Understanding Corrective
Eye Surgery
Types of Corrective Eye Surgery?
There are few types of correct eye surgery exist today and
these different types of corrective eye surgery can be categorized
into two groups, which as the Excimer Laser procedures and
Non-Excimer laser procedures. Similar to the case with other
conditions that affect the body, major technological advances
have been invented recently in the field of corrective eye
surgery. The following is a brief introduction to the two
categories.
Excimer Laser Procedures
An Excimer laser is a tool which was approved for the treatment
of nearsightedness ranging in severity from mild to moderate.
It is complicated to use the Excimer laser and it's important
to work with ophthalmologists who are both trained in the
surgical procedure and who have demonstrated the ability to
properly operate and calibrate this precision instrument.
The Excimer Laser was originally approved for PKR, or Photorefractive
Keratectomy and its practice was later expanded for LASIK
procedures, or Laser in situ Keratomileusis. With PKR, the
cornea can be reshaped by eliminating excess tissue from the
cornea's outer surface. With each computer calculated lightening-fast
laser pulse, a microscopic ultraviolet light beam eliminates
the excess tissue. After only several minutes and the application
of local anesthesia, the procedure is over. In just a day
or so, patients can resume normal activity.
In a LASIK procedure, the eye doctor rather than the laser's
built-in computer will decide where incisions will be made
and how much tissue has to be removed. This is a more complex
and invasive procedure and this is only recommended for more
severe refractive conditions. Using a microkeratome (a knife),
the eye surgeon slices and then pulls back a flap of the tissue
covering the cornea. With the tissue out of the way, the laser
will be used to remove tissue and reshape the cornea. The
flap is put back into place and the patient typically can
see well enough to drive home after the procedure. LASEK and
epi-LASIK are variations of the LASIK procedure.
Non Excimer Laser Procedures
These are procedures which depend on artificial implants,
surgery and reshaping to correct eye problems. Lens implants
are also effective for individuals who have cataracts, nearsightedness
and farsightedness. Intraocular lenses or IOLs can be used
to replace the damaged cloudy lenses caused by cataracts.
New and improved artificial lenses now add in the use of hinges
which allow the eye to move and act like a real lens.
Other types of implantable contact lens can correct nearsightedness
and farsightedness. They act much like removable contact lenses
but require no maintenance and wearers cannot feel these lenses
and implants.
Thermokeratoplasty involves the use of heat to control the
collagen within the cornea. By doing so, refractive errors
can be corrected in a matter of minutes. Basically, there
are two types of Thermokeratoplasty procedures. Laser thermal
keratoplasty or LTK involves the use of holmium YAG laser
and CK or conductive keratoplasty involves use of radiofrequency
waves.
Astigmatic Keratotomy (AK) involves cutting the cornea to
reshape it. However, its use has disappeared to the the fact
that laser treatments involve less risk and are far more effective
at reshaping the cornea.
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