Life with Lasik: a closer look

Throughout my life, I've been blessed with 20/20 vision -- until recently. In just the last several months, I've had to hold menus at arm's length to read them. I fall asleep after reading only three or four pages of a novel. I find myself squinting in an attempt to bring the world into focus. And I have to use a larger font on the computer -- and rely on my children to read fine print.

But I haven't been able to bring myself to get a pair of glasses.

Maybe it's the inconvenience or simply vanity that's been stopping me. But I've wanted to explore the possibility of a more permanent -- and less obtrusive -- solution, namely Lasik. A few minutes of discomfort seem a whole lot better than a lifetime with glasses or contact lens.

That may be true for many people, but the Food and Drug Administration would rather that I -- and others like me -- not rush into Lasik ill-informed. It's launched a study to examine what patients' lives are like after the surgery.

At first glance, almost everything written about Lasik makes the procedure seem like nothing short of a miracle. When the cornea's shape isn't just right, images appear distorted and blurry. Small adjustments make a big difference, and the procedure successfully treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism-related blurriness with remarkable accuracy.

Lasik, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, uses a laser to permanently change the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye. During the procedure, the physician first cuts a flap in the outermost layer of the cornea. The flap is folded back, revealing the cornea's deeper layers. A computer-controlled laser vaporizes a portion of these underlying tissues. Then the flap is closed.

Laser eye centers promise clear, sharp vision in minutes, and patients often rave about their results. But Lasik isn't right for everyone and, like any type of surgical procedure, has its share of problems.

Since the procedure was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998, millions of Lasik surgeries have been performed in the United States. It now ranks as the most popular elective surgical procedure in the country, with more than 700,000 surgeries performed annually.

More than 95% of patients who undergo Lasik are pleased with the results, according to a recent analysis by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. "For the vast majority of people, Lasik is not only safe and effective, but patients are happy afterward," says Dr. Jayne Weiss, director of refractive surgery at the Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine.