Laser refractive surgeries are procedures used to reshape the cornea and focus light on the retina. These surgeries are elective, meaning optional. It is not necessary for a patient to receive a surgery to correct their visual acuity. There are a variety of options for patients to correct their vision. Surgery is one of these options along with glasses and contact lenses. There are various forms of laser refractive surgeries depending on the severity of a patient’s vision. For a patient with myopia, also known as nearsightedness, their cornea is too steep therefore causing an impediment in their vision. Thus, a refractive surgery is used to flatten the cornea. On the other hand, a patient with hyperopia, aka farsightedness, would receive this surgery to acquire a steeper cornea.
The cornea is the main lens that focuses on images. It also controls the amount of light that is let into the eye. The cornea give the eye about 65-75 percent of its total focusing power.
When light hits the cornea, it refracts the light onto the lens. The crystalline lens on the interior change the focus from distant to near. An emmetropic eye, a properly functioning eye, can see and focus on objects far and near. It is also able to distinguish depth and adapt to changes in light. A myopic eye, aka a nearsighted eye, causes distant vision to be blurred meaning that the eyeball is too long. A laser refractive…show more content… These layers are the epithelium, the Bowman's membrane, the stroma, the endothelium and the Descemet's membrane. The epithelium being the outermost layer protects the cornea from airborne particles getting in the eye. The Bowman’s membrane serves as a barrier between the epithelium and the stroma. The majority of the layers is occupied by the stroma which provides structure for the cornea. The endothelium and Descemet's membrane form the innermost layers. They are responsible for the corneal dehydration needed for clarity in