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Are you a candidate for Laser Vision Correction?
In general, the ideal patient has a healthy cornea,
and has not
had a significant prescription increase in the last year.
People with certain medical conditions or pregnant women may not be good
candidates.
Finding out more about the health of your
eye is the first step
toward visual independence.
Contact us today
for a personal consultation.
LASIK corrects vision by reshaping the corneal tissue beneath the surface of the cornea. LASIK combine the accuracy of the Excimer laser with the healing benefits of a surgical procedure called the Lamellar Keratoplasty, performed on a limited basis since 1949, to treat higher levels of nearsightedness and moderate amounts of farsightedness. After the eye has been completely numbed using "eye drop" anesthesia, an eyelid holder is placed between the lids to prevent blinking. Next, an instrument called a microkeratome makes a protective flap in the cornea. During this process you may feel a little pressure, but no discomfort. You will be asked to look directly at a target light while the laser reshapes the cornea. Just like in PRK, the cornea is made flatter to treat nearsightedness, steeper to treat farsightedness and more spherical to treat astigmatism. Next, the protective flap is folded back in place where it bonds without the need for stitches. Because LASIK is performed under a protective layer of tissue, there is less surface area to heal, less risk of corneal haze, less postoperative discomfort, less need for postoperative medication and vision returns more rapidly, often within a day or so. LASIK can also treat a higher range
of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. However, because of the use of the microkeratome, LASIK carries additional surgical to PRK.
PRK or Photo-Refractive Keratectomy treats refractive errors by removing from the surface of the cornea. First, your eye is completely numbed using "eye drop" anesthesia and an instrument is placed between the eyelids to prevent blinking. Then, the surgeon removes the epithelium, a thin layer of protective skin that covers the cornea. The patient is told to look directly at a target light during the procedure. In less than a minute or two, the laser removes the proper amount of tissue while it reshapes the surface of the cornea. By altering the shape or placement of the laser beam, the cornea is made flatter to treat nearsightedness, steeper to treat farsightedness and/or more spherical to treat astigmatism. After PRK, the eye is patched until the following morning. Because the epithelium was removed, patients may experience blurry or hazy vision for one to five days and variable discomfort until the epithelium heals and covers the treated area. Eye drops, pain medication and possibly a protective contact lens are effective in minimizing this postoperative discomfort. Final visual results may be fully realized anywhere from several days to a month or more as the surface heals in accordance to each individual's healing tendencies. PRK is most often used to treat low to moderate amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Vassar
Brothers Medical Mall |
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