LASIK ALTERNATIVES
PRK (Photo-Refractive Keratotomy) PRK eye surgery Madison
If you have been doing some LASIK research you may come across a term called PRK. PRK is a form of laser vision correction that was actually FDA approved before LASIK eye surgery and may have potential benefits for you. PRK was the first laser refractive surgery approved by the FDA receiving final approval in 1995. PRK is a refractive eye surgery procedure that utilizes the excimer laser to reshape the cornea and improve nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism much like LASIK eye surgery. Once the cornea has flattened, light rays are more easily focused upon the retina. PRK differs from LASIK in that no flap of tissue is created prior to resculpting the cornea with the excimer laser. In LASIK this flap creation does enable a faster recovery period.
PRK (Photo-Refractive Keratotomy) Procedure
The procedure can be performed once the eye has been numbed with anesthetic drops. A speculum will be positioned to hold your eyelids back just like in LASIK so that you eyelids will not interrupt the actual surgery. The ophthalmologist will then remove the outer cornea cells and proceed with the actual laser treatment. The laser is then positioned to directly treat the cornea. This laser delivery takes less than one minute to complete for most patients. Once the laser treatment or refractive ablation is completed, the corneal curvature is reshaped, thus improving the refractive error. Your ophthalmologist will then place a bandage contact lens on the eye for improved comfort along with anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drops.
ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens)
Introducing a solution for patients with high amounts of nearsightedness. The ICL is a revolutionary refractive lens that can correct vision up to -15 diopters of nearsightedness. The ICL procedure has been repeatedly improved through years of studies and continued refinement. This lens is a posterior chamber implant that is situated behind the iris and in front of the natural crystalline lens. It is also know as a Phakic IOL. An irdectomy is done two weeks prior to the implantation of the lens. The surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, which means that a patient has surgery and leaves the same day.
The Surgery
Prior to the surgery a surgeon will make two microscopic holes in the iris. Your eye will be numbed with a light, topical or local anesthetic. Once the eye is numbed the surgeon will make 2 side port incisions and one main temporal incision that is critical to the insertion process. Next the surgeon will insert the ICL through the main temporal incision and place the lens behind the iris and in front of the crystalline lens. This insertion procedure is typically performed one eye at a time. There is very little discomfort and normally no pain associated with the procedure. Some drops or perhaps oral medication may be prescribed and a visit is usually scheduled the day after surgery. Patients will be advised to arrange for someone to drive them to and from surgery.
Are you a Candidate?
Individuals who suffer from extreme nearsightedness will have a solution for their poor vision. The ICL provides an opportunity to those individuals who are not candidates for lasik eye surgery. Some people cannot have lasik for reasons ranging from high prescriptions to thin corneas. The ICL will now give these patients the opportunity to experience the same lifestyle change that lasik has brought to millions.
You're likely a good candidate for ICL if:
- You have extreme to moderate nearsightedness
- You have thin corneas and are not a LASIK candidate
- You have a history of dry eye
- You have large pupils
Verisyse
When patients leave Anderson & Shapiro Eye Care, they see a clearer, brighter world; a world whose clarity didn't end at the edges of their eyeglasses, a world whose colors weren't muted by thick lenses, a world free from the blurriness they had seen their whole life.
Some of these patients are wearing new Verisyse implantable corrective lenses, inserted into their eyes by Dr. Michael B. Shapiro, Board-Certified ophthalmic surgeon, one of only a few refractive surgeons nationwide authorized to perform the procedure, and the only one in South-Central Wisconsin . The Verisyse lens, approved by the FDA in September, 2004, represents a breakthrough in vision correction. The Verisyse lens corrects moderate to severe nearsightedness offering hope for patients for whom LASIK is not an option because of the degree of their nearsightedness.
Time Magazine selected the Verisyse lens as one of the “Most Amazing Inventions of 2004”. After the lens is inserted into the eye, it attaches to the front of the iris, and acts like a tiny spectacle. The lens which has been used for twenty years in Europe , achieved impressive results in its three year clinical trial – 92% of myopic patients with 20/400 vision or worse improved to 20/40 vision, and 44% of patients achieved 20/20 vision.
Although the Verisyse lens is made from an inert plastic, and is intended to last a lifetime, the lens is removable if necessary. Or LASIK surgery may be performed that leaves the lens in place but reshapes the cornea to account for vision changes over time.
How do I know if I am a candidate?
You may be a candidate if you have been told you do not qualify for LASIK due to a high prescription or slight corneal stretching and your eyes are in good health.
What are the benefits of Verisyse over LASIK?
The benefits of the Verisyse procedure is that it does not remove any tissue, there is no reshaping of the eye, and no lens are removed, minimizing complications.
How long does the procedure take?
The procedure takes about 10 to 15 minutes. There are no injections, just eye drop medication for the procedure.
What is the Verisyse lens made out of?
The Verisyse lens is made of the same plastic that is used in cataract lens implants for over fifty years. This material has been proven to be very safely tolerated by the eye.
Will I be able to see or feel the Verisyse lens in my eye?
Once the Verisyse lens is placed inside your eye, it is virtually undetectable; however, you and others may be able to see the lens in your eye if you look very closely. Because the Verisyse lens is placed inside your eye, you will not be able to feel it.
Can I see well near and at a distance with the Verisyse lens?
Most people who have the Verisyse procedure see well near and at a distance because their natural lens is left in place.
Can I go swimming with the Verisyse lens in my eye?
You can swim and participate in virtually any other activity with the Verisyse lens because unlike contact lenses, the Verisyse lens is placed behind the cornea of your eye. Therefore, it is not affected by external elements such as water.
Has the Verisyse lens been proven to work?
The lens is FDA approved and is being introduced to the United States after 7 years of FDA clinical trials involving more than 1000 U.S. patients. Additionally, its unique, patented lens design has been used in Europe for more than 17 years, and it has been successfully implanted in more than 150,000 eyes worldwide.
