LASIK vs. Other Vision Correction Options: Making an Informed Choice

The American Society of Cataract and Refraction Surgery states that you can experience clear and stable vision with LASIK or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. But there are other vision correction options that you can consider. Choosing the right one with your eye doctor’s help can improve your quality of life. Here are the details about LASIK and other vision treatment options that you can consider.
 

LASIK

This vision treatment is for you if you want to stop wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. Your eye doctor can determine your eligibility for LASIK. In most cases, people gain better vision after this vision correction. Note that some of them still end up using reading or night-driving glasses later in life. But it is rare for anyone to develop complications after this procedure.

Common side effects are temporary glare and dry eyes that fade after a short while. You can have your clear vision back after one to two days. Here are the vision problems that LASIK can correct:

• Astigmatism causes your vision to become blurry. This condition involves the uneven flattening or curving of your cornea. This often results in difficulty in focusing one’s distance and near vision.

•  Myopia or nearsightedness is a condition that allows you to see clear near objects but blurred faraway objects.

• Hyperopia or farsightedness allows you to see distant objects without issue. Nearby objects are blurry.

You may need to take an oral sedative before the procedure starts. Your eye doctor will use numbing eye drops. Doing so will make the procedure painless. The laser will remove a portion of your cornea. This will make the cornea steeper or flatter. The procedure aims to improve your focus.

Intraocular Lenses

You will need surgery for this procedure. Your eye doctor will insert intraocular lenses in your eyes. These new lenses will improve your vision. Lens replacement is often part of cataract surgery. It may also be a good LASIK alternative for older patients who need cataract surgery.
 

PRK

PRK or photorefractive keratectomy scrapes away the surface of the eye. Healing the abrasion to your cornea can take about three to four days. You may experience blurred vision or moderate discomfort during the healing process. If you want a more effective treatment for severe myopia, LASIK will be a better option.
 

SMILE

Small-incision lenticule extraction or SMILE is a new type of vision correction. It aims to reshape your cornea. Your eye doctor will use a laser to create a lenticule, which is a lens-shaped tissue. This will take place below the surface of your cornea. Your eye doctor will remove the lenticule once the cornea achieves its new shape. A small incision will make this possible.
 

Epi-LASIK

This is epithelial laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It separates the epithelium from the stroma. Your eye doctor will use an epikeratome to reshape your cornea. This device has a mechanized blunt blade.

 

Bioptics

Some people see better after one vision correction treatment. Others need a combination of techniques. Your eye doctor will check what treatments are right for you. Farsightedness or nearsightedness may improve using LASIK and intraocular lenses.

LASIK and other vision correction procedures can improve your eye health. At Frame & Focus Eye Care, we help our patients gain better vision by helping them select the right vision correction option. Learn more about our eye care services available for the Richmond, Sugar Land, Greatwood, and Rosenberg Texas areas. Please call 832-664-7900 to set an appointment or ask about our vision correction packages.