There are 3 main types of corrective laser eye surgery, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK), and laer in situ keratectomy (LASIK), all used for improving vision. The most commonly performed one is LASIK, which will be explained in more detail further.
Laser in situ keratectomy (LASIK)
"First, the eye surgeon uses either a mechanical surgical tool called a microkeratome or afemtosecond laser to create a thin, circular "flap" in the cornea. The surgeon then folds back the hinged flap to access the underlying cornea (called the stroma) and removes some corneal tissue using an excimer laser. This highly specialized laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to remove microscopic amounts of tissue from the cornea to reshape it, refocusing light entering the eye for improved vision. For nearsighted people, the goal is to flatten the cornea; with farsighted people, a steeper cornea is desired. Excimer lasers also can correct astigmatism by smoothing an irregular cornea into a more normal shape. It is a misconception that LASIK cannot treat astigmatism. After the laser reshapes the cornea, the flap is then laid back in place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed. Then the cornea is allowed to heal naturally (All About Vision)."
Cultural Factor: case study of lasik in japan
In many parts of the world and in many cultures, it is frowned upon to change our bodies to make them better looking. This is the case in many conservative cultures, such as Japanese culture. The Japanese have shown a hesitation in willing to embrace LASIK surgery shows that this many people are still opposed to going under the knife for cosmetic purposes and that it is hard to embrace operations like LASIK in a society where caution is greatly exercised.
“In Japan, many people are opposed to tampering with the body that their parents bestowed on them,” Dr. Bissen-Miyajima said. The general population feels negatively toward the “so-called Hollywood smile of beautifully aligned white teeth and face-lifts,” she said.Dr. Ohashi agreed: “The Japanese people, mostly the elderly population, are reluctant to change their way of life or become affected by something ‘unnatural’ or unfamiliar.”Dr. Fukasaku agreed that medicine is conservative in Japan. “People are prone to be too much concerned with the safety of the procedure rather than its effectiveness,” he said. Doctors and patients are slow to adapt, especially to procedures introduced from abroad, he added. “For example, phacoemulsification has become the standard for cataract surgery only in the last few years. Until recently, training programs taught mainly extracapsular cataract extraction,” he said. Several surgeons noted that there has been a historical resistance to refractive surgery in Japan stemming from an unsuccessful early attempt at radial keratotomy in the 1950s. Some patients were left blind or with impaired vision in later years from these surgeries. “These previous events made people conscious of the dangers of new procedures, and this has also made them reluctant to take chances again,” Dr. Fukasaku said. “People have been careful, but maybe too careful,” Dr. Bissen-Miyajima added (Healio)."
“In Japan, many people are opposed to tampering with the body that their parents bestowed on them,” Dr. Bissen-Miyajima said. The general population feels negatively toward the “so-called Hollywood smile of beautifully aligned white teeth and face-lifts,” she said.Dr. Ohashi agreed: “The Japanese people, mostly the elderly population, are reluctant to change their way of life or become affected by something ‘unnatural’ or unfamiliar.”Dr. Fukasaku agreed that medicine is conservative in Japan. “People are prone to be too much concerned with the safety of the procedure rather than its effectiveness,” he said. Doctors and patients are slow to adapt, especially to procedures introduced from abroad, he added. “For example, phacoemulsification has become the standard for cataract surgery only in the last few years. Until recently, training programs taught mainly extracapsular cataract extraction,” he said. Several surgeons noted that there has been a historical resistance to refractive surgery in Japan stemming from an unsuccessful early attempt at radial keratotomy in the 1950s. Some patients were left blind or with impaired vision in later years from these surgeries. “These previous events made people conscious of the dangers of new procedures, and this has also made them reluctant to take chances again,” Dr. Fukasaku said. “People have been careful, but maybe too careful,” Dr. Bissen-Miyajima added (Healio)."
Image Credits:
Eye. Digital image. Web. <http://a.abcnews.com/images/Health/gty_eye_writing_jef_120726_wg.jpg>.
Works Cited:
Nader, Nicole. "Japan Resists LASIK Due to Cultural, Economic Factors | Ocular Surgery News Europe Asia Edition." Healio. Web. <http://www.healio.com/news/print/ocular-surgery-news-europe-asia-edition/{36B2D54A-6EC4-4071-AAC7-4DF50F4E96C4}/Japan-resists-LASIK-due-to-cultural-economic-factors>.
"The LASIK Procedure: A Complete Guide." All About Vision. Web. <http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/lasik.htm>
Eye. Digital image. Web. <http://a.abcnews.com/images/Health/gty_eye_writing_jef_120726_wg.jpg>.
Works Cited:
Nader, Nicole. "Japan Resists LASIK Due to Cultural, Economic Factors | Ocular Surgery News Europe Asia Edition." Healio. Web. <http://www.healio.com/news/print/ocular-surgery-news-europe-asia-edition/{36B2D54A-6EC4-4071-AAC7-4DF50F4E96C4}/Japan-resists-LASIK-due-to-cultural-economic-factors>.
"The LASIK Procedure: A Complete Guide." All About Vision. Web. <http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/lasik.htm>