Lasik Background

Lasik is among the most popular forms of laser eye surgery. Lasik eye surgery involves a procedure to permanently reshape the cornea and elicit vision correction. A microkeratome blade is used to create a flap in the thin outer layer of the cornea, called the epithelium. An excimer laser reshapes the cornea, and the flap is replaced. The procedure takes about 15 minutes and the recovery time is fairly fast. Most patients can return to normal activities the next day.

PRK as an Alternative to Lasik Surgery

PRK removes the epithelium with a metal surgical tool. The earliest form of laser eye surgery, PRK typically involves a longer recovery time, allowing for the epithelium to grow back. It can cause more discomfort than Lasik eye surgery. Results often take longer for PRK.

Though PRK involves a longer recovery process, it has been the preferred method for patients with thin corneas and large pupils. However, there are a number of newer variations to the original Lasik eye surgery. Many of these different types of Lasik surgery minimize the risk of original Lasik, and can be performed on patients with thin corneas and other eye conditions.

Lasek Surgery

Lasek is a refractive procedure that uses alcohol to separate the outer layer if the cornea, rather than a surgical blade. A laser reshapes the cornea and the epithelium is replaced. By eliminating the risk of a microkeratome blade, Lasek is an option for people with thin corneas.

Through its swift recovery process, Lasek may be a better alternative to PRK. However, Lasek is not without potential complication. The use of alcohol can cause eye irritation and inflammation.

Epi-Lasik

Epi-Lasik is similar to Lasik and Lasek, but employs a fine surgical blade, reducing the risk of a wide corneal flap. Instead of alcohol, a plastic cutting tool separates the epithelium from the eye. Epi-Lasek thereby eliminates possible irritation to the eye.

IntraLasik

IntraLasik, All-Laser Lasik, or Blade-Free Lasik very simply conducts the procedure through lasers, without the use of a microkeratome. IntraLasik is praised for precision through eliminating mistakes that can occur with a surgical blade.

While IntraLasik significantly lowers the risk associated with other refractive surgery, there are some possible complications to consider. The excimer laser is still subject to possible visual errors. A small percentage of patients have also reported issues with light sensitivity. The cost of IntraLasik can be substantially higher than other forms of Lasik surgery.

Wavefront Lasik

Wavefront Lasik is the most precise form of Lasik eye surgery. Much like IntraLasik, lasers replace blades during Wavefront Lasik. But where IntraLasik employs a freehand excimer laser, wavefront technology guides the excimer laser in Wavefront Lasik. The procedure also reduces the risk of night glare, a common complication associated with Lasik surgery. Though the most accurate, Wavefront Lasik is also the most costly among the different forms of Lasik.

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The Difference between LASIK and Epi-LASIK Surgery

Epi-LASIK and LASIK surgery are different procedures for corrective eye surgery. These procedures reduce or eliminate a person’s need for glasses or contact lenses. Up until recently, the usual procedure for eye corrective surgery was LASIK surgery. LASIK surgery stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, and this procedure basically changes the shape of the eye’s cornea using a laser. During the procedure, a flap is cut in the cornea, and then this flap is folded back to reveal the middle section of the cornea. The laser then changes the shape of the cornea and the flap is then replaced.

Epi-LASIK surgery is also an eye corrective procedure that has evolved from LASIK surgery. It has combined the best elements of LASIK, LASEK and PRK procedures into one. It involves the separation of the epithelial from the top of the cornea, and this eliminates the need to cut into the cornea and create a hinged flap. As opposed to LASIK surgery, Epi-LASIK combines surface based procedures that do not need the flap procedure and the advantages of LASIK surgery, which produce less pain and faster recovery.

Epi-LASIK surgery is still similar to the LASIK technique because it still involves the use of a laser beam to reshape the cornea. It appears to be more effective with people who suffer from mild forms of farsightedness, astigmatism or nearsightedness. If a patient suffers from moderate to severe myopia, then LASIK surgery is still the best option.

Why is Epi-LASIK Surgery Better Than PRK and LASIK Surgery in Some Cases?

Epi-LASIK came about because of certain complications with PRK and LASIK techniques.

• PRK created a large abrasion when removing the epithelial cells and this would cause the patient discomfort. Plus, the procedure caused some haze in the cornea which created haloes around lights. These effects lessened after six months, but were still uncomfortable during that time period.

• LASIK creates a hinged flap, which is not really painful. However, it created other problems caused by the flap, problems such as dry eyes or scratchiness.

Epi-LASIK then tries to avoid the problems associated by both procedures by combining the advantages of surface based procedures that require no flap and the advantages of LASIK that provides less pain and a faster recovery. In essence, Epi-LASIK surgery gives you a shorter visual recovery time and reduces the risk of any complications.

Who does Epi-LASIK surgery benefit?

Studies have shown that people with thin corneas benefit more from this type of surgery, because LASIK surgery requires more corneal tissue in order to create the flap, and these patients don’t have enough corneal tissue.

It is also shown to benefit people who risk having the flap dislodged. These people risk being hit in the face or the eye for any number of reasons, people like athletes or people who work in violent fields, like the military or police fields.

Who Benefits More from LASIK Surgery Rather than Epi-LASIK Surgery?

Patients who have moderate to severe myopia tend to benefit more from LASIK surgery rather than Epi-LASIK. Epi-LASIK suits people who do not have such steep corneas.

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Millions of people wake up every morning and have to reach for their glasses to see what kind of day it is. But each year over a million of these people decide to do something about it, and start looking into vision correction procedures. LASIK surgery has become a very popular alternative among the variety of choices available.

It is not only Interest in LASIK surgery that has increased dramatically over the past few years. So has the technology, the body of evidence and the quality of life for huge numbers of people. There are many ways that things become “popular” in our media-rich culture, but there are very good, very logical reasons that LASIK has become the vision correction method of choice. Certainly there are more than five reasons why LASIK surgery is now such a popular alternative, but to start you out in this particular area of study, we will start with these. Additional information at DocShop.com, and from other resources as well as the doctors you approach about the procedure, will eventually supply you with everything you need to make your own best decision in this important matter.

1. Famous athletes, politicians and entertainers—in addition to people from all walks of life—are attesting to the joy they feel now that they are able to see their world clearly and in focus. These testimonials have fueled increasing interest and excitement about this revolutionary procedure.

2. The evidence of many years now shows conclusively that LASIK patients recover more quickly than with other methods of vision correction. Considering the busy lifestyles in this day and age, the swift and simple LASIK procedure is favored also because it does not sideline the patient for any length of time. A day or two of rest is sufficient for most patients, who appreciate the fact that they can get back to work and to their family in short order—and see better, of course.

3. Another reason that LASIK surgery has become the preferred procedure for the majority of vision correction patients is because they notice significant vision improvements very soon after surgery. Although in some cases it make take several months for everything to “settle down” and get back to normal, in the vast majority of cases the improvement comes quickly and stabilizes quickly, too.

4. The number of adverse side effects is lower with the LASIK procedure than with other approaches, and the amount of post-operative pain is also less. This means that recovery is smoother and the patient does not need to be taking pain killers than will inhibit their ability to work and live normally. This is a very important consideration for many people.

5. A comparison of the LASIK cost with its proven outcome shows that the procedure is an incredible bargain. For several thousand dollars, a life of blurriness and eye fatigue can be replaced by one of clarity, focus and good old normal eyesight. Considering the importance of the sense of sight, LASIK surgery is an incredible bargain, and that is one of the reasons it has truly become the procedure of choice for correcting certain vision problems.

It is essential that, in your search for a LASIK surgeon, you do not merely rely on articles such as this, but dig deeper.

Monica Keller
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/five-reasons-why-lasik-surgery-is-now-such-a-popular-alternative-132234.html

Lasik surgery, the procedure developed by Dr. Lucio Barretto and Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris in 1991 has come a long way. From an expensive, niche eye surgery procedure that used state of the art new technology, it has now become a niche procedure that is easily available to anyone who wants it done. The simplicity and speed with which lasik surgery can be done coupled with the high precision results makes it one of the most sought-after procedures in the world today.

While the popularity has been gaining for lasik surgery, the prices have still been on the higher side, costing more than $1,000 for the procedure to be done on a single eye. This makes it still an expensive proposition, despite the many easy payment options on offer at the different clinics providing the facility. Surgeons and researchers have been constantly working to update the technology to increase the accuracy of functioning, trying and reducing the side effects, and making it generally affordable and available to all.

One such development is the Lasik-at-home system developed by Dr. Amir Khadim, M.D., Ph.D, in 2004. A pioneer in lasik surgery with over 2,000 operations to his credit at the Bennett Eye Care Institute in New York City, Dr. Khadim developed this patented procedure to make lasik surgery as easy to perform as possible.

The USP of the Lasik-at-Home system is that you can use it to do a lasik surgery yourself, in the comfort of your home! This is a big leap over the other conventional lasik procedures, which required a visit to an eye care facility. Lasik-at-Home enables you to perform a lasik procedure yourself by taking out of the equation all the extra equipment that you are confronted with at a specialized facility.

The Lasik-at-Home consists of a hand-operated laser that takes away the necessity of other secondary equipment. It has a combination femtosecond/excimer laser called the Scal-PalTM Scanning Adjusting Laparoscopic Personal Laser. The Scal-Pal is unique to Lasik-at-Home, and is manufactured by Walton Group Manufacturing. Besides this device, the other components of the kit include a mild sedative (usually diazepam 4mg), a protective sleep mask for post-operative use, No-Blink eye drops, and also a detailed Instructions and Quick Start Guide.

This is how the Lasik at Home works. The Scal-PalTM, a combination of two lasers, as mentioned above is the key to the functioning of the Lasik at Home. The femtosecond is laser of Scal-PalTM is used to cut a small flap of the cornea. Once the corneal flap has been cut, the excimer laser is used to vaporize a portion of the lens. There is no damage to the surrounding tissue during the procedure. Your lasik surgery is done, and all it took was a few minutes of your time, at your convenience, in the comfort of your home.

With Lasik-at-Home, you can do the lasik surgery yourself in a few minutes time, in a four-step process. First, you need a quiet place that has no distractions. Once you are settled in this place, open the Lasik-at-Home kit, perform the lasik surgery as per the instructions in the Instruction Guide, and then have clear vision. However, there are few things you need to follow. Most importantly, do not blink during the procedure. Also, do not train the laser unnecessarily on the eye, or attempt to use any other laser than the one that comes with the kit.

This article is for information purposes only and the author does not make recommendations on the use of any product or procedure. As always it is important to thoroughly research any non medically approved procedure and seek the advice of a qualified medical doctor before you use such a device.

Candice Sabrina
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/do-it-yourself-lasik-surgery-you-be-the-judge-103203.html

Can everyone who has a problem with their eyesight apply to have LASIK? Clearly, LASIK has got great potential and benefits but just like with any new procedure there are risks associated.

The risk of complications or impaired eyesight after LASIK vision correction can be greatly reduced if you make an effort to establish if you are a good prospect to have LASIK surgery. Not everyone who wants their vision corrected is necessarily a good candidate to have LASIK surgery. Here are a few things to consider before you decide on LASIK:

• If you are risk averse, you probably shouldn’t have LASIK laser surgery. There are possible complications that can come about as a result of LASIK that you should consider before having the procedure done.

• Does your insurance cover LASIK vision correction? How would LASIK laser surgery or possible complications affect your career? If having this procedure would impact your life negatively you might consider another alternative.

• Although the cost of having LASIK done is getting cheaper, it is still quite expensive and you’ll want to make sure it isn’t prohibited by your employer.

• A requirement for LASIK vision correction is that you must be an adult with refractive stability. Refractive instability is common among patients who are 20 or younger with fluctuating hormones. This is caused by several conditions including diabetes, pregnancy or breastfeeding or taking medications that cause fluctuation in vision.

• People who regularly engage in contact sports or suffer from a condition or disease which may affect the healing of a wound might have to consider an alternative to the LASIK vision correction surgery.

There are a number of other situations one should discuss with your doctor prior to deciding on LASIK laser surgery. If you suffer from conditions such as herpes or shingles that affects the area around the eyes, you should disclose that information. Also, any other conditions, including glaucoma, ocular hypertension, eye diseases, eye injuries, previous eye surgeries, or keratoconus should also be discussed.

Please ask your doctor to screen you for the following conditions prior to LASIK eye surgery:

• Blepharitis

• Large pupils

• Thin corneas

• Previous refractive surgeries

• Dry eyes

Only once you have considered and cleared all of the above conditions or discussed them with a LASIK surgeon, can you determine if you are an excellent candidate for LASIK laser surgery.

Jimmy Roos
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/is-lasik-eye-surgery-for-everyone-60253.html