LASIK / PRK / LASEK Vision Correction Treatments

Vision disorders such as myopia (nearsightedness), hypermetropia (farsightedness), and astigmatism have been effectively treated with excimer laser technology since the 1980s. Millions of patients worldwide have benefited from these advanced laser eye procedures.

These treatments reshape the cornea by a process called ablation, which vaporizes a thin layer of corneal tissue without physically removing it.

LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis)

LASIK involves creating a small flap on the upper surface of the cornea. Using an excimer laser, the cornea underneath the flap is precisely reshaped to improve vision.

There are several variations of the LASIK procedure:

• Traditional LASIK: The corneal flap is created using a microkeratome blade.

• FEMTO LASIK: A femtosecond laser is used to create the corneal flap with high precision and safety.

• iLASIK: Also known as iDesign LASIK, Wavefront LASIK, or A-CAT LASIK, this advanced method uses aberrometry technology to map not only common vision errors but also subtle imperfections in the eye. This allows for a customized treatment that improves overall vision quality beyond standard LASIK.

Consultation with an eye specialist is necessary to determine if you are a suitable candidate for iLASIK.

PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)

PRK is an alternative for patients who have vision disorders but do not have sufficient corneal thickness for LASIK.

In PRK, the thin outer layer of the cornea called the epithelium is gently folded back, and the excimer laser reshapes the underlying corneal tissue. Unlike LASIK, no corneal flap is created.

A protective contact lens is placed on the eye after the procedure to aid healing. Recovery time is longer than LASIK, often taking 3-4 weeks for full visual results. Patients may experience mild pain or discomfort for 2 to 4 days post-surgery due to the epithelial healing process.

LASEK (Laser-Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy)

LASEK is suitable for patients with thinner corneas who cannot undergo LASIK.

This technique involves loosening the epithelium using a diluted alcohol solution before reshaping the cornea with the laser. Because no incision is made in the epithelium, LASEK generally causes less pain than PRK but has a longer recovery period than LASIK.

EPI-LASIK

EPI-LASIK is another alternative to PRK and LASEK, where a specialized device called an epikeratome is used to gently lift the epithelium.

This method results in less pain and a faster healing process compared to both PRK and LASEK, offering another option for patients with thin corneas.