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Finding the Right Lasik Eye Surgery Procedure - How to DecideBy Chris Crowe LASIK eye surgery is now becoming more and more common for anyone who wishes to improve their eyesight. However, PRK surgery, or photorefractive keratectomy, was in the past the most common type of laser surgery performed on the eyes for vision problems and is still used today. Here is a quick guide to the similarities and differences between the two types of surgery. The Corneal Flap As you are probably aware, LASIK surgery requires the creation of a corneal flap under which the laser does its job to correct any aberrations in vision. This is one of the main differences between LASIK and PRK, as no flap is created in the PRK procedure. During PRK surgery, a flap is created by using a blade and then alcohol is used to scrape the flap away from the eye's surface. This means that only the area to be treated will then be exposed. This type of surgery is usually more appropriate for patients who have thinner corneas. During LASIK the flap is kept as a way to reduce any complications such as the cornea becoming infected. It also helps the eye to heal, where PRK surgery takes longer to heal. The Laser The eximer laser is an ultraviolet laser that is used to reshape the surface of the cornea by removing cells from the surface to shape it according to an individual's needs. This laser itself works by using small pulses of bright light and both PRK and LASIK eye surgery procedures use this kind of laser when reshaping the cornea. The difference here is that PRK surgery makes use of a microkeratome, which is the blade mentioned above that cuts the flap of the cornea. When undergoing LASIK surgery you may find that either a microkeratome is used to create the flap or that a laser technique is used at this stage of the surgery as well as during the reshaping of the cornea. Wavefront is an even more precise surgery. Types of Vision Correction PRK and LASIK surgeries are used for treatment of far-sightedness (or hyperopia), nearsightedness (myopia) as well as astigmatism. There are many locations for you to get the operation on your eyes, particularly in large cities like Los Angeles (lasik is very popular there.) Time Taken These procedures are both outpatient and ambulatory which means that after undergoing surgery you simply walk out very soon after its completion. The surgery itself in fact only takes a few minutes to perform on each eye. The bulk of the time spent in the surgery is actually the preparation of the surface of the eye. Follow Up Treatment The surgery requires a mild sedative in both cases so a patient should be given a ride home afterwards. In both types of surgery it may take a few days for the eyesight to return to normal, and it will also be necessary to schedule a follow-up appointment within the days following the surgery. As mentioned earlier, PRK surgery may require a longer healing time. There are in fact very few differences between these two types of surgery, and the most significant difference relates to the corneal flap. Though healing time is reduced with the LASIK flap it can lead to complications, which is why military personnel and airline workers will choose PRK over LASIK. About the author Chris runs a website tall about Los Angeles Lasik and one about lasik wavefront. |
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