Are You a Good Fit for Refractive Eye Surgery?

Since the first laser-in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) procedure more than 25 years ago, researchers estimate more than 20-25 million eyes have underwent the surgery. Today, nearly 800,000 eyes undergo the refractive treatment each year.

Of those, thousands have been completed by Michael Taravella, MD, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and co-director of the cornea and refractive surgery fellowship.  Taravella is board certified in the specialty of refractive surgery by the World College of Refractive Surgery and Visual Sciences.

Refractive surgeries — which include LASIK — help correct refractive errors, such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism, and reduces or ends the need for glasses or contacts.

LASIK is an outpatient procedure where the surgeon uses a femtosecond laser to create a small corneal flap. Then, the surgeon uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea so that light rays are focused clearly on the retina once again. The flap is then returned to its original place. It’s minimally invasive and doesn’t require any stitches or bandages and discomfort is typically mild.

Aside from LASIK, other common refractive surgeries include:

• Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK): A type of laser eye surgery that differs from LASIK in that the surgeon does not need to create a corneal flap, but instead scrapes away the outermost layer of the cornea and uses the excimer laser to reshape the tissue. This may be a better option for patients with a thin cornea. 
• Intraocular contact lens (ICL): A non-laser procedure that places an artificial lens inside the eye behind the iris and in front of the eye’s natural crystalline lens. This surgery is often reserved for patients with high myopia or who may otherwise not be candidates for laser vision correction.
• Refractive lens exchange (RLE): In this procedure, the natural crystalline lens is removed and replaced with an artificial plastic lens, similar to cataract surgery. This option may be appropriate for patients who are very far-sighted.

“These procedures can improve quality of life for a lot of people, but it’s important to have the right information and make the right choice for you,” Taravella says.

Taravella answers some of the most common questions about refractive surgery below.