
LASIK & Refractive Surgical Care
Clear Vision | Comfort | Style
Tired of wearing glasses or contacts?
Consultations for LASIK and other refractive procedures are conducted in our office, allowing us to manage all post-operative care on-site. This approach saves you travel time and ensures seamless follow-up.
Refractive surgery can effectively correct your eyesight, allowing you the freedom to see without the need for glasses. If you are considering LASIK or Laser Vision Correction, our optometrists are here to assist you in making the best decision for your vision needs.
Refractive surgery encompasses all elective procedures aimed at correcting myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and/or astigmatism. There are various options to consider when thinking about refractive surgery. Our team will provide an informed opinion regarding your suitability for the different available procedures and will refer you to the appropriate ophthalmologist.
After surgery, we will oversee your healing process in our office. All of our optometrists are trained in the management of refractive surgery and are available to address any questions you may have about laser vision correction. Below is a list of the options that are available to you.
Refractive Surgery Options:
-
LASIK – Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis
LASIK is the most widely performed refractive procedure. In this process, a flap is created on the cornea and folded back to reveal the underlying layers. A laser is then used on the cornea, reshaping it to enable light to focus on the retina without the need for glasses or contacts. After the procedure, the flap is returned to its original position, acting as a natural bandage that heals without the need for stitches. The most common side effects include dry eyes and glare
-
PRK – Photorefractive Keratectomy
PRK is a laser eye surgery procedure that is similar to LASIK. It reshapes the cornea, but instead of creating a flap, the thin outer layer of the cornea is removed. This outer layer will regrow over a period of days to weeks. While the final results are comparable to those achieved with LASIK, recovery times are longer due to the necessary regrowth of the cornea.
One reason this method can be more desirable is that it preserves more corneal tissue, making it an option for individuals with thinner corneas or those who have higher prescriptions. Additionally, because there is no flap created in this process, it eliminates the associated risk of flap complications. However, it's important to note that the recovery time for PRK is slower than that of LASIK, and patients may experience longer periods of discomfort during the early stages of recovery.
-
SMILE – Small Incision Lenticule Extraction
SMILE is a relatively newer technique that utilizes a laser to create a "lenticule," a disc-shaped piece within the cornea that is subsequently removed. This removal alters the shape of the cornea, leading to corrected vision. The corneal incision heals within a few days without the need for stitches, resulting in rapid improvement in visual clarity. This procedure yields similar visual outcomes to LASIK while demonstrating a reduced incidence of dry eye symptoms and greater corneal stability. Additionally, it is capable of correcting higher degrees of nearsightedness.
-
ICL – Implantable Collamer Lens
ICL is a lens implanted inside the eye, positioned between the iris and the natural lens. It is specifically designed to correct very high refractive errors, including significant astigmatism that LASIK, PRK, or SMILE procedures may not effectively address. ICLs can be removed if necessary and are recommended for individuals with substantial refractive errors, unusually thin or irregularly shaped corneas, or those experiencing dry eye syndrome.
-
RLE – Refractive Lens Exchange
Similar to cataract surgery, this procedure involves replacing your eye’s natural lens with an artificial implant tailored to your prescription. This option may be more suitable than LASIK/PRK or phakic intraocular lens (IOL) for individuals with presbyopia, those over 50 years old, and high hyperopia (farsightedness).
There are various implantable lens options available, determined by your specific needs and the health of your eyes:
Options for IOL Implants:
Monofocal Single Vision: This lens provides clear vision at only one distance. Patients can choose to focus on distance, near, or opt for monovision, where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for near vision. However, obtaining clarity across all three ranges simultaneously is not possible. Toric implants for astigmatism correction are available as well.
Multifocal IOLs: These lenses are designed to provide clear vision at multiple distances. They typically offer good distance and intermediate vision, with adequate near vision, allowing most patients to avoid reading glasses.
Extended Depth of Focus IOLs: These lenses create a continuous, elongated range of clear vision. They function by establishing a single, elongated focal point, thereby enhancing vision across a wider range of distances.
Light Adjustable Lenses (LALs): A unique type of intraocular lens, LALs can have their power adjusted after they are implanted in the eye following cataract surgery. Once the eye heals (usually within a few weeks), the ophthalmologist uses a special UV light device to non-invasively reshape the lens. By applying UV light in a controlled manner, the power and shape of the lens can be precisely altered to fine-tune the patient's vision for distance, intermediate, and near vision, as well as to correct astigmatism. Light adapting IOLs offer the unique ability to customize a patient's vision after cataract surgery, leading to potentially more accurate and personalized visual outcomes