LASIK ALTERNATIVE
While there may be a million reasons to have LASIK, there may be some conditions that exclude some people. At Eye Specialists of Delaware, patients will be thoroughly screened for conditions that may affect LASIK candidacy. If any of these conditions are found, we’ll recommend one of many effective LASIK alternatives such as:
- PRK
- Intraocular Collamer Lens Implants (Visian ICL™)
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
LASIK alternatives are determined by each individual patient’s unique vision needs.
PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY (PRK)
PRK is a type of refractive surgery to correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism.
PRK was the first type of laser eye surgery for vision correction and is the predecessor to the popular LASIK procedure. Though PRK recovery takes a bit longer than recovery from LASIK eye surgery, PRK is still commonly performed and offers advantages over LASIK for some patients.
PRK works by reshaping the cornea using an excimer laser, allowing light entering the eye to be properly focused onto the retina for clear vision. The cornea repairs itself within a few days after surgery.
INTRAOCULAR COLLAMER LENS IMPLANTS (VISIAN ICL™)
Do you have a high prescription (very nearsighted or very farsighted) and don’t qualify for LASIK surgery, but still want to get rid of your glasses or contacts? Think about an implantable contact lens to be free of your contacts and glasses and live your life to the fullest.
Staar Visian ICLs™ are implantable (collamer) contact lenses designed to correct for myopia (nearsightedness).
After the implantable collamer lens is permanently implanted behind the natural lens, the Visian ICL™ provides good results and causes few problems for patients.
REFRACTIVE LENS EXCHANGE
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) may be recommended if your corneas are too thin for LASIK or if your eyes are too nearsighted or farsighted.
The procedure can also correct astigmatism and presbyopia. Presbyopia is a condition that occurs to most people over age 40. The eye’s natural lens gradually loses its ability to focus up close, making it necessary for a person to wear reading glasses or bifocals.
RLE is usually performed on people over age 40. RLE is the same surgical procedure as cataract surgery, except the patient’s clear lens is removed instead of a cloudy lens.