so light focuses correctly on your retina. The result? Clearer vision, often within a day.

I have performed nearly 20,000 of these procedures over my career, and I still find it remarkable that a treatment which takes about ten minutes per eye can change someone's daily life so completely.

Your eye works a lot like a camera. Light enters through the front and has to focus on a screen at the back (the retina) for you to see clearly. If the front of your eye is shaped imperfectly, the image lands in the wrong place — that is what we call nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.

Here is what happens during a LASIK procedure:

- We numb your eye with drops. You stay awake the entire time.
- We create a very thin, hinged flap on the surface of your cornea.
- A second laser reshapes the tissue underneath — like a sculptor smoothing clay.
- We place the flap back. It seals on its own, no stitches needed.

The whole thing takes about ten minutes per eye, and most patients say it was much easier than they expected.

LASIK is not right for everyone — and that is a good thing, because it means we only do it when we are confident it will work well for you.

You are likely a good candidate if:

- You are over 18 and your prescription has been stable for at least a year.
- Your cornea is thick enough and healthy.
- You don't have severe dry eye or certain eye diseases.
- You are not pregnant or breastfeeding (hormones can affect vision).

The only way to know for sure is a full eye exam with measurements of your cornea. That visit is also when we answer all your questions before anyone touches your eyes.

Most patients see 20/20 or close to it after LASIK. But no surgery is risk-free. The most common side effects — dry eye and night glare — usually get better in the first few months. Serious complications are rare in experienced hands, but they exist, and you deserve to know about them before you decide.

A good surgeon will tell you when LASIK is the right choice — and will also tell you when it is not. If your eyes are better suited to another procedure like SMILE, PRK, or an ICL implant, that is what we should do instead.

If you are curious whether LASIK could work for you, the next step is a consultation. There is no commitment — just a clear answer.