Lasik Surgery Types

Lasik Complications | Lasik Eye Surgery Risks

There are basically two types of laser eye surgery, or refractive surgery: PRK and LASIK. These two types of laser eye surgeries has several variations, as indicated below.

PRK Surgery

PRK stands for "Photo Refractive Keratectomy" and is ... PRK is a non-invasive, laser surgical procedure reshaping the cornea, which is the major refractive surface of the eye, to correct a refractive error. This is a procedure in which the front surface of the cornea is directly sculpted by the excimer laser. The surgeon prepares the eye by gently removing the surface layer known as the corneal epithelium. This layer regenerates itself within a few days. As in the LASIK procedure, computer-controlled pulses are directed at the exposed surface (the corneal stroma) to reshape the cornea. Less than ten percent of the cornea is affected, with the deeper layers remaining untouched.

Lasik Surgery

LASIK (an acronym for laser in situ keratomileusis) is a form of refractive eye surgery that uses a laser to reshape the cornea. The LASIK procedure also uses the excimer laser to reshape the cornea, but this is done under a thin corneal flap, which preservers the surface epithelial cells. Rather than scraping away the epithelial cells to expose the corneal stroma as in PRK, a specialized surgical instrument known as a microkeratome (which works somewhat like a carpenter's plane) creates a flap of corneal tissue that is attached by a hinge. This flap is gently pulled back like a clear, hinged pancake and the corneal stroma is exposed. The laser part of the LASIK procedure takes place in the exposed corneal bed (corneal stroma). The laser application itself lasts about 30 to 90 seconds.

What's the Difference Between PRK and Lasik?

Refractive vision correction performed under a flap (LASIK) offers numerous advantages over refractive vision correction performed on the cornea's surface (PRK). Notably, there is a more rapid improvement in vision and decreased discomfort with LASIK since the surface epithelial cells have been preserved and do not need to regrow. This is undoubtedly the reason that LASIK has become the corrective surgery of choice for both doctors and patients. However, in some patients, PRK is a safer alternative that may promise better outcomes. Patients who might benefit from PRK include those in whom the cornea might too thin for LASIK, or in some patients with corneal irregularities or scars.

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