Types of LASIK
LASIK surgery is a procedure that permanently corrects vision problems. This is done by reshaping the cornea to adjust how light enters the eye and focuses on the retina. It involves creating a flap in the cornea and removing tissue from the cornea that is causing refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
IntraLase
In conventional LASIK surgery, ophthalmologists used a surgical blade, or microkeratome, to create the corneal flap. The IntraLase method uses a laser to create the corneal flap. Tiny pulses of laser light pass through the outer part of the cornea and form a uniform layer of microscopic bubbles beneath the surface of the eye.
iFS™ Femtosecond Laser
Stahl Eyecare Experts were the first private vision center in New York to offer patients the advanced iFS™ Femtosecond laser system. This cutting-edge IntraLase technology offers superior safety, precision, and control. With the iFS, Stahl Eyecare Experts surgeons can create customized biomechanically- engineered corneal flaps. These flaps are stronger and preserve the structural integrity of the cornea.
Custom LASIK Eye Surgery
The latest technological advance in laser vision correction is custom LASIK surgery. If a patient is looking to undergo LASIK, they have refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. The surgeons at Stahl Eyecare Experts can now measure and treat the refractive imperfections of each patient.
Custom LASIK is now possible at Stahl Eyecare Experts because of the VISX WaveScan™ wavefront measurement system. This technology was originally developed for high-powered telescopes. The wavefront system can identify imperfections in the eye 25 times more precisely than standard measurements for glasses and contacts. The patient’s unique wavefront measurements are transferred digitally to the excimer laser.
The measurements are then programmed to reshape the cornea with the most precision and accuracy. There is no pain during custom LASIK surgery. Most patients notice immediate results after the treatment. Their vision continues to improve over several days.
Star S4 ActiveTrak™
The Star S4A ActiveTrak now available at Stahl Eyecare Experts offers a new dimension in technology and safety. This state-of-the-art laser system tracks the movement of your eye during the procedure for more accurate results. These are the unique features of the Active Trak System:
- Safety: 3-D Active Eye Tracking
- Greater control: Tracks your eye movement in all three dimensions during the treatment.
- Accuracy: Variable Fixed Beams
- Greater flexibility: Seven variable-sized beams allow for faster, smoother treatment with precise corneal shaping.
- Comfort: No dilation required
What is PRK?
PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, is another type of refractive surgery. PRK was developed before LASIK.
Although it is a similar procedure to LASIK, PRK is often better for patients that don’t qualify for LASIK. The main difference between LASIK and PRK occurs during the initial part of PRK. With PRK, there is no corneal flap created. Instead, the thin outer layer of the cornea (the epithelium) gets removed and discarded. This happens before reshaping the cornea using the excimer laser. The epithelium grows back a few days after surgery. In the second part of the surgery, using the excimer laser is the same for LASIK and PRK.
The results of PRK are comparable to LASIK. Though the results are comparable, recovery from PRK may take several days. Patients also tend to be more uncomfortable as the epithelium grows back. Vision improvement with LASIK is usually faster, where PRK can take a few weeks.
There are some distinct benefits to PRK. It is usually the best treatment for patients with thin corneas. There is also no risk of flap complications because there is no flap created during PRK. Talk to your Stahl Eyecare Expert LASIK surgeon about the risks and benefits of LASIK versus PRK. They can help you decide which treatment is right for you.
