LASIK/laser eye surgery involves the direct application of laser pulses to your cornea, so it’s natural to wonder whether the procedure changes the shape of your eye or not.
The short answer is yes. However, if we dive a little deeper into the technicalities, it’s safe to say LASIK does not change the shape of your entire eye, but rather just the curvature of the cornea (clear, outermost layer of the eye), so that any light entering the cornea can focus directly on the retina.
If you have a refractive error (myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism), you likely wear specs or contact lenses to see clearly. The reason you cannot see clearly without these aids is owing to the shape of your cornea/eye. In myopia, the eye tends to grow in length; hyperopia is caused by an eye that’s too short or a cornea that is too flat, and astigmatism is usually caused by an irregular curvature of the cornea (irregularities or aberrations on the corneal surface).
LASIK or laser eye surgery essentially works by reshaping your cornea. The change is subtle but highly effective in providing clear vision and eliminating dependence on glasses or contact lenses.
It is important to note that the rest of the eye and its shape remain unchanged. The position, size, and internal structures stay the same. It is just the cornea that’s reshaped to facilitate clearer vision. This targeted approach is what helps retain the natural structure & integrity of the eye.
In this blog, we are going to discuss which part of the eye changes in shape in detail, why the corneal shape matters for clear vision, and other related aspects of LASIK/laser eye surgery.
Which Part of the Eye is Reshaped?
LASIK eye surgery is designed to focus solely on the cornea, because it’s the cornea that plays a big role in directing light towards the retina. This is why even small changes in the corneal shape result in drastic vision changes.
The procedure is designed to be precise; therefore, it only reshapes a stipulated amount of corneal tissue to correct specific refractive errors. The rest of your eye, including the retina and the natural eye lens, is not touched or altered during vision correction surgery. The internal parts function the same even after the procedure. The overall anatomy of your eye remains intact, making the treatment targeted, safe, and reliable.
Why Does Corneal Shape Matter?
Primary Focusing Surface
The cornea plays a major role when it comes to your vision. It provides most of your eye’s focusing power by letting the light focus on the retina. Owing to this, even small changes in the shape can alter your vision.
Reshaping Cornea Improves Vision
If the cornea is too curved, too flat, or has irregularities or aberrations on the surface, you will have unclear vision. This is why the first vision correction option in order to correct these errors is to reshape the cornea. When the cornea is reshaped to achieve the ideal curvature, you achieve standard 6/6 vision.
How LASIK Reshapes the Cornea?
LASIK or laser vision correction surgeries use highly accurate and precise laser pulses to remove microscopic amounts of corneal tissue. Even the pattern for these laser pulses is pre-determined based on complete measurements of your optical system (in surgeries like Wavelight Plus InnovEyes).
Each step is carefully planned and executed. The primary aim is to achieve clear vision with personalised eye measurements and surgical planning.
👉 For nearsightedness, the cornea is reshaped by slightly flattening it, reducing the focusing power.
👉 For farsightedness, the cornea is reshaped to be slightly steeper, improving the direction of light.
👉 Astigmatism or cylindrical eye power is corrected by selectively reshaping different parts of the cornea to create a more regular curvature, smoothing out the aberrations and irregularities on the corneal surface.
Every adjustment made by the laser pulses is customised according to each patient’s unique eye power. The purpose is to create an even curvature that allows light to focus onto the retina, thereby facilitating specs-free, clear vision. With proper recovery care and healing, the results of laser eye surgery are long-lasting and stable.
At Sohana Hospital, the best LASIK surgeons use advanced diagnostic tools and modern treatment facilities to provide the best possible vision correction experience to all our patients. The hospital boasts a wide range of specs removal procedures that are highly safe, reliable, and US-FDA approved!
More queries about LASIK? Contact our experts today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LASIK eye surgery change eye shape permanently?
LASIK or laser eye surgery changes the shape of your cornea, the outermost layer of the eye. This is done to provide clear vision without specs. If the post-surgery recovery tips are followed diligently and the cornea heals completely, the results are stable and permanent for most individuals.
Will my eyes look different after LASIK?
No, your eyes will look exactly the same after vision correction surgery. This is because the procedure only reshapes microscopic and undetectable amounts of corneal tissue. Therefore, the physical appearance of your eyes does not change after surgery.
Which part of the eye will change in shape after LASIK?
LASIK involves reshaping the cornea to achieve an even curvature and provide crystal clear vision. All other internal structures & the anatomy of the eye remain intact. The treatment is extremely targeted and accurate.
