LASIK Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a procedure used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. During this procedure, patients are given numbing eye drops and a flap is created on the superficial layer of the cornea with an instrument called a microkeratome. The excimer laser then uses a cool beam of laser light to gently sculpt your spectacle correction onto the front surface of the eye. The flap is then returned to its original position. The laser spends a matter of seconds reshaping the eye and many patients notice an improvement in their vision as they exit the surgical suite.