What is LASIK and, is right for you? Let's take a look at this very popular method of eye surgery which is allowing hundreds of thousands of Americans to get rid of their glasses and contact lenses for good.

LASIK stands for Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, a common type of refractive eye surgery. In short, LASIK changes the way your eye refracts light. As light rays enter your eye, your cornea refracts -- bends back -- the rays to focus them on your retina, which is the back part of the eye.

During LASIK surgery your cornea is cut and reshaped. A special device is utilized which will cut a hinged flap of thin corneal tissue off the cornea and the flap is lifted out of the way. The laser reshapes the corneal tissue, and the surgeon replaces the flap, which immediately sticks to the eyeball. Because laser is used, there are no stitches. A perforated metal or plastic shield is placed over the eye to protect the flap.

Surgery typically lasts just 10-15 minutes per eye. Most of the time the doctor will perform surgery on both eyes consecutively. On occasion, he or she will have you wait a few days to see how the surgery turned out on the first eye before proceeding to the second eye. Generally, healing is rapid with most people experiencing complete recovery within a few days.

While mostly everyone achieves 20/20 vision after surgery, 20/20 does not guarantee perfect vision. If you have LASIK to correct your distance vision, you'll still need reading glasses around the age of 45.

Since the surgery is new, there is no conclusive information on long term effects. Some short term problems include: problems with night driving which would necessitate you wearing glasses; corneal scarring; permanent warping of the cornea; and flap problems which can effect your vision.

Insurance companies consider the surgery to be elective, therefore be prepared to pay for the procedure out of your own pocket.

Check out the American Academy of Opthalmology's website [www.eyenet.org] for an accredited LASIK eye surgeon in your area. Query people who have already had this procedure done before you decide whether LASIK is right for you.

You are hearing more and more about the Lasik Vision Center both in the media and from friends and coworkers. Many people you know have already had surgery and are thrilled with the final results-not having to wear glasses or contact lenses. Why are more and more people every year choosing to have their vision corrected by the Lasik Vision Institute?

There are a few very important reasons why people like the Lasik Vision Institute. They advertise that they have:

* Extremely qualified surgeons - they employ leading medical professionals from around the country and they are personally responsible for your eye care.

* Secure technology - they use FDA approved laser technology during each procedure.

* Confidence - their medical professionals have performed over 500,000 procedures.

* Personalized care and treatment - the medical professionals are extremely qualified and they work with you to offer you a choice of laser vision correction based on your individual needs (whether you want LASIK, LASEK, PRK and Custom Wavefront technology).

* Affordable - they offer reasonably priced procedures and easy financing so that everyone can have their vision corrected.

It is reasonable to be anxious about any surgery in or around your eyes. The Lasik Visition Institute understands your concerns and wants their patients to know about the pros and cons of having laser surgery.

You may feel some anxiety about laser vision correction. The laser eye surgery procedure is fast and reliable, and most people will be able see better than they did with their glasses or contact lenses. But, there is no guarantee that you will never need glasses or contact lenses again. Lasik is a great procedure, but it is not perfect and everyone's eyes are different. You may find that you still need glasses to drive at night.

If everything is okay, you will have your lasik surgery and go through your recovery period. The Lasik Vision Institute staff will answer your questions and provide you with suggestions on what to do after the surgery. It will take a few weeks during your recovery, but your eyes should get stronger and your vision clearer. Most people can return to work the day after their surgery with little or no discomfort.

Take your time, think about your options and then make an informed decision about your lasik surgery. You may end up with 20/20 vision and never have to wear glasses or contact lenses again. Or, you may find out that you do not qualify for this surgery. Either way, you took the time to learn about the procedure and know your options.

If you still want to use the Lasik Vision Institute perform your surgery you can be sure that they will provide you with all of the information you need up front. This includes the costs involves and monthly affordable payments. Their procedures can be as low as $299 per eye and up depending upon the type of surgery performed.

What are you waiting for? You have always wanted to get rid of your glasses and now you know about the Lasik Vision Institute. Contact them and see if they are the right medical group to perform your surgery. They are just a phone call away.

Are you considering getting your eye sight corrected so that you can ditch your glasses and contact lenses? This is a very big decision and the price of lasik eye surgery can be quite the determining factor. There are a few things to consider when thinking about how much it will cost you.

First, you have to consider how much more money you would spend on glasses and contact over your lifetime. This has to be considered because if you don't have lasik eye surgery you will be spending money for glasses and contacts for the rest of your life, unless you decide to go through life without being able to see correctly.

Second, you have to consider the benefits from having 20/20 vision. By listing out all the benefits and weighing it against the price that is charged for lasik eye surgery you will be able to see whether or not it is worth it. Consider things like, if you are a golfer you will have a better depth perception, if you like to do outdoor things you will see all the wonderful things in nature better, and if you love to read it will be much easier and less tiresome when you have 20/20 vision.

Last, you should expect to pay between $1,200 and $2,500 per eye for your lasik eye surgery. This is normal and the price depends on a few different factors. It depends on which type of surgery you need and which company made the laser that will be used, since they get a royalty fee. The one thing that you have to remember, though, is that you will be able to see so much clearer and better for the rest of your life.

The price of lasik eye surgery is a very big deal and the first thing you should do is consider how much you would spend on glasses and contacts over the rest of your lifetime, then consider the benefits, and last, expect to pay $1,200 to $2,500 per eye. You should check with your health insurance provider as well because sometimes they will cover some of the costs of the surgery for you. Plus remember that most lasik surgeons have financing set up so you can make monthly payments.