How does the corneal flap stick back onto the eye after surgery?
During the healing process, a number of factors occur that allow the corneal flap to stick back onto the eye. • The corneal flap made during the LASIK procedure is able to lay flat and aligned for 2 reasons: 1) The Hinge: The corneal flap is created with a superiorly located hinge. When the flap is laid back down (after the procedure is completed), this hinge allows the flap to remain attached and aligned. 2) The “trough”: When the corneal flap is created, a trough (the “bed”) is created in the cornea which is the exact same size as the flap. A flap that is replaced properly will lie perfectly in this trough. This is more stable than a contact lens which sits on top of the cornea and moves with each blink. • The sequence of events for corneal flap adherence is as follows: 1) Negative suction: During the first few seconds to the first few hours after surgery, the corneal flap begins to stick with the help of negative suction pressure exerted by the cornea. This is the same suction that
