LASEK - PRK

AnimationsAdvanced Surface Ablation (ASA): LASEK and PRK

Options for Those Who Can’t Have LASIK

If you choose not to have LASIK, or if you are not an ideal candidate for LASIK, LASEK or PRK may be the way to achieve your lifestyle goals.

LASEK

As you may know, the LASIK technique of laser vision correction requires the cutting of a partial thickness corneal flap prior to the application of the VISX® Star S4 laser. With LASEK, there is no need to cut a corneal flap. The corneal surface is treated with the laser after a thin sheet of surface cells is lifted off the cornea. Visual results are comparable to traditional LASIK.

PRK

Like LASEK, during PRK no corneal flap is created, rather, the epithelium (the outer skin of the cornea) is scraped away and the vision correcting laser is then applied to the exposed cornea. Since there is no remaining epithelium following the laser, a bandage contact lens is applied as the epithelium heals. Results are similar to LASIK.

LASEK and PRK, advanced surface ablation procedures using the same state-of-the-art VISX® Star S4 laser with Active Trak, are frequently excellent options for patients who are not good candidates for LASIK. If your cornea is too steeply curved or too thin, LASIK might actually be too risky to perform. Since LASEK and PRK do not require a flap, corneal curvature and thickness are not as critical to the procedure. A therapeutic contact lens is placed on the eye after surgery and is kept in place until the surface is healed (3 - 4 days).