LASIK… PRK… CK… ICL
What are they? <=
/span>Are
they for me?
Refractive
surgery is one of the hottest topics in eye care today. It refers to special laser and ot=
her surgical
procedures that can greatly reduce focusing errors of the eye. Since the spring of 1995, Dr. Cow=
ley has
taken several specialized courses on refractive surgery. As a result of his training, Dr. =
Cowley
has become affiliated with several different refractive surgery centers,
including the
This brochure is designed to give you useful inform= ation about these new procedures that will help to guide you in your decision-ma= king process. If you would like to receive additional information, or would like to view a video presentation, feel free to request a copy. The vast majority of patients who have had these procedures are very enthusias= tic about the results of their surgery.
LASIK
LASIK is=
the world’s most popular and frequently performed
refractive surgery for the correction of myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness), and astigmatism. LASIK =
does
not correct presbyopia, but some patients can =
be
treated using the monovision approach. LASIK surgery reshapes the cornea with extreme
accuracy by removing microscopic layers of corneal tissue. Usually the eye is sufficiently h=
ealed
by the day after surgery to you to go about your daily routines.
Traditio=
nal
LASIK is a two-stage process. First a device called a microkeratome
is placed on the eye. This device uses a blade to cut a thin flap of corne=
al
tissue. Second, the surgeon lifts the flap and then an excimer
laser is used to shape the cornea to eliminate or reduce the patient's gla=
sses
prescription.
If the o=
ptional
IntraLase procedure is used, the first =
step of
the process has been completely revolutionized. Instead of using a blade to cut the flap, a special IntraLase
Laser is used to create the corneal flap. The second part of the
procedure with the excimer laser is unchanged.=
Although=
the
quality of corneal flaps created with the microkerato=
me
blade is usually very good, one of the most common complications of tradit=
ional
LASIK surgery is a corneal flap complication. With IntraLa=
se,
essentially all microkeratome complications are
eliminated. The computer gui=
ded
laser that creates the flap is usually more accurate and allows the surgeo=
n complete
flexibility on how to create the best corneal flap for your eye.
Custom, or
Photore=
fractive keratectomy (PRK)
is similar to LASIK in that the same excimer l=
aser
sculpts the cornea. However, in PRK no flap is created. Instead the laser =
is
applied to the front of the cornea after the epithelium has first been rem=
oved
from the central cornea. This procedure has similar success rates to LASIK=
and
is often used in patients who have thinner corneas or do not want to have a
flap. PRK has a slower recovery time for clear vision with some added
discomfort but is a good option for many patients.
CK
Conductive Keratoplasy (CK) is a
non-laser procedure that can reduce or eliminate farsightedness and presbyopia and offer those who have difficulty seein=
g small
print the opportunity to read again without bifocals or reading glasses. I=
t is
best suited for patients over the age of 40 who had good vision until they
reached their forties.
CK uses =
the
controlled release of radio frequency energy to reshape the cornea. A small
probe is applied to the inner corneal tissue in a circular pattern, which
causes the tissue to shrink. This circular shrinkage pattern creates a
constrictive band, which steepens the curvatur=
e of
the cornea and increases its focusing power.
Some peo=
ple who
can see well at distance elect to have "blended vision" and have=
only
one eye treated to provide them with better near vision. CK may cause temp=
orary
swelling of the cornea, so it may take a few days for the swelling to subs=
ide
to appreciate the results. As your eyes continue to age, you may require
additional treatments in the future.
ICL
The
Implantable Contact Lens (ICL), or implantable intraocular =
lens, is
a lens that is placed inside the eye to correct high degrees of
nearsightedness. The best
candidates for the ICL are between the ages of 21 and 50, with moderate to
severe nearsightedness who are not ideal LASIK candidates.
The ICL =
is a
small, injectable lens that is inserted throug=
h a
small corneal incision that does not usually require sutures. The procedur=
e is
very similar to cataract surgery, and is performed on an outpatient basis.=
A light, topical or local anesthe=
tic is
administered, and there is very little discomfort associated with the
procedure.
The ICL
provides predictable outcomes and excellent quality of vision. It is designed to remain in place=
within
the eye without maintenance. If
there are problems after the surgery, the ICL can be easily removed. You do not feel or see the lens once it is in
place, and it can never slip or fall out.=
The lens material is very stable and co=
ntains
an ultraviolet light filter.
One of many helpful websites that discuss t=
hese
topics and others in even greater detail is found at www.tlcvision.com.
If you have any questions about this
information, or any other questions pertaining to your vision, please feel=
free
to call our office.
Yours for Better Vision,
Dennis
E. Cowley, O.D.<=
span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New=
Roman"'>
Jennifer
M. Gudas, O.D.