Laser Eye Surgery: LASIK and LASEK

Betamedics - ophthalmology - laser eye surgery

Ophthalmology - Laser Eye Surgery: LASIK and LASEK

  • What is Laser Eye Surgery?
  • Diagnosis
  • Laser Eye Surgery Procedure
  • Differences between PRK, LASIK and LASEK
  • Advantages of laser eye surgery

We can schedule an appointment with the best eye specialists in Belgium in a very short timeframe.

Contact us, we will be happy to help you!

What is Laser Eye Surgery?

PRK, LASIK and LASEK are surgical procedures designed to correct refractive errors.

A special type of laser (excimer laser) is used to specifically change the shape of your cornea (the transparent tissue at the front of your eye) and thus improve your vision.

Images that are registered by the eye are normally focused on the retina in the back of your eye because the light rays are bent properly to contact the retinal surface. With myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness) or astigmatism, the light ends up being focused elsewhere while it should focus on the retina. This causes unclear and blurred vision for which a lot of people wear glasses or contact lenses.

During a PRK, LASIK or LASEK surgery the ophthalmologist will reshape your cornea to make sure that the light rays get focused on the retina.

If you are not eligible for a laser treatment because of the size of your glasses abnormality exceeds the thickness of your cornea, an ICL (Implantable Contact Lens) can offer a solution.

Long-term results of laser eye treatment tend to function better for patients that are carefully evaluated to ensure that they are the right candidates for this treatment.

Diagnosis

A preliminary examination will determine whether your cornea has the appropriate shape and thickness to allow laser treatment. In addition, your correction must be unchanged for at least a year. Only then, a laser treatment can be performed.

We can schedule an appointment with the best eye specialists in Belgium in a very short timeframe.

Contact us, we will be happy to help you!

Procedure

LASIK

A flap is created in the superficial cornea. This flap has been made with the femto-second laser in Belgium for several years now. After making this flap, your spectacle-correction is lasered off and the flap is placed back. The next day your eyesight is sharp and pure.

Betamedcis - laser eye surgery - LASIK

LASEK

Instead of creating a flap, the superficial cornea is removed with a special substance. Afterwards, the correction is lasered off and a bandage lens is placed to heal the cornea. After a few days, the superficial cornea is restored and the bandage lens can be removed. With this technique it can take several weeks for a sharp view to be optimal.

Betamedics - Laser eye surgery - LASEK

Differences between PRK, LASIK and LASEK

The differences are minor and none is clearly better than the other. All operations involve use of the excimer laser to precisely remove the tissue and alter the refractive status of the eye.

Depending on your individual circumstances and preferences, the surgeon will determine which treatment is the most appropriate for you.

  • PRK (or Photorefractive Keratectomy) was the first kind of corrective eye surgery to use a laser rather than a blade to remove the corneal tissue. PRK became less popular following the development of LASIK.
  • LASIK (or Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis): your surgeon will separate the epithelium from the middle part of the cornea (stroma) by using a mechanized device (epikeratome) and reshapes the cornea with a laser. It is similar to LASIK but the device that is used in the treatment is different.
  • LASEK (or Laser-Assisted Epithelial Keratomileusis) is a variation of PRK: the surface cells are soaked in a dilute solution of alcohol, pushed aside as a single sheet, and then pushed back over the surface of the corneal after the laser treatment is completed. LASEK is similar to LASIK surgery but the main difference is that the flap is created by using a special cutting device (microkeratome) and exposing the cornea to ethanol. This allows the surgeons to remove less of the cornea for people who have very thin cornea.

Betamedics - laser eye surgery - PRK, LASEK, LASIK

All these operations involve use of the excimer laser to precisely remove the tissue. The primary difference is that the tissue removal is done under a flap with LASIK and on the surface of the cornea with PRK/LASEK.

Advantages of refractive eye surgery

PRK / LASEK advantages

  • Less risk of complications: greater portion of the cornea untouched
    (important for people who have thin corneas or whose corneas have an unusual shape)
  • Quicker visual recovery
  • Better refractive effect
  • Better predictability and stability
  • No loss of spectacle-corrected visual acuity

LASIK advantages

  • Little or no discomfort, both during and after the operation

  • Quick recovery of vision

  • Useful vision within one day of surgery

For patients who have thin corneas: the creation of the flap cuts corneal nerves and can increase dry eye symptoms. Therefore PRK / LASEK may be a better option.

LASEK / LASIK is an excellent procedure for

  • Nearsightedness also known as myopia to make sure that you see objects that are close by clearly instead of those that are far away.
  • Farsightedness also known as hyperopia to clear your vision nearby and far away.
  • Astigmatism for when the cornea curves unevenly, which disrupts focus of near an distant vision.
  • If you are tired of wearing glasses and contact lenses.
  • LASEK is a desirable option for people with thin corneas, small orbits, dry eye or high-risk occupations or activities

If you have any question about LASIK / LASEK or how these treatments will benefit you, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you and connect you to the best ophthalmologist and eye surgeon in Belgium.

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If you have any question about LASIK / LASEK or how these treatments will benefit you, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you and connect you to the best ophthalmologist and eye surgeon in Belgium.