Tuesday, February 22, 2011

LASIK vs. LASEK

Hey guys. So I did a bit more reading on LASIK this morning and found out there are quite a few procedures which are all relatively similar and almost the same thing.

So PRK (Photorefractive keratectomy) was the first "laser eye surgery" developed, and was essentially the father of the now more popular LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis). These days PRK is only recommended for patients with relatively thinner corneas. The procedure is carried out by.. well, the folks over at All About Vision do a much better job than I could at explaining it:

"PRK is performed with an excimer laser, which uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove ("ablate") very tiny bits of tissue from the surface of the cornea in order to reshape it. When you reshape the cornea in the right way, it more precisely focuses light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before."

Read more: http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/prk.htm#ixzz1Ei48ElhK
Sounds pretty cool huh? Well it's even better now because science (as science always does) has advanced itself (yes, I know... scientists :P).
"LASIK surgery involves the raising of a thin flap of corneal tissue of the eye. In LASIK, the laser treatment is applied to the tissue beneath the flap, whereas in PRK the laser is applied directly onto the corneal surface. The main advantage of LASIK is that the surface of the cornea is not treated, but simply folded back, mimizing post-treatment pain."
 Read more: http://www.lasereyefacts.com/prk-vs-lasik.html
So basically they are the same procedure, with just one fundamental difference. LASIK does not touch the corneal surface, where has PRK does. All About Vision has a really cool little slide show on the procedure, and although they make it seem simple, I think it's a bit more complex and nerve-wracking to actually perform the procedure... or to feel it performed first hand.   :|

Oh, and another really cool little bit I found was a pdf on the "Evolution of Refractive Surgery", which details the evolution of the technology from 1989 all the way to 2003. I <3 stats/specs/numbers/figures :D.

Well I hope you guys found this informative and entertaining. I have decided that this procedure is most definitely not for me.. Apparently the average cost is more than $2000, and if that isn't enough to dissuade me (oh, it is), then the list of possible side-effects and complications would. I do not want to have dry eyes for life, you know? Could you imagine what kind of torture that would be?

Still, I learned something, and I hope you guys did too. Thank you all for reading! ^_^

25 comments:

  1. I don't even WANT to imagine what kind of torture dry eyes for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE would be!!!

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  2. I'd probably do a LASIK procedure if I had the money, but I like how I look with glasses. They make me look more sophisticated than I really am. lol.

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  3. I take it the effects wear off and you have to get it done again or is it a one off?

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  4. @The Angry Lurker
    Apparently it's a one time deal.

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  5. good stuff, but i lack the money for it.

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  6. I've shadowed several bladeless LASIK procedures and done a fair amount of research on the topic. It's pretty amazing how quick, painless, and effective it really is.

    And to answer your question, Woodford produces a fraction of the number of bottles a distillery like Jim Beam or Jack Daniels does. Can't remember the exact figure.

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  7. seems very scary, i hope it's really a one time deal

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  8. i would just get glasses, a laser shooting at my eye is just scary

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  9. those are way too expensive for me =(

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  10. I wanna try lasik. Wearing glasses can get annoying.

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  11. I'll never do any of them I'll rather wear glasses :)

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  12. Good luck, hope you can take your time to decide the best option.

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  13. My friend had lasik and it worked for him.

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  14. I've always been tempted. But hear/poverty has always kept me from being serious about getting anything done.

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  15. Huh. Kind of interesting information. I'm still keeping the light-sabers away from my eyes. haha

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  16. I'm glad I have 20/20 vision, my boyfriend will probably eventually have to have laser eye surgery.

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  17. I think I'll stick with glasses for now. :)

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  18. my friend had once, her sight is better now.Early without glasses she cant makeout a truck towards her.

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  19. The tech is so advanced on LASIK (compared to 5 years ago) that the success rate is amazing. Sure it's pricey, about the same as braces, but financing options make it bearable. How's your credit?

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  20. By the time I am old enough for this it will be either banned or 100% success

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