Under the excimer laser, the patient's eye is numbed using
anesthetic drops, and cleaned with a sterile tear solution.
The eye is tracked to freeze it on the computer screen,
and the area that will be reshaped is superimposed.
A custom designed instrument is placed on the cornea surrounding
the area to be reshaped and a solution is placed in this
instrument for one minute to allow the epithelial flap to
be created.
After removing the solution and the instrument, Doctor
uses another instrument of his own design to lift the epithelial
flap from the underlying cornea.
The tracking / flying spot laser is then used to precisely
reshape the outermost stromal layer of the cornea.
After the laser reshaping is complete, Doctor cleans the
surface of the newly shaped cornea, and then carefully replaces
the epithelial flap. This flap is then allowed to dry slightly
in order to start healing to the corneal stroma.
A bandage contact lens is then applied on the eye to
hold the epithelial flap in place, and eye drops are started.
Unlike LASIK, the patient does not require eye shields
to protect the epithelial flap.
