LASIK Surgery: Types, Indications and Possible Side Effects

Vision problems can affect your overall quality of life. LASIK surgery can help improve vision and reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses —

or eliminate them altogether. In this article we explain what LASIK is, when you might consider it, and the benefits and possible side effects of the procedure.

What Is LASIK?

LASIK is the most common laser eye surgery for treating myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. It reshapes the cornea so that light entering the eye can focus correctly on the retina, producing clearer vision. LASIK is essentially pain-free and takes around 15 minutes for both eyes.

Who Is a Candidate for LASIK?

LASIK is generally performed in patients over 18, because before this age the eye can still be undergoing natural changes. That said, the eye can continue to change after 18 too — which is why your prescription should be stable on examinations for at least one year before laser surgery, sometimes two years or more.

Types of LASIK

LASIK is not a single procedure but a family of techniques chosen by the surgeon based on each patient's case. There are four main types:

1- Surface Laser Ablation (PRK)

PRK is the oldest of the laser refractive procedures. It became less common as newer LASIK techniques developed, but it is still used in modern practice when the cornea is too thin or otherwise unsuitable for flap-based LASIK.

The patient may experience some discomfort and light sensitivity for up to about three days afterwards.

PRK is also commonly chosen for athletes in contact sports and military personnel exposed to repeated trauma during training.

2- Conventional LASIK

Conventional LASIK reshapes the cornea to correct vision. The surgeon uses a precise instrument called a microkeratome to lift a thin corneal surface layer (flap), leaving a section of it attached to the eye as a hinge. An excimer laser is then applied to reshape the underlying cornea, and the flap is repositioned to heal back in place. Conventional LASIK is straightforward, and patients typically feel only minimal discomfort that resolves quickly.

3- Femto-LASIK

Femto-LASIK is faster and safer than older LASIK techniques, with a quicker, smoother visual recovery.

It is an evolution of earlier LASIK procedures: the sharp microkeratome blade used to lift the corneal flap is replaced by a femtosecond laser.

The femtosecond laser creates the corneal flap, which is then lifted to one side, leaving a hinge attached to the eye.

An excimer laser then reshapes the corneal surface, and the flap is repositioned over the cornea — without the need for a bandage contact lens.

4- ReLEx SMILE (Femto-SMILE)

SMILE is the most recent and most refined evolution of femto-LASIK. It can correct refractive error even in some patients with thinner corneas, without lifting a surface flap. Instead, in a single step the femtosecond laser carves a thin lenticule of corneal tissue and creates a small incision around 3 mm long. The lenticule is then extracted through this small opening — without lifting any part of the corneal surface flap. The procedure takes no more than about 15 minutes.

This procedure is performed at Cornea Clinic by one of Egypt's leading refractive surgeons, Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy.

Why Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy Is a Top Choice for LASIK

Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy is a lecturer and consultant in cornea and refractive surgery at the Research Institute of Ophthalmology. He holds a PhD and fellowship in corneal surgery from the Devers Eye Institute in Oregon, USA, where he trained under leading American eye surgeons. He was the first surgeon in Egypt to perform endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) using the S-stamp technique. He has taught this technique to many ophthalmologists and presented it at numerous conferences in the United States and the Arab world. Dr. Shaarawy is regarded as one of Egypt's most prominent eye surgeons, with a long record of successful operations and consistent use of the latest techniques in eye surgery.

Benefits of LASIK

1- Minimal pain thanks to the topical anaesthetic drops used.
2- Vision is corrected almost immediately or within the day after the procedure.
3- No bandages or sutures are required after LASIK.
4- Enhancements can be performed years later if your vision changes with age.
5- After LASIK, most patients see a substantial reduction in their dependence on glasses or contact lenses — many no longer need them at all.

Possible Side Effects of LASIK

The most common side effects patients experience after LASIK include:

- Soreness.
- Discomfort.
- Dry eye.
- Itchiness.
- Light sensitivity.
- Glare.
- Halos around lights.
- Starbursts.
- Blurred vision.

These symptoms typically fade with appropriate follow-up under your surgeon's care. Your eyes are the windows through which you see the world — don't hesitate to take a step like LASIK that can give you greater visual freedom and a better quality of life.