Navigating Laser Surgery Options

There are many types of corrective laser eye surgeries available today, also known as “Refractive Surgical Procedures”. However; it is important to keep in mind that a comprehensive examination and consultation is the only way to be sure if you are a good candidate for eye corrective surgery. Laser eye surgery is also often called LASIK eye surgery which stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.The most popular procedures today are:

• Conventional LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis)
• Wave front-guided LASIK
• IntraLASIK
• PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)- ASA
• LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis)- ASA
• PAI LASIK (Photoablative Inlay)

Conventional LASIK

surgery involves a procedure in which a flap of corneal tissue is created with a mechanical knife called the microkeratome. The laser energy is then applied to the cornea underneath the flap. The flap is then replaced to cover the area that has been reshaped by the laser.

Wave front-guided LASIK

LASIK is a procedure that utilizes a wave front technology diagnostic to evaluate and target specific problem areas in your vision. This technology then creates a map that is used by the laser to sculpt the cornea in order to resolve diagnosed visual problems.

IntraLASIK

surgery creates the flap by using a separate laser instead of creating the flap with a mechanical microkeratome, everything else then follows the procedure for common LASIK surgery.

PRK and LASEK

surgeries are also known as Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA). In these procedures no flap is created. With ASA the laser energy is applied directly to the surface of the cornea. ASA procedures can either be conventional or wave front-guided.

PAI LASIK

is the newest and most current LASIK treatment available. It is used to correct more severe visual acuity problems. A corneal flap is created and a synthetic PAI is placed on the stromal bed while the laser makes the correction on the inlay instead of the corneal tissue. The flap is replaced, and vision acuity is restored.

How It Works

Thoroughly understanding the process of Laser eye surgery and having a basic idea of the steps involved prior to, during, and immediately following surgery should aide you in having an overall positive corrective laser eye surgery experience. Although individual experiences will vary, there are fundamental commonalities indicative to all procedure’s that can be generalized to the majority of laser eye surgery experiences.

For most people making the choice to have corrective eye surgery is a positive one that can produce permanent results in helping to restore vision. Most experts feel that the skill and expertise and of the surgeon is the critical factor in yielding positive results and minimizing risks. Make sure that you have all the facts and feel comfortable with the quality and professionalism of your surgeon in order to optimize your benefits with corrective laser eye surgery.