I was in the fourth grade when I was told I needed glasses from the visiting eye doctor who came to our school on his annual visit. Once I had the examination done and glasses fitted, I was amazed at how well I could see the blackboard. Walking home, which everyone did back then, was a wonderful surprise to realize I could see the stop sign crystal clear two blocks away. But as time passed and I got older, my eyes grew worse with each year and I depended solely on my eyeglasses to see, even my hand out in front of me was blurry. Reading a paperback became a tough decision.

LASIK and other corneal refractive procedures (PRK, RK) have popularized to the point that most people either know someone who's had the procedure, or have had the procedure themselves. For the most part these procedures are successful and life-changing in the positive direction, reducing or eliminating the dependence on glasses or contact lenses for vision. However, about three percent suffer from visual complications that are not regarded as official "complications", but can be life-altering in a negative way.

When you ask most people about how to improve eyesight, their first response is typically an offer of their favorite eye doctor's telephone number. Most people, at that point, submit to the thought that they will be buying new glasses, contact lenses, or even investing in laser surgery. Very few people in this position step outside the box and pursue an alternative approach, even though it is capable of providing get better vision without glasses, and doing so using natural methods.

There are two basic types of laser eye surgery, PRK (PhotoRefractive Keratectomy) and LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis). There are different varieties of each of the surgeries based on different surgical techniques. Both surgeries correct vision problems through surgical manipulation of the cornea. A certified eye doctor can help you choose which surgery is right for you.

Choosing a good eye surgeon can be tough, especially when you need laser eye surgery. Protecting your vision is important and choosing a bad eye doctor can result in permanent scarring of the eye or worse. There are two important factors that you should consider when it comes to choosing a good eye surgeon.

LASIK is one of the best types of corrective eye surgery. The term LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. This procedure can permanently reshape the cornea, which is the clear covering of the front of the eye with the help of a laser. LASIK is performed on millions of people every year. There are a wide variety of different optical lasers. This procedure can be used to correct near and far sightedness as well as astigmatism.

LASIK eye surgery is a permanent procedure which greatly reduces a patient's need for eyeglasses and contact lenses. LASIK surgeons use modern laser techniques which make the surgery relatively quick and painless. Patients are often back to their normal routines the next day. Almost anyone can be a candidate for LASIK, although it is always recommended to get the opinion of an eye doctor before making any decisions regarding surgery.

Implantable contact lenses are a permanent solution for patients who suffer from a variety of vision problems. Vision correction is a life changing procedure for patients who depend on eyeglasses and disposable contacts in order to function every day. LASIK surgery is often the first choice for vision correction but sometimes an eye doctor may determine that implantable contact lenses are the best choice.

There is now an alternative to traditional LASIK eye surgery called IntraLase LASIK. IntraLase LASIK was developed within the last few years in order to give patients clearer and more precise vision over traditional LASIK. The surgery is performed in an eye doctor's office just like traditional LASIK. However, there are a few key differences you should be aware of when deciding which type of LASIK surgery is best for you.