Have you ever imagined a life without glasses or contact lenses? What a life would that be, right? It almost seems unfair that some people do not have to worry about having to wear contact lenses or prescription glasses and some people just have to deal with it and have no place to go and complaint. On top of that, the chances are that the power of your eyes won’t be stable and keep on increasing. To think of it, it feels like a punishment for a crime you did not commit. Thankfully there is a way that lets people give up their glasses and lenses for good. You are right, we are talking about the LASIK eye surgery.
LASIK eye surgery is the latest one-way solution for a spectacle-free eyesight for the rest of your known life. However, there are other procedures too that are quite similar to the LASIK surgery but yet different in many ways. Knowing which laser procedure would be more suitable for you is important because that piece of knowledge could be the difference between a lifetime of regret or happiness. This piece will be focusing on the various types of laser eye surgeries that are available to the people. For many people, this might even not be necessary. But at the end it all boils down to the safety and the health of an individual and that can only be ensured if proper research is done prior to the actual surgical procedure.
PRK – First Generation
PRK, short for Photorefractive Keratectomy, is essentially the first generation of laser corrective surgeries for eyes. The PRK surgical procedure can treat myopia/ nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, and last but never the least, astigmatism. During the surgical procedure, the outermost layer of the epithelium, which I basically the cornea, is gradually removed with the help of a manual surgical tool. The doctor then proceeds toward using a cool excimer laser in order to reshape the cornea/ epithelium and rectify the error in the vision.
Is PRK Efficient?
When it comes to laser operations, PRK is a good option for those people who have an uneven corneal surface, people who are prone to a chronically dry eye, and but of course, people who take a lot of hits on the yes or their profession and lifestyle forces them to such as fighters and boxers. It is also important to know that people with these three pointers are not suitable candidates for the LASIK eye surgery. However, they are really good candidates for the SMILE surgery.
The Downsides Of PRK
There is only one significant downside of the PRK eye surgery and it is its long recovery time. PRK has the longest known recovery time as compared to the other types of laser eye surgeries. The cells on the outer surface of the cornea take about almost a week to grow back and it can take about 6 weeks for the cells to allow ultra-clear vision by getting smooth.
LASIK – Second Generation
Most of the people in the world who are aware of laser eye procedures think of LASIK. LASIK is the most popular and most widely used surgical procedure used by people all around the world. Today, LASIK is the most widely used as well as preferred laser eye surgical procedure in the world. The LASIK surgery can provide surgical solutions for slight to moderate myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, and of course, astigmatism, that is, the uneven curvature of the cornea. The LASIK eye surgery is relatively simple. The surgery aims at cutting a tiny flap on the cornea with a hinge attached to it. The flap is folded back and then the laser is utilized in order to reshape the cornea by vaporizing tissue from the cornea. The underlying corneal tissue is reshaped in order to correct the person’s vision.
Is LASIK Any Good?
LASIK is undoubtedly a good choice for people who are looking for a better vision without the help of glasses or contact lenses. However, to be a suitable candidate for the LASIK eye surgery, one needs to check certain conditions off the doctor’s list. For instance, the person should have a thick cornea to be able to withstand the pressure of the cutting tool. This is because since the cutting of a flap is necessary during the surgical procedure, a decent amount of corneal thickness is preferable. Those who have a thin and delicate cornea are not suitable for this procedure. These patients would be a better option for SMILE or PRK.
This is also applicable for people who have chronic dry eyes, that is, they have drier eyes than usual. LASIK is known for inducing dry eyes as it manipulates the tear glands in the eyes.
Downsides Of LASIK
LASIK is an excellent surgery. It is safe, has an extremely high success rate, and it is very trusted surgical option for people who wish to achieve a flawless vision and get rid of prescription spectacles and soft lenses. However, there is one downside to this procedure. It is that it a very complex process. Its successor, on the other hand, that is, SMILE is a relatively simpler process. LASIK needs to create a flap on the cornea in order for the laser to do its job. This opens the gate fore flap-related irregularities and complications.
SMILE – Third Generation
When it comes to the most efficient and advanced laser surgery that there is out there, it is SMILE. It was officially sanctioned in the year 2012 and has since been doing a fantastic job for people.
The one major feature that differentiates SMILE from other forms of laser eye surgeries is that it uses a single laser for the surgery, unlike surgeries like LASIK and PRK. Similarly, SMILE does not use the excimer laser in the operation. The other thing that acts as a distinction is that SMILE tends to make an incision on the cornea instead of a flap or completely removing a part of the corneal tissue itself. The doctor then inserts a lenticule and removes a part of the cornea to facilitate perfect vision.
Hope the above write up was helpful and informative!