LASIK, LASEK & PRK
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LASIK and Other Laser Eye Surgery Procedures FAQs
What
is LASIK?
How is LASIK used to treat refractive
errors?
How do I know if I am a candidate?
What is done at a consultation?
How long does the procedure take?
Does it hurt?
What are the restrictions following
surgery?
When can i go back to work?
Can i play sports after LASIK surgery?
Can the procedure be performed on both
eyes at once?
How long is follow-up needed?
What are my chances of not wearing glasses
after the procedure?
When will my vision stabilize?
What is the % of patients that need enhancements?
What
is the difference between PRK, LASEK and LASIK?
Can
I also have my astigmatism treated?
If I am nearsighted after the procedure,
can I be treated again?
If I am farsighted, can it be treated?
Zyoptix
(Customized) v standard Lasik
What
side effects are typical?
What are the risks of surgery?
Are the effects of LASIK permanent?
What to expect In the Operating Room
Recovery
How can i schedule an appointment?
LASIK Video
WHAT
IS LASIK?
LASIK stands for LASER IN-SITU KERATOMILEUSIS. It is a form
of laser surgery that is capable of correcting nearsightedness,
farsightedness, and astigmatism. The procedure uses a computer
controlled excimer laser to reshape the cornea to correct
your vision. The laser reshaping is done under a protective
flap of tissue to promote a very rapid recovery of vision
and minimize discomfort.
HOW
IS LASIK USED TO TREAT REFRACTIVE ERRORS?
The
Excimer laser (ZYOPTIX) removes microscopic layers of corneal
tissue to change its shape, allowing light rays to focus more
directly on the retina.
LASIK ANIMATION |
MYOPIA
(Nearsightedness) |
HYPEROPIA
(Farsightedness) |
ASTIGMATISM Regular astigmatism occurs when light rays are focused at more than one point on the retina. To treat astigmatism, the cornea must be made more spherical. By changing the pattern of the beam, tissue is removed in one direction more than the other. |
HOW
DO I KNOW IF I AM A CANDIDATE?
The
treatment is for patients 18 years or older who have myopia
(nearsightedness) with or without astigmatism, or hyperopia
and meet certain visual and medical criteria. In addition
to the visual and medical requirements, the best candidates
tend to be people who are dissatisfied with their contact
lenses or glasses and are motivated to make a change, whether
it's due to occupational or lifestyle reasons.
A
thorough eye examination is performed to assess the health
of the eye. The corneal contour and thickness are precisely
measured in order to rule out any unseen abnormalities. Centre
for Sight LASIK Surgeon Dr. Yong Larrazabal personally answers
all of your questions and reviews all of your options. The
results of this evaluation will help Dr. Larrazabal customize
the treatment for your specific procedure.
WHAT
IS DONE AT A CONSULTATION?
A complete eye examination and specialized computer measurement
of the shape of your cornea is performed. The ophthalmologist
reviews this information in light of your visual needs for
work and leisure and provides you with options and recommendations
for refractive surgery. In order for your cornea to return
to its natural shape by the time of this examination, you
must leave your soft contact lenses out for 3 days to 1 week
and gas permeable (hard) lenses out for 3 to 4 weeks prior
to your consultation.
HOW
LONG DOES THE PROCEDURE TAKE?
About 5 to 10 minutes per eye.
DOES
IT HURT?
Anesthetic drops usually allow the operation to be performed
with minimal or no discomfort. Afterwards, the eye is a bit
scratchy, but patients typically do not require any pain medications
and are often able return to work the day following the procedure.
WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTIONS FOLLOWING
SURGERY?
You must wear a protective shield to bed for the first week.
You should not swim for one week after surgery, although bathing
and showering is fine. No eye makeup should be applied for
7 days. All other activities-including exercise-may be resumed
on the first day following surgery.
WHEN CAN I GO BACK TO WORK?
The day after the procedure, as your vision permits.
CAN
I PLAY SPORTS AFTER LASIK SURGERY?
You can resume most normal activities immediately after surgery.
However, for at least two weeks you will need to avoid activities
that would cause perspiration to run into the eyes. You should
wear safety glasses while playing contact sports whether or
not you have had surgery. But if you do not routinely wear
safety glasses, we recommend wearing them for at least one
month after LASIK. You will also need to avoid such activities
as contact sports and swimming for several weeks.
CAN
THE PROCEDURE BE PERFORMED ON BOTH EYES AT ONCE?
YES! Many patients choose this option, as it is far more convenient.
HOW
LONG IS FOLLOW-UP NEEDED?
Follow up checks are required at one day, 1 week, 1 month,
3, 6, and 12 months. These examinations are included in the
charge for the procedure.
WHAT
ARE MY CHANCES OF NOT WEARING GLASSES AFTER THE PROCEDURE?
This will depend on a number of factors, including your refractive
error, your visual needs, and even your personality. It is
important to understand that LASIK does not eliminate the
need for reading glasses as one grows older.
WHEN WILL MY VISION STABILIZE?
After LASIK, vision usually stabilizes very quickly. Our results
thus far indicate that there is little or no change after
the two week postoperative examination. Patients with large
refractive errors may take up to six weeks or more to stabilize.
WHAT IS THE % OF PATIENTS THAT NEED
ENHANCEMENTS?
Based on our experience so far, you have about a 5% chance
of needing an enhancement. The likelihood of needing an enhancement
is sometimes dependent on the degree of refractive error.
More highly myopic eyes are more likely to need an enhancement.
WHAT
IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRK, LASEK AND LASIK?
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) treats nearsightedness, mild to moderate farsightedness, and astigmatism. As with LASIK surgery, Dr. Yong Larrazabal uses an excimer laser during the procedure. However, the difference is that the surgeon removes the surface layer of the cornea rather than creating a corneal flap. Like LASIK, PRK usually takes less than one minute per eye. However, recovery time is slightly longer.
Excimer Laser surgery (PRK and LASEK) involve the use of a laser to reshape the cornea (the clear portion of the eye). Excimer laser treatment has been available for over 15 years and during this time in excess of 5 million patients have been treated worldwide.
The procedure involves gently removing the surface cells of the cornea before reshaping it with the laser. In PRK the surface cells are gently scraped away with a scalpel whereas in LASEK the surface cells are loosened by soaking the surface of the cornea in Alcohol for a minute and then gently displacing the surface layer. In effect the two procedures are identical apart form the method used to expose the surface of the cornea. LASEK has no advantage over PRK but the alcohol vapours around the laser may linger and may even have a detrimental effect on the excimer laser beam.
The actual laser procedure is short, painless, and only requires topical anaesthetics or eye drops. PRK or LASEK can be used to treat myopia up to –6.00 dioptres, hyperopia up to +2.00 dioptres and mild to moderate astigmatism. The treatment is very successful for this level of correction.
There are three main limitations with the use of this procedure:
Pain in the first 2-3 days as the surface cells are replaced.
Prolonged recovery (up to 3-6 months) with fluctuating vision during this period.
Loss of sharpness of vision due to central corneal haze formation.
PRK and LASEK are usually reserved for patients whose flat or thin corneas make them poor candidates for LASIK. To find out more about this type of laser eye surgery, please contact our LarrazabalEye Main Office (CDUH) practice.
Both procedures use the excimer laser, but in the LASIK procedure, the corneal surface cells are hinged to one side, and the excimer laser is applied under the surface of the eye. In the PRK procedure, the corneal surface cells are discarded, so healing takes longer, and there is a more gradual improvement in vision.
CAN
I ALSO HAVE MY ASTIGMATISM TREATED?
Yes, astigmatism correction can be addressed during the course
of the procedure. There are several methods available to correct
astigmatism. The doctor will discuss individual patient options
at the time of the complete eye examination.
IF
I AM NEARSIGHTED AFTER THE PROCEDURE, CAN I BE TREATED AGAIN?
It is possible to have an enhancement after the initial procedure
if the doctor deems it necessary and beneficial to the patient.
Should an enhancement be necessary, it will be performed at
no charge to the patient within the first year following the
procedure.
IF
I AM FARSIGHTED, CAN IT BE TREATED?
Yes. LASIK is the most advanced refractive procedure and with
it Dr. Larrazabal can treat farsightedness.
ZYOPTIX (CUSTOMIZED) v STANDARD LASIK
LASIK is a highly automated, computer-controlled procedure which takes just 3-5 minutes, is virtually painless and offers rapid, next-day recovery.
The surgeon creates a thin flap through the top layer of the cornea. The flap is very gently folded over and the surgeon performs the laser treatment on the layer underneath. This usually takes about 2 minutes per eye. The flap is then replaced and left to heal naturally without the need for any stitches.
Standard LASIK still achieves very good results for many patients – you can see why it’s currently the most popular laser eye surgery in the USA and Europe.
In the USA, 92.3 percent of all eye treatments for near-sight, far-sight and astigmatism are currently done with LASIK, while in Europe, 523,000 procedures were undertaken in 2001, and almost 2 million treatments world-wide.
| ZYOPTIX |  |
Although based on the same technique, Zyoptix is a much more advanced formof LASIK. Specifically, Zyoptix is different because its highly sophisticated technology allows the surgeon to:
- examine each eye for previously unseen details known as ‘aberrations’
- plan the treatment that can correct individual visual errors and aberrations in each eye
- programme a laser with a combination of smaller and larger beams to deliver a precise treatment – a treatment that is unique to each patient.
Zyoptix
and LASIK corrections: the big differences
In addition to standard visual errors, Zyoptix also measures
and treats small vision errors (higher order aberrations)
that scatters light in a pattern that is unique to you. Scattered
light errors could, for example, cause shading seen round
one edge of a perfectly round light, and certainly they are
an important cause of poor quality night vision. About 70%
of people could benefit from Zyoptix treatment. These small
errors are detected with wavefront technology and treated
by the laser with a combination of smaller and larger beams,
allowing the surgeon to deliver a more precise, personalised
treatment.
WHAT
SIDE EFFECTS ARE TYPICAL?
Your vision will fluctuate during the few days following
the surgery. You may notice some glare around lights at night.
You will notice a dryness to the eyes also. rarely a patient
may have persistence of one or more of these effects. These
effects are usually worse during the first two weeks after
surgery and then slowly disappear.
WHAT
ARE THE RISKS OF SURGERY?
Like any surgical procedure, LASIK carries some risk of complications.
Risks include an infection which could damage your cornea
and result in loss of vision, although this is extremely unlikely.
As part of your evaluation for the procedure, we will give
you an informed consent document which details potential risks
and complications of surgery.
ARE
THE EFFECTS OF LASIK PERMANENT?
YES! Long term studies have shown for 5 years and beyond.
WHAT
TO EXPECT IN THE OPERATING ROOM
Vision correction surgery is virtually painless and is performed
in an outpatient treatment room at Centre for Sight Refractive
Surgery Center at Cebu Doctors' Hospital. After you arrive
at the Center, you will be seated in a comfortable chair in
the surgical suite. An assistant will apply drops to numb
your eye before the operation and then clean around your eye
with a special antibacterial solution. You will be awake and
comfortable throughout the surgery. We find a light sedative,
such as Valium or Ativan, helps to take the edge off and allow
you to nap the afternoon after surgery.
The surgeon will position a spring-like device (lid speculum)
between your eyelids which will make it easy to keep your
eye open during the procedure. Depending on the plan you and
your doctor have agreed upon in advance, one or both eyes
may be operated on during the session. After the procedure,
your post-operative instructions will be reviewed and your
follow-up appointment will be scheduled.
RECOVERY
Immediately after surgery, your eye may be more sensitive
to bright light. Your vision will be blurred. Within an hour
or so after the procedure, you'll start feeling some minor
discomfort-usually a scratchy sensation like there's something
in the eye. This will be relieved by the rewetting drops.
DO NOT RUB YOUR EYE! You should plan to relax the remainder of the day after surgery, and it is best to take a 1-2 hour nap. It will not harm your eyes to read or watch television, but you may not be able to see fine details.
On the first day after surgery, your doctor will check your
eyes to ensure that they are healing properly. Most patients
return to work on the first day following surgery.
Most activities may be resumed on the first day; however,
you should not swim for "one" week. Depending upon your age
and the result of the initial surgery, you may or may not
need spectacles.
Temporary lenses can be obtained if necessary.
HOW
CAN I SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT?
Simple. Just call the Clinic at (6332) 412-2020 or 254-2020
or fax us at 253-2020. Allow about two hours for your comprehensive
evaluation. The professionals at Sight First Clinics and Centre
for Sight can explain all of the refractive procedures available
today and show you how affordable they are.
LASIK
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