When Lasik Isn't an Option

LASIK, or laser corrective eye surgery, is very popular and proving a beneficial option for many people. But what options are available to those who are not candidates for LASIK surgery? What is the alternative to those cumbersome glasses to clean, or those contact lenses with the saline solutions? Three options gaining in popularity are the Implantable Contact Lens (ICL), the Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) and the LASEK Procedure.

ICL, or Implantable Contact Lens, treats severe cases of farsightedness and nearsightedness. ICL is a contact lens that is implanted just below the surface of the eye. The procedure only takes fifteen minutes to half an hour. The lens can be removed at any time.

PRK, or Photo Refractive Keratectomy, treats moderate or mild cases of astigmatism, farsightedness and nearsightedness. A small layer of the eye is removed. Then the eye is reshaped with lasers. The procedure takes thirty minutes.

LASEK, Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis, is very similar to LASIK. A very thin layer of the cornea is temporarily removed. The exposed eye is reshaped with lasers. The corneal layer is then replaced. The LASEK procedure has a longer healing time than the traditional LASIK.

Not all people with corrective lenses are candidates for the traditional LASIK procedure. This has left many people thinking they were stuck with those glasses or contact lenses. With these fresh alternatives clear vision is attainable when LASIK isn’t an option.