If you are considering having laser eye treatment then it's important that you understand the differences between the 2 most popular procedures which are Lasik and Lasek. In some instances your laser eye surgeon may insist that you are only suitable for either Lasik or Lasek based on the findings of the tests carried out during your laser eye surgery consultation. In this situation, you have no option but to go with the procedure that is advised by your surgeon. However, if you are suitable for both types of laser eye treatment, then it is important to understand the key differences between the 2 techniques so you can make an informed decision.
Lasik and Lasek are both types of laser eye treatment and involve reshaping the surface of your eye (cornea) to eliminate the prescription in your glasses or contact lenses. The reason you need glasses in the first place is because the light entering your eye is not focussed precisely onto the retina, which is what is required for perfect vision. If you are long sighted, the light entering your eyes falls behind your retina, whereas if you are short sighted the light entering your eye falls in front of your retina. Both Lasek and Lasik reshape the surface of the eye to ensure that the light is refocused permanently onto the retina.
The key difference between the 2 techniques is the way in which the surgeon accesses the part of your cornea which is to be lasered. During the Lasik procedure, your surgeon creates a flap (thin layer of cornea) using a micro-keratome (surgical blade) thus enabling the surgeon access to the inner layers of your cornea that need to be lasered during the Lasik surgery.
There is however no flap created during the Lasek procedure. Instead, the epithelium (outer corneal layer) is loosened with alcohol and then gently moved to the side. This enables the surgeon access to the inner layers of your cornea that are to be lasered during the Lasek eye surgery. This layer is then replaced back over the eye and smoothed over.
The vast majority of people choose to have Lasik (7x more popular than Lasek) and this is primarily due to the fact that the recovery period following surgery is much quicker when compared with Lasek. Most people can return to work and normal activities the day following Lasik surgery, whereas with Lasek it can be up to 1 week. There is also more discomfort involved with the Lasek procedure which is another reason people usually choose Lasik. People involved in extremely physical jobs or who play contact sports are usually advised to have Lasek. The reason for this is that your cornea is slightly weakened during Lasik as a result of the creation of the flap. There is no flap created during Lasik meaning there is no weakening of the eye.
In summary, Lasik eye surgery is the most common procedure, mainly due to the quick and painless recovery procedure. Lasek may be advisable in certain situations but this will be discussed with you by your laser eye surgeon.
Laser eye treatment is a life changing procedure whether you have lasik or lasek. Although there are laser eye surgery risks which you need to fully understand the chance of being able to rid yourself of glasses or contact lenses is a realistic possibility
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Harwood
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