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There are a number of different types of laser refractive surgery (laser eye surgery) used to correct vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Most types work by reshaping the cornea. Depending on your vision problem, your Local Ophthalmologist eye health provider may recommend LASIK, PRK, EpiLasik, intacs or another treatment. Get the answersfrom your local Ophthalmologist you need to take control of your health from our up-to-date, complementary laser refractive surgery resources.
The biggest advancement or advantage of SMILE is that there’s no flap created, so there’s no risk of having it dislodged or moved. So if you’re somebody who’s actively involved in sports, SMILE may be a good option for you compared to some of the other surgeries that are available today.
Other Types of Laser Eye Surgery
During the LASIK procedure, the eye surgeon uses a microkeratome (blade) or femtosecond laser to cut a flap of the cornea, lifts the flap up, applies the blade or laser to reshape the cornea and puts the flap back down. LASIK can correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism and presbyopia (age-related nearsightedness). Photorefractive keratectomy was the first laser refractive surgery. PRK can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. During PRK laser eye surgery, the ophthalmologist removes the epithelium (the surface of the eye) and applies an excimer laser to resurface, blade or vaporize the tissue on the surface of the cornea.
SMILE and LASIK laser eye procedures that Ophthalmologists local perform and have a shorter recovery time than PRK. You may experience slight dryness and irritation, but usually symptoms don’t last long. After PRK, patients require a bandaged contact lens, because the epithelium has been removed. It can take six to eight weeks for your vision to fully recover. If you consult with an ophthalmologist about laser refractive surgery, he or she will ensure that your cornea is thick enough and that you don’t have any abnormal curvatures.
Talk to your Local Ophthalmologist eye doctor if you'd like more information on SMILE.
Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on eye diseases and surgery.