The number of people considering refractive surgery is at an all time high and LASIK is considered by virtually all refractive surgeons worldwide to be the procedure of choice today.

Why Choose LASIK?

Benefits of LASIK

Difference Between LASIK, PRK, RK & ALK

LASIK & Other Procedures: A Comparison

LASIK Step-By-Step

Why Choose LASIK?

LASIK, Laser-In-Situ Keratomileusis, is similar to ALK, however, the excimer laser is utilized for improved precision. A microkeratome (an automated microsurgical instrument similar in design to a carpenter's plane) is used to create a corneal flap, as in ALK. The cool laser beam then gently reshapes the cornea, and the flap is closed.
LASIK is an extremely effective outpatient procedure that is suitable not only for higher prescriptions but also patients with moderate to low prescriptions.

It can be used to correct even the most severe 1% of prescriptions, and has generated significant excitement in the eye care community around the world.

LASIK dramatically reduces your recovery time (versus PRK) and decreases the chance of many of the procedural risks (compared to ALK). The procedure itself takes only a few minutes to complete and involves minimal discomfort.

With both PRK and LASIK, the greater your prescription, the longer your procedure takes. Even the most severe prescriptions require only about one minute of laser time and utilize only a topical anesthetic in the form of eye drops.

Although no procedure is perfect, excimer laser technology allows for an unparalleled degree of precision and predictability. This makes laser vision correction, in our opinion, the best procedure available for suitable candidates.

Each pulse of the laser can remove 39-millionths of an inch of tissue in 12-billionths of a second. This enables surgeons to achieve remarkable accuracy while maintaining excellent control throughout the procedure.

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Benefits of LASIK

• Widest Range of Correctable Prescriptions
• Minimal Discomfort
• Brief Recovery Time
• Very Low Infection Risk
• Relatively Quick Procedure to Complete
• Very Low Risk of Scarring
• Preservation of Cornea Layers
• Excellent Ocular Integrity Post-Treatment
  

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Difference Between LASIK, PRK, RK & ALK

PRK is the most common procedure utilizing the excimer laser. It is used to correct myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia. With PRK, no scalpels are used and no incisions are made. The eye is prepared by gently removing the eye’s protective epithelium, (a layer of cells that naturally regenerates itself every few days) to reveal the next layer of corneal tissue known as Bowman's layer. Computer-controlled pulses of cool laser light are then applied to delicately reshape the curvature of the eye. Deeper cell layers remain virtually untouched.

The whole PRK procedure itself is usually completed in a few minutes and is painless. Since a layer about as slender as a human hair is typically removed, the cornea maintains its original strength.

Post-operatively, PRK patients are placed on antibiotic drops, along with anti-inflammatory agents to promote comfort and reduce swelling. Patients are also fitted with a bandage contact lens to improve their comfort while their eye is healing. Once the epithelium is healed, usually on the third post-operative day, the bandage contact lens is removed. Daily eye examinations are required during this initial healing process to ensure an infection does not develop.

RK or Radial Keratotomy, is a refractive surgical procedure, whereby the periphery of the cornea is reshaped with a hand held diamond blade, by placing microscopic incisions in a 'radial' pattern in the outer portion of the cornea. RK leaves approximately a 3 millimeter central area of the eye untouched. These very fine incisions are designed to help flatten the curvature of the cornea, thereby allowing light rays entering the eye to properly focus on the retina.

The number and length of incisions determines the degree of correction attained. These incisions are invisible to the naked eye and take only minutes to perform. During the past 20 years, over one million myopic people, worldwide, have reduced their dependence on glasses and contacts through the use of Radial Keratotomy.

ALK or Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty, is a newly introduced procedure developed from older methods of vision correction. In ALK, a microkeratome (an ophthalmic instrument) is used to create a corneal flap, revealing the inner corneal tissue. A thin wedge of corneal tissue is then removed with a second microkeratome pass, thereby reshaping the cornea. The corneal flap is then closed. ALK performed in this fashion can correct myopia, and a variation can correct hyperopia.

ALK can treat very high levels of myopia. However, the procedure lacks the accuracy of the excimer laser. It is often combined with RK/AK in order to fine-tune the final visual results and to treat any accompanying astigmatism.

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LASIK Step-By-Step

The entire LASIK procedure, including the surgery, takes only about 15 minutes to complete. LASIK procedures are completely painless. Patients are always amazed at the ease of this procedure because of their speed and comfort. We use a topical anesthetic drop to numb the eye for the procedures. An eyelid holder is inserted to prevent blinking while the drops eliminate the reflex to blink.

Step 1. A suction ring is placed on the eye to secure the eye and maintain pressure within the eye while the corneal flap is created.

Step 2. A microkeratome, an automated microsurgical instrument similar in design to a carpenter's plane, is used to create a thin corneal flap which remains hinged by the nose or beneath the upper eyelid. The corneal flap is 160 to 180 microns thick, about 30% the corneal thickness which is typically about 550 microns. The creation of corneal flaps has actually been performed for four decades providing us with a long history of safety and stability. Patients do not feel or see the cutting of the corneal flap, which takes only a few seconds.

Step 3. The corneal flap is then laid back and the inner stromal layers of the cornea lasered with the patient's prescription.

Step 4. The corneal flap is then closed and the flap and interface rinsed.

Once the procedure is completed, we will wait a few minutes to ensure the corneal flap has fully re-adhered. At this point, patients can blink normally and the corneal flap remains secured in position by the natural suction within the cornea. While it is possible to dislodge the corneal flap during the first day or two by physically rubbing the eye, this event is actually quite rare. After the first week, LASIK patients can resume their full exercise activities.

Since the protective layer remains intact with LASIK, no bandage contact lens is required and an examination is only required on the first post-operative day. LASIK patients are only placed on an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drop for 4 days. Vision is usually quite good the following day with LASIK.

LASIK patients are instructed to wear a protective eye shield while sleeping for 4 days to prevent accidental trauma to the cornea flap during the early healing period. Patients are able to fly immediately after both procedures and exercise and swim after 1 week.

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