Dr. Marguerite McDonald, MD, FACS (New York, NY), Corneal Specialist and Cataract & Refractive Eye Surgeon, discusses the basics of LASIK surgery, a procedure in which the need for glasses and contact lenses is eliminated or reduced. LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A mechanical microkeratome (a blade device) or a laser keratome (a laser device) is used to cut a flap in the cornea and a hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is
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