Final answer:
The surgery that corrects myopia by reshaping the cornea is known as LASIK (Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis). This procedure makes the cornea flatter to correct for the elongated eyeball or excessive curvature that causes difficulty in seeing distant objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
A form of surgery that corrects the refractive error of myopia is called LASIK, which stands for Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis. This surgical procedure uses a laser to permanently change the shape of the cornea, ensuring that light is correctly focused on the retina. Individuals with myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, have difficulty seeing distant objects because their eyeballs may be elongated or their corneas too curved. LASIK surgery reduces the curvature of the cornea to decrease its optical power, allowing for clear distant vision.
To correct myopia with LASIK, the curvature of the cornea is made flatter. Conversely, to correct hyperopia, or farsightedness, the cornea's curvature would be increased, often using a convex lens in non-surgical interventions. Following a LASIK procedure, some patients might still require corrective lenses. For example, if a patient's eye power was reduced by 9.00 diopters (D), there's a ±5.0% uncertainty, meaning they might need additional spectacle lenses within a range of diopters post-operation. This assumed the person was nearsighted before the procedure because the power of the eye was reduced by the surgery, indicating a previously excessive refractive power.