Types of Laser Eye Surgery

Laser procedures use a special laser that corrects vision problems by reshaping the cornea, allowing you to regain proper focusing abilities. As a result of laser eye surgery, most patients notice a remarkable improvement in their vision - in fact, the majority of them completely eliminate their dependency on corrective lenses.

LASIK

LASIK eye surgery is the latest, most talked about form of laser eye surgery. It uses an excimer laser that performs the actual operation of reshaping the cornea to restore proper vision. This type of laser has the ability to vaporize selected portions of the cornea without generating heat. The surgeon makes a small incision on the outer layer of the cornea to produce a flap. This flap is folded back out of the way while the laser makes the necessary corrections to the underlying portion of the cornea. Upon completion of the laser processing, the corneal flap is repositioned, restoring proper vision almost immediately. The entire process takes only a few minutes and it's virtually painless.

PRK

PRK laser eye surgery differs from LASIK in that it does all of its corrections to the outside layer of the cornea, therefore it does not require the cutting of the cornea to produce the corneal flap. After removing a small amount of the outer layer of the cornea, the laser turns its attention to the underlying area, reshaping it to correct vision defects.

PRK laser eye surgery requires a longer healing time than LASIK, since a portion of the outer layer of the cornea has actually been removed and must grow back. As a patient, you'll probably be required to wear an eye bandage for two or three days for protection. Additionally, PRK patients will generally experience more discomfort during the healing process than LASIK patients.

Why would anyone want PRK instead of LASIK? PRK is actually the best choice for certain patients. For example, you may not be a good candidate for LASIK if your cornea is exceptionally thin or if you have unusually large pupils. You doctor will make the determination about which procedure is best for you upon examination.

LASEK

LASEK is a modified version of the PRK procedure. LASEK uses a 20% alcohol solution to sofeten the outer layer of the cornea for easy removal. This layer is then replaced after the laser process has been completed. The major advantages of LASEK is a shorter healing time than PRK and no cutting is done as with LASIK procedures.

CUSTOM VUE LASIK

Basically the same as LASIK, except that the laser is computer guided, rather than being manipulated directly by the surgeon. During an exam, your eye contour is mapped by a sophisticated computer controlled system. The data gathered is then used to program the laser used during the actual LASIK procedure. Reports indicate the this method is 25% more accurate than previous LASIK systems.