Whether you’ve been relying on glasses or contact lenses to help you see clearly for some time, you may be frustrated with the inconveniences that these solutions place on your day to day life and thinking about alternative options for improving the clarity of your sight. You may find that your eyesight has suddenly began to deteriorate and you are looking at vision correction solutions for the very first time. Either way, corrective laser vision surgery can help.
What is corrective laser vision surgery?
Whilst there are a range of different corrective laser vision surgeries available, here at Laser Vision Delaware, the only technique that we offer is PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) surgery. Although fewer people have heard of PRK compared to LASIK, PRK actually preceded LASIK and is the original form of laser vision correction.
The main difference between PRK and LASIK lies in the access to the cornea. LASIK involves the creation of a flap into the outer layer or corneal tissue, which is then opened to allow access to the underlying layer which is to be reshaped. Meanwhile, PRK involves the removal of the entire epithelium, which will then regrow as part of the healing process. Our surgeon, Dr. Minkovitz, has extensive experience in corrective laser vision surgery and has found that although PRK takes a little longer in terms of recovery, it is superior in terms of safety and eliminates the risk of flap-related complications, which are the main complications that arise from LASIK eye surgery.
Am I a good candidate for PRK corrective laser vision surgery?
Before you can undergo laser vision correction surgery, you will need to have your candidacy assessed by our expert team. This is because, whilst PRK is a suitable option for a wide variety of patients, it may not be the ideal solution for everyone. Typically, people who are found to be good candidates for PRK are as follows:
- Over the age of 18
- Patients have a refractive eye error with a current prescription that falls between certain parameters.
- The patient cannot be nursing or pregnant.
- The patient must have had a stable prescription for at least one year.
- The patient cannot be suffering from dry eye syndrome, as this can be worsened by laser vision correction.
- The patient must be free from eye injuries and infection for at least 12 months.
- The patient must not have issues with keratoconus, a condition characterized by the bulging of the eye.
- The patient has generally healthy eyes.
- The patient isn’t suffering from an autoimmune condition that could comprise the healing process following PRK.
- The patient has realistic expectations for the outcome of their procedure.
PRK laser vision correction is a particularly good solution for those patients who have thin corneas. This is because patients with thin corneas are not suitable candidates for LASIK since the creation of the flap requires a fairly thick cornea to be successful. Since PRK eliminates the entire epithelial layer, the thickness of it is irrelevant to the success of the procedure.
If you would like to find out if you are a suitable candidate for PRK surgery, please get in touch with our offices to schedule a consultation with our expert laser vision correction surgeon, Dr. Minkovitz.
Whether you’ve been relying on glasses or contact lenses to help you see clearly for some time, you may be frustrated with the inconveniences that these solutions place on your day to day life and thinking about alternative options for improving the clarity of your sight. You may find that your eyesight has suddenly began to deteriorate and you are looking at vision correction solutions for the very first time. Either way, corrective laser vision surgery can help.
What is corrective laser vision surgery?
Whilst there are a range of different corrective laser vision surgeries available, here at Laser Vision Delaware, the only technique that we offer is PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) surgery. Although fewer people have heard of PRK compared to LASIK, PRK actually preceded LASIK and is the original form of laser vision correction.
The main difference between PRK and LASIK lies in the access to the cornea. LASIK involves the creation of a flap into the outer layer or corneal tissue, which is then opened to allow access to the underlying layer which is to be reshaped. Meanwhile, PRK involves the removal of the entire epithelium, which will then regrow as part of the healing process. Our surgeon, Dr. Minkovitz, has extensive experience in corrective laser vision surgery and has found that although PRK takes a little longer in terms of recovery, it is superior in terms of safety and eliminates the risk of flap-related complications, which are the main complications that arise from LASIK eye surgery.
Am I a good candidate for PRK corrective laser vision surgery?
Before you can undergo laser vision correction surgery, you will need to have your candidacy assessed by our expert team. This is because, whilst PRK is a suitable option for a wide variety of patients, it may not be the ideal solution for everyone. Typically, people who are found to be good candidates for PRK are as follows:
- Over the age of 18
- Patients have a refractive eye error with a current prescription that falls between certain parameters.
- The patient cannot be nursing or pregnant.
- The patient must have had a stable prescription for at least one year.
- The patient cannot be suffering from dry eye syndrome, as this can be worsened by laser vision correction.
- The patient must be free from eye injuries and infection for at least 12 months.
- The patient must not have issues with keratoconus, a condition characterized by the bulging of the eye.
- The patient has generally healthy eyes.
- The patient isn’t suffering from an autoimmune condition that could comprise the healing process following PRK.
- The patient has realistic expectations for the outcome of their procedure.
PRK laser vision correction is a particularly good solution for those patients who have thin corneas. This is because patients with thin corneas are not suitable candidates for LASIK since the creation of the flap requires a fairly thick cornea to be successful. Since PRK eliminates the entire epithelial layer, the thickness of it is irrelevant to the success of the procedure.
If you would like to find out if you are a suitable candidate for PRK surgery, please get in touch with our offices to schedule a consultation with our expert laser vision correction surgeon, Dr. Minkovitz.
