Types of Laser Eye Surgery
August 19, 2010 by Eyes Upgrade
Filed under types of laser eye surgery
There are two basic types of laser eye surgery that is available today. These are LASIK and PRK. Each method is equally safe as the other even though the techniques are very different. LASIK is the most popular type of laser eye surgery and the one that most people opt for. It is also the most affordable since many more surgeons are performing this procedure over PRK. The one area in which they both are the same is that the both numb up the eyes before the procedure is going to begin and both also require the patient to be wide awake but comfortable for the procedure.
The follow is the procedure for PRK laser eye surgery:
• Once the patient has had the eye that is going to be operated on is numb, and the patient is comfortable, the surgeon is going to begin by scraping the cornea to remove the damage that is causing the poor eyesight.
• The laser is programmed with your own particular issue so that the human error can be alleviated somewhat. There is going to be a certain point that is looked at so that the eye is in the correct position for the surgery.
• The laser is then going to start clicking. This means that the surgery has begun. Those who have very poor eyesight are going to require more time than those who just need a small adjustment to their cornea with the scraping method that is mentioned above.
• One large difference is that the healing time is going to be longer with the PRK that it is with LASIK. While some LASIK patients can notice the difference instantly, PRK can take between twenty four to seventy two hours to notice the results.
The following are the procedures for LASIK laser surgery:
• Again the eye is numb and the patient made completely comfortable. A clamp is going to hold the eyes open.
• The doctor is going to use a very thin surgical knife to make a perforation at the edge of the cornea. The laser is then going to make the corrections that offer better eyesight.
• The difference in eyesight can be noticed immediately by some. Others may have to wait a day or two before they notice the changes in their eyesight.
With both types of surgery, the patient needs to pay attention to the after care advice that is given them. Failing to follow the doctors’ orders can lead to serious and permanent damage to the eyes. If the eyesight is not correct in a reasonable amount of time, they should go back for a follow up exam to find out why.
