Laser Vision Corrective Eye Surgery Is More Than A Fad

The exciting new field of laser surgery offers patients new options for corrective eye procedures.

The new field of Laser vision corrective eye surgery is perhaps the most exciting development in eye care in the last fifty years. As a treatment for nearsightedness, Laser surgery is quickly becoming the accepted standard. However, according to corrective procedure statistics, less than 20% of ophthalmologists in the United States are trained to handle the surgery.

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a widely used corrective eye surgery that concentrates on Laser use. Outpatient surgeries involving PRK have grown significantly since Laser surgery was approved in the United States in 1995. PRK reshapes the cornea with a powerful beam of light by taking microscopic amounts of tissue away. It is done under local anesthetic eye drops and patients can return to a normal lifestyle in usually a couple of days. Before your procedure, you will chat with your eye doctor and he will map out the cornea to see where the Laser needs to target the changes.

Another form of eye surgery using a Laser is LASIK. It is considered by some a more complicated form of Laser surgery. A flap of the cornea is cut open and a laser removes tissue before the flap is sealed. LASIK is performed on almost all levels of nearsightedness and is becoming an acceptable cosmetic practice. A significant number of eye insurance companies still do not cover LASIK surgery however.

Both these examples of Laser eye surgery have risks as well as advantages. PRK and LASIK offer fast turnaround and speedy recoveries. On the down side, some say that night vision is affected by the Laser surgeries. In a study based in the United Kingdom, 58% of Laser surgery patients experienced some loss of their night vision. In fact, some were able to drive cars at night for fear of an accident.

And if Laser surgery isn't right for you, there is still a wide selection of contact lenses available to you.