Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
LASIK is by far the most popular laser vision correction procedure available. The LASIK procedure is generally painless and has a relatively short recovery period. LASIK surgery typically provides excellent visual outcomes, particularly when performed by an experienced refractive surgeon, like Dr. Brian M. Brown.
Traditional LASIK surgery is a perfectly acceptable choice for many patients. It begins with a full eye examination and vision assessment.
On the day of the LASIK procedure, a patient testing is repeated and a wavescan is performed to design the patient’s custom treatment. Patients are generally given medication to help relax them during the procedure and rest after the procedure. Anesthetic, antibiotic and steroid eye drops are instilled throughout the procedure. An instrument called a microkeratome, or the bladeless IntraLase laser, is used to create a flap in the patient’s cornea. Consult with Dr. Brown for which technology is right for your procedure.
The flap is gently folded back, and then the surgeon directs the laser to predetermined corneal tissue that needs to be removed and/or reshaped to correct the patient’s vision. The flap is replaced, and healing begins almost immediately. Patient vision often improves noticeably the day after surgery, although it may take a few weeks for best results.
IntraLase Bladeless LASIK
Bladeless LASIK offers the ability to create a flap of uniform thickness at a preprogrammed depth. Any variation in flap thickness will result in a variation of your visual outcome. Because we know exactly what depth the flap is being created, we are able to preserve the most corneal tissue following the procedure, leaving each patient with a stronger, more stable eye.
Bladefree LASIK is a much less invasive procedure than traditional LASIK. With Bladeless LASIK, our surgeons pass the laser through the cornea and create small bubbles at a preprogrammed depth without applying friction to the front layer of the eye, a much more comfortable approach for a patient.
IntraLASIK® software directs the IntraLase® FS Laser to optically focus its beam into a tiny, 3 micron spot of energy that passes harmlessly through the outer layers of the cornea until reaching its exact focal point within the stroma (central layer of the cornea). The Intralase® laser allows for optimal focus.
The Intralase® laser beam stacks a pattern of bubbles along the periphery of the ablation plane, leaving an uncut section of tissue to act as a hinge. As with a traditional LASIK approach, the surgeon then folds the tissue back to expose the underlying corneal layer to prepare for the excimer laser treatment that will re-shape the cornea.
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
PRK is a refractive procedure, similar to LASIK. However, no flap is created with this procedure. With PRK, the surgeon removes the epithelium (a thin layer of cells covering the cornea), and then applies the laser directly to the surface of the cornea. The beam precisely adjusts the curvature of the cornea. Recovery from PRK may take longer and can be uncomfortable compared to LASIK, as the epithelium needs to heal. However, PRK patients are not subject to the flap complications that can affect a small percentage of LASIK patients. For this reason, the U.S. military prefers PRK to LASIK eye surgery. PRK is also indicated for patients with thin corneas.
PRK is indicated for patients with thin corneas and prefer by the U.S. military.
