Lasik Eye Surgery – Understanding Its Different Types

July 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Health

Ventura Eye Institute asked:


When it comes to the matter of eye surgery, the first thing that comes to our mind is Lasik surgery. For corrective vision procedures, Lasik surgery is all what we think about. There are various alternatives to Lasik surgery today. You can choose the option that rests upon your eye condition, the surgeon who is going to operate and the budget you are comfortable in paying. Hence it is important for you to know the different types of Lasik surgery available so that you make the right click.

LASEK SURGERY: This type of surgery is a refractive procedure that uses alcohol to separate the outer layer of the cornea. The recovery time with Lasek surgery is longer as compared to Lasik surgery. It is useful for people with thin cornea.

PRK: It removes the epithelium with a metal surgical tool. The tissue is removed from the cornea under this treatment. It is a longer recovery process and is suitable for people with thin cornea and large pupils. It is effective for treatments including near-sightedness and far-sightedness. As compared to other forms of refractive surgery, ‘dry eyes’ is the most common complication of this surgery.

EPI-LASIK: A technique used to reduce dependency of a person on contact lenses or eyeglasses. It is a refractive surgery which is similar to Lasek without any use of alcohol. It makes use of a fine surgical blade that reduces the risk of wide corneal flap. A device similar to a microkeratome (called epi-keratome) slides over the surface of the cornea, just underneath the epithelial layer of cells while suction is applied. Epi-Lasik surgery involves less pain and is a fast healing process.

INTRAOCULAR LENS: It is a form of refractive surgery to change the eye’s optical power. In other words, it is done on the patients suffering from cataract. These intraocular lenses are implanted in the eye by replacing the existing crystalline lens. Most of the intraocular lenses are fixed monofocal lenses matched according to the distant vision. The procedure of surgery in the hands of experienced ophthalmologist takes less than 30 minutes and the recovery period is usually 2-3 weeks.

CK: In this type of refractive surgery, radio waves are passed to adjust the contour of the cornea by shrinking the collagen around it. Conductive Keratoplasty is a very fast procedure and a non-invasive alternative to other types of eye surgery.

Majority of people are not aware of the types of surgery best suited to improve their kind of vision impairment. Hence it is important to be well informed about your health so that you can make the right choice of treatment. Moreover, it is crucial to take advice from friends and relatives who have gone through these procedures while making the right choice of surgeon.



Tips For Fast Recovery After Lasik Eye Surgery

May 26, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Health

MIKE SELVON asked:


In this day and age of high-tech solutions to just about every situation, it should be no surprise that there is a high-tech solution to vision problems through Lasik laser eye surgery. This procedure has become quite popular and for a number of good reasons.

There is a fast recovery time, the vision improvement is virtually immediate and the risk of complications is super low. But, to be sure that the best results are achieved and to further minimize potential problems, there are a few things patients need to do after Lasik eye surgery.

One of the first things that people want to know when they are considering corrective eye surgery is how long it will take, after the surgery, before they are able to return to their normal daily activities. The good news is that recovery from this type of laser eye surgery is quite rapid and within a couple days after the procedure, most people can get back to life as normal, except without the hassle of needing their eyeglasses or their contact lenses.

Immediately after Lasik eye surgery, it is strongly advised to carefully avoid any kind of activity that might result in something touching, rubbing or poking the eyes. For the first few hours after the laser eye surgery in the clinic, the patient is advised to rest and keep their eyes closed as much as possible.

Once these few hours have passed after surgery, the patient is then able to get back to their routine activities, either at home or at work. Still, rubbing the eyes should be avoided for a few days and if dryness or itchiness occurs, then the patient should used lubricating eye-drops to help alleviate the irritation and to sooth the eyes. Most Lasik eye center facilities will provide the patient with drops for their eyes for this very purpose.

After corrective eye surgery, it is also recommended that patients wear a soft protective eye-mask at night so that the affected eyes are buffered and protected from any inadvertent bumps, scraping or rubbing. This also helps to make sure that no foreign objects enter the eyes during this brief period of recovery from the Lasik vision surgery.

While there is historically very little occurrence of infections with laser eye surgery in general, some surgeons will prescribe antibiotics as a precaution. If antibiotics, or any other medications, have been prescribed, it is important to take these medications exactly as prescribed by the Lasik eye doctor. Also, most doctors will recommend that you drink plenty of water in order to be sure the eyes are properly hydrated during the healing process.

After Lasik eye surgery, it is also a good idea to avoid showering in order to keep soap and water out of the eyes. The patient can quickly return to normal reading, watching TV and working at the computer screen as long as they remember to keep their eyes well lubricated with artificial tears. With these few precautions, soon the patient will simply be enjoying better vision.