Definition of Corneal surgery:

Corneal surgery corrects mild to moderate nearsightedness so you no longer need to wear glasses or contacts.

Description:

The health care provider will place numbing drops into your eye so you do not feel pain during surgery.

The exact type of surgery done varies with each person. In many cases, the surgeon will use an instrument called a keratome to lift a piece of tissue from the surface of the cornea. A laser re-shapes the surface of the cornea and the tissue is put back into place.

This method of refractive surgery offers fewer side effects compared to radial keratotomy, which was common in the 1980's. Usually both eyes are done in the same session.

Indications:

Refractive surgery is used to treat nearsightedness so you no longer need to wear glasses or contact lenses. Procedures are also available to treat farsightedness and astigmatism.