LASIK , or "laser assisted in situ keratomileusis", is not a specific procedure, it is a category of refractive surgeries. Often misspelled or mispronounced as "lasic" or "lasix," there are multiple types of LASIK surgeries. Only a qualified LASIK surgeon can determine the feasibility of a specific procedure for a specific patient.
What is LASIK Surgery?
LASIK surgery is eye surgery, performed by laser, which allows correction of vision problems. The surgery is not appropriate for all patients. In all LASIK procedures, the vision correction results from a removal or reshaping of some portion of the cornea in the eye. There are five major types of LASIK, each of which may be suitable for different patients.
Which type of LASIK sugery is right for a patient must be determined by the doctor after a thorough eye exam. Differences in cutting techniques for the flap and corneal thickness requirements will affect this decision, and are something the patient can not determine on their own.
Custom Wavefront LASIK
In this form of laser eye surgery, special three-dimensional measurements of the eye are used to map out resurfacing the laser will perform. This is referred to as "custom" because of the highly individualized results that are not easily replicated with normal corrective procedures.
Use of this type of LASIK can result in excellent vision correction with a reduced risk of negative effects.
Custom Wavefront technology is unique in that it can allow for improvements both in what the patient sees and how clearly they see it. This surgery may actually help increase clarity and fine detail for the patients.
Epi-LASIK
During this procedure, a flap is cut into the upper layer of the cornea. A laser is then used to shape the cornea in the area where the flap has been lifted. After the procedure is completed, the flap is returned to its original position to allow the cornea to heal. Patients undergoing this form of surgery will likely wear contacts for the first few days after the procedure to allow the cornea to heal properly.
This procedure does not have the nearly instant vision improvements seen with some other LASIK procedures. Many patients achieve 20/40 vision or better within 3 days, but it's not uncommon for final results to take three to six months to be achieved.
IntraLase LASIK
This form of laser eye surgery uses two different lasers during the surgery. Instead of creating a flap using traditional methods of cutting the flap, the corneal flap is created by a second type of laser. The use of this type of laser reduces potential complications involving the corneal flap, but this procedure may not be appropriate for all patients.
While flap complications are less frequent using this procedure, there is an increased incidence of light sensitivity or rainbow effects around objects after bladeless LASIK. Patients undergoing IntraLase LASIK procedures can expect a fairly fast vision improvement, but may experience eye irritation for a few days after the procedure.
PresbyLASIK
This is an advanced laser vision correction surgery which allows custom vision adjustments for seeing at varying distances. Sometimes called "multifocal" LASIK, this surgery is used to allow an eye surgeon to correct vision in part of the eye for distance, while another portion of the eye is adjusted for near vision.
This category encompasses the FDA approved "monovision" surgery, which corrects on eye for near vision and the other for distance, as well as "multifocal" LASIK, which corrects the eyes to have multiple zones for vision. Multifocal LASIK is still in clinical trials and has not been FDA approved at this time.
Things to Consider Before Having Laser Vision Correction Surgery
The decision to have laser eye surgery should not be taken lightly. While rare, there is a possibility of severe complications. Discounted surgery rates should be carefully researched and regarded as suspicious until the patient is sure that the doctor is well trained and the lasers are properly maintained.
Source:
Much of the information in this article comes from All About Vision's LASIK & Laser Eye Surgery: A Complete Consumer Guide article, which is a great resource for more information regarding any of these procedures.
Erin Toombs - I am a mom of two children under the age of 10. My oldest daughter was identified as "gifted" prior to starting pre-k. I believe my ...
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