Every year, 1.3 million Americans undergo LASIK surgery to correct their vision, and most have good results. In fact, only 2 percent to 3 percent of LASIK (which stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) patients have complications, according to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

But while the opportunity to see clearly without glasses or contacts is a tempting one, is it worth the potential risks that do exist? This is the question that everyone considering LASIK surgery must face.

How Does LASIK Work?

LASIK surgery permanently changes the shape of your cornea, which is the clear covering in front of your eye. The surgery works like this:

• A special knife is used to cut a flap in your cornea, which is folded back to reveal the middlesection, or stroma, of the cornea.
• Pulses from a laser are used to vaporize a portion of the stroma.
• The flap is replaced.

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