Methods of Laser Eye Treatment

A long time ago, no one in their right mind would have considered undergoing laser eye treatment and with good reason. You would only have done so if you had the money to burn and you were adequately prepared for the high risks involved what was at that time, a very experimental procedure.

Through the years, however, the hard work of the medical scientists and advocates of laser eye surgery treatment have paid off with startling advances in the field of laser eye treatment. Nowadays, laser eye surgery is considered to be one of the best treatment options available for people with common vision defects such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Laser treatment may also be used to perform surgeries for people with cataracts or to relieve intra-ocular pressure for people suffering from glaucoma. Although there are risks involved with surgery, most of them can be easily corrected and it is quite rare for permanent total blindness to occur as result of a failed laser eye surgery treatment.

The two most prominent methods of laser eye treatment are LASIK and PRK surgery. PRK, which stands for photorefractive keratectomy, is one of the oldest forms of laser eye treatment still in use today.

PRK is associated with longer recovery times when compared to LASIK surgery but with fewer chances of complications. During the actual performance of the surgery, some form of discomfort may be felt in the eyes of the patient, specifically during the removal of the corneal epithelium.

LASIK surgery is nearly identical to PRK and is its forerunner. LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis and has a more rapid recovery time of only a few hours when compared to PRK surgery. During the LASIK procedure, a corneal flap is made instead of completely removing the corneal epithelium. The LASIK laser works underneath the flap which is then replaced after the surgery. It is an outpatient procedure that can be accomplished within a day. The patient may resume normal activities within a few hours although a few days of rest is recommended to avoid complications.