Laser technology options
It used to be that people with poor vision were doomed to wearing thick glasses, bifocals, or contact lenses for the rest of their lives. Now, however, that is no longer the case.
Many people are turning to laser eye surgery to help correct their vision problems. Using a very precise laser, doctors are able to reshape the cornea to help their patients achieve 20/20 vision or better.
Not all laser eye surgery is the same. Different types of lasers and new emerging technology has made it so anyone wanting laser surgery has a number of different options.
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The following are some laser technology options for eye surgery:
LASIK
LASIK eye surgery is the most popular of the laser technology options. With Lasik, the doctor makes a thin cut in the cornea using either a very small blade or a laser. Then, the flap is lifted and the doctor works to remove tissue from the cornea with the laser. The laser is adjusted by the doctor for the patient's prescription, and the laser reshapes the cornea based on the doctor's settings by sending pulses of light into the cornea. When finished, the flap is replaced. It is used as a type of bandage and helps speed healing.
Wavefront LASIK
Wavefront LASIK is an enhanced version of LASIK technology and utilizes microsensors in addition to a laser. With this type of technology, a laser beam is sent to the retina, then reflected out of the eye. The sensor then measures the reflection and maps out the cornea's irregularities and imperfections. This map helps the eye surgeon to customize the procedure directly to the patient's individual problems, allowing for even better vision.
Once the "map" of the eye is produced, the doctor then performs Lasik on the patient as listed above. The difference is the result is much more accurate.
PRK (Photorefractive keratectomy)
PRK differs from Lasik in a number of ways. With PRK, the eye surgeon uses what is known as an excimer laser, a type of laser that uses a cool ultraviolet laser beam to remove tissue from the cornea. Unlike Lasik, PRK does not use a laser to create a flap in the cornea; instead, the doctor applies energy from the excimer laser directly to the surface of the eye, which removes the outermost layer of the eye. The main goal of PRK is to reshape the cornea so that light is better focused in the eye and retina.
This type of surgery is a good option for people who are not candidates for Lasik, for one reason or another, or who have thinner corneas or larger pupils.
LASEK
Another laser technology option for those interested in eye surgery is LASEK. Although similar to Lasik, there are some significant differences. Lasek uses a special cutting tool, not a laser, to create a very thin flap in the cornea. (Lasik makes the flap much thicker.) Lasek, in turn, preserves the outer layer of the eye and lifts it entirely from the surface of the eye. Then, it uses the laser to reshape the cornea, and the outer layer of the eye is replaced back on the surface.
With so many different types of laser technology used today for eye surgery, it can be difficult to determine which is best for you. An eye doctor will help you to know which type of laser technology is the best for you.
