Lasek Eye Surgery

Lasek Surgery, not to be confused with Lasik, is another refractive procedure that is good to know about. During this procedure, an eye surgeon uses alcohol to remove the epithelium cells from the cornea. As a result of using alcohol and not a mechanical blade, this procedure can also be used on people who have very thin corneas. Many surgeons will use this procedure in lieu of PRK. The only real issue with Lasek is that the alcohol used during the procedure has been known to cause severe eye irritation and eye inflammation. On a positive note, the recovery time is less than with PRK.

Photorefractive Keratectomy

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) is the forerunner of Lasik and is still used as an alternative today. If a potential patient has thin or damaged corneas or too large pupils, this procedure may be the only way to proceed.

During this procedure, the eye surgeon actually removes layers of the cornea’s surface cells (called epithelium cells) to help reshape the eye. Additionally, this procedure uses a laser to gain access to the stoma via the cornea. Unlike traditional Lasik, this procedure does not create a flap in the cornea.

As a result, PRK normally has a longer recovery time when compared to Lasik.