LASIK (laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis ) is probably the most commonly performed laser eye surgery procedure and tends to be what people think of when considering laser surgery for vision correction. However not all patients may be ideal candidates for LASIK surgery due to variations in cornea thickness and curvature. Photo refractive keratectomy ,or PRK, may be the better option for vision correction in some patients who are not able to have LASIK.
Prior to the introduction and subsequent popularity of LASIK, PRK was the most common refractive eye surgery procedure performed. Both LASIK and PRK share similarities in that an excimer laser is utilized to sculpt and reshape the cornea of the eye in accordance with the patients medical needs. Both techniques are used in the correction of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (blurred vision resulting from corneal irregularity), or a combination thereof. Likewise, both are outpatient surgical procedures which may be performed in a physicians office or clinic setting. There are however a few differences in the two procedures.
In a LASIK procedure a small flap is cut with a special tool on the exterior of the cornea. The computer controlled excimer laser is then used to reshape the corneal tissue under the flap. The flap is then replaced over the cornea where it will adhere to the eye and serve to protect it. In PRK, the excimer laser is used to remove tissue and reshape the cornea directly on the surface, or epithelial layer, of the eye. A protective soft contact lens is usually placed over the eye for 3-5 days to allow the epithelial surface to heal.
Several major differences for the patient exist in the two procedures. The first is the recovery period, which tends to be considerable shorter for LASIK patients as opposed to PRK. Likewise, vision improvement with PRK tends to be more of a gradual process than take from a few days to a few months. LASIK patients will in most circumstances experience the benefits of their surgery in a much shorter frame.
A successful end result for both procedures is an improvement in vision, and the correction of pre-existing vision conditions. Only a thorough examination and consultation with a qualified laser eye surgeon can determine which is right for you.
R Heavner
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/lasik-versus-prk-eye-surgery-136018.html
Contact lenses versus LASIK surgery. Dry eyes?
I was considering LASIK surgery at one of the nation’s most successful LASIK centers (the Filutowski Eye Center here in Lake Mary, FL), and they said that if I go with contacts, the lenses may cause me to become a bad candidate over time. My regular eye doctor, who recently prescribed me contact lenses, said this is only true after wearing contacts for decades, and that if I wanted to continue with contacts for a few years, then go to LASIK, I would be okay. I personally think that the LASIK center was trying to sell their product by using some minor misdirection.
Has anyone here had contacts for several years at least, and then gotten the LASIK surgery? How has it worked out for you? Any problems?
Your regular O.D. is correct. Follow his advice
It is true, one patient of ours had been using hard contact lenses for 10 years and when she went for Lasik, she was determined as a possible risk of failure.
The reason for any risk in Lasik is the reduced thickness of the cornea. With the new lenses you are wearing there is minimal erosion.
A year or two from you you will still be a successful candidate.
I doubt if the Lasik surgeon was trying to drum up business. Rather he was repeating what his journals say about patients who had extended contact wear.
References :
O.D. for 50 years
Soft contact lens wearers, if compliant with their care and replacement, should have no problem with LASIK surgery. People who have worn hard or rigid gas permeable contacts for years will have to discontinue their contact wear for several weeks or month prior to the screening after the cornea has had time to stabilize. Some patients have problems with dry eye after having LASIK surgery.
All contact lens wearers need glasses as a back-up. If you’re interested in LASIK and the surgeon says you can’t wear your contacts for a period before the surgery, you can just wear your glasses.
References :
ophthalmic medical assistant / optician / contact lens tech x 4 years