Seeing is Believing

A CBS 2 News Special Assignment

Well, thanks to an innovative new surgery involving a laser, you might be able to regain perfect vision. CBS 2 News' Kyle Kraska went under the knife -- er, laser -- to explore this exciting new surgical procedure and lived to tell about it.

Special Assignment: Seeing is Believing aired Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 11 p.m.

Chances are you've heard of it, and you're very likely curious about it. But for the first time, CBS 2 News viewers got to see the latest in laser eye surgery -- every step of the way.

CBS 2 News' Kyle Kraska decided to meet Dr. Andrew Caster after reading his book, "The Eye Laser Miracle." Dr. Caster has not only performed hundreds of laser eye surgeries, but he has had undergone laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) himself, said CBS 2 News' Kyle Kraska.

"(LASIK is a procedure) where we use a machine to fold back the front layer of the eye," Dr. Caster told Kraska. "And then we apply laser energy to the surface of the eye and this causes the eye to change shape."

Before surgery, a machine called an auto-refractor was used on Kraska to automatically determine his focusing ability. A prescription is read right off the machine and all Kraska had to do was stare down a long animated road.

The next part of the exam involved a corneal topographer, said Kraska. The topographer was able to tell the doctor that Kraska had astigmatism in each eye -- meaning the cornea is oblong in shape.

Astigmatism can also be corrected by the surgery.

Finally, Kraska went through a routine but extensive eye exam. And after all the testing, it was determined that Kraska's eyesight was at about 20-1000 -- which meant that at even 20 feet away, his vision was pretty poor.

Kraska was now set to undergo the LASIK procedure.

First, both eyes got a share of numbing drops. A patch was then placed over his left eye while his right eye was positioned under the laser; held wide open with a speculum, making it impossible for him to blink.

An instrument called a microkeratome sliced the outer portion of his cornea, creating a flap.

The flap was then gently rolled back to expose the inside of Kraska's cornea. This inside portion of the cornea is the area that the laser reshapes.

An excimer laser is what treated Kraska's eye. This laser is so precise it can actually etch nicks into a human hair, said Kraska.

The eye has an amazing ability to heal. In fact, the initial healing of his cornea took only a few hours. The entire procedure took less than 20 minutes. But best of all, said Kraska, he didn't feel any pain or sensation throughout the laser treatment.

For more information on LASIK, take a look at the following resources:

• The Eye Laser Miracle by Andrew I. Caster, M.D., F.A.C.S.
• Learn more about Dr. Caster and the Caster Center.
• LASIK (Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) is commonly used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
• What is myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism?
• What are the risks and benefits of LASIK?
• The Journal of Refractive Surgery compares Laser in situ Keratomileusis and Photorefractive Keratectomy .