How Safe Is Laser Eye Surgery?

Refractive surgery is surgery done to correct vision. There are two types of refractive surgery. One is laser eye surgery and the other is lens surgery. Both types eliminate the need for glasses and contact lenses and both types of surgery are safe. Laser vision correction surgery is one of the most popular elective surgeries and also has one of the lowest complication rates, making the procedure even more appealing.

What Is Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery involves using lasers to reshape the front surface of the cornea. This changes the way the light focuses on the eye, allowing the patient to see clearly again. The surgery corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

If you are 18 years old and above, you may be a suitable candidate for laser eye surgery. There are other factors considered apart from age. These include the following:

Stable prescription for the last 12 months
Your eyes must have no signs of disease
Sufficient corneal thickness
Adequate size of pupils
Must be in generally good health
Not pregnant or nursing

How To Improve Your Chances For A Safe And Successful Procedure

There are a few recommendations for patients to ensure they are maximizing their contributions towards a safe and successful laser vision correction procedure. The first recommendation is to thoroughly research your options for the top laser vision correction surgeon in Edison. Not all LASIK surgeons are alike and have the same level of education or experience. The team at Manhattan LASIK center is highly experienced and highly recommended. Once you’ve selected your surgeon, you should attend a consultation and follow their specific recommendations in regards to your recommended procedure and pre-op instructions. The post-op aftercare instructions and appointments are equally important.

Types of Laser Eye Surgery

There are several types of laser eye surgery. Although all of them have their benefits and low complication rates, because of their distinct benefits some procedures are better suited for some candidates. Some of the more popular types of Laser vision correction surgery are:

Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

This procedure uses two lasers. One is for opening the thin flap on the surface of the eye, and the other is for reshaping underneath the flap. The LASIK surgeon creates a thin flap with a hinge into your cornea. With the other laser, the LASIK surgeon removes inner layers and flatten their dome shape. The flap is then smoothed back over. It stays in place without stitches. Recovery is rapid and comfortable than other surgeries.

Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE®)

The SMILE eye surgery is an alternative to LASIK. It is the most advanced form of laser eye surgery that is gentle on the eyes. The procedure involves the eye doctor creat ing a small lens-shaped piece of tissue called the lenticule within the cornea. Then with the same laser, the surgeon creates a small incision. Through this incision, the surgeon removes the lenticule, consequently reshaping the surface of the cornea. This allowing the light to reflect correctly onto the cornea which corrects the refractive error.

Advanced Surface Treatments

These include the Epi-LASIK, LASEK, and PRK laser surgery methods.

Epithelial Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (EPI-LASIK)

The difference with EPI-LASIK is in the production of the flap. There is no use of alcohol to loosen epithelial cells. This usually damages some of the cells in the process. The procedure uses a device known as a microkeratome or epithelial separator. This helps lift the epithelium, preserving the cells in it. After the procedure, a special contact is laid on the surface of the cornea to aid in healing.

Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratectomy (LASEK)

This is more suited to patients with thinner corneas. Unlike in LASIK, your laser vision correction surgeon makes an ultra-thin flap only on the epithelium (outer protective cover) of the cornea. They then use a laser to reshape the outer layers. This helps flatten the curve on your cornea, after which your laser vision correction surgeon replaces the epithelium.

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

Though similar to LASEK, PRK does not replace the epithelium. Instead, it grows back naturally. As it grows, it conforms to the new shape of the cornea.