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Did you know that LASIK is not the right choice for everyone hoping to leave their glasses behind? There are so many factors that come into play, and the only way to know if it's for you is to get a professional evaluation.
If it turns out you're not a candidate, don't give up! There are many innovative, safe alternatives to LASIK that deliver freedom from glasses, says Dr. Bala Ambati, an ophthalmologist at the Moran Eye Center at University of Utah Health Care.
Dry eyes and thin corneas? No problem
John dealt with bad vision from the time he was in fourth grade. Because he had severe myopia, distant objects, such as blackboards in classrooms or baseballs out in the field, appeared as blurs. He wore glasses and tried hard contacts, but for him, the hard contacts were "the worst — they actually caused pain." Soft contact lenses were a little bit better but still painful.
When he moved from Arkansas to Salt Lake City, the dry air made it impossible for John to wear contacts at all. On top of that, he found out he had something called "map dot dystrophy"— basically an erosion of the cornea, the clear covering of the eye that focuses light.
"I woke up feeling like I had knives in my eyes," he recalled. "The pain would last for two hours at a time. I went to so many doctors, and they all just told me to use various kinds of eye drops, which didn't help at all."
Finally, John went to Dr. Ambati at the Moran Eye Center. Dr. Ambati treated his corneal erosion and then suggested that he consider PRK (which stands for Advanced Surface Ablation Photorefractive Keratectomy). PRK is a precise laser procedure that reshapes the surface of the cornea, eliminating the need for contact lenses. It's an excellent option for patients with thinner corneas or severe dry eyes.
"I woke up feeling like I had knives in my eyes," said John, describing map dot dystrophy.
"PRK is a very predictable and stable procedure," Dr. Ambati said. "It does sometimes cause a bit of discomfort for a few days, and it takes a few weeks for patients to experience optimal vision, but once they do, the satisfaction rate is extremely high."
As it turned out, PRK was the perfect option for John.
"The entire procedure was pretty cool," he said. "I felt like it was something from the future, and I came out of it with almost perfect vision."
Contact lens … implants?
As a web developer, Rachel spends long hours in front of a screen. But she has "an incredibly high correction" and thin corneas, so LASIK was not for her. In order to get through her day, she was juggling three pairs of glasses — one for distance, one for close up, and then sunglasses. She also tried contacts but they really didn't work out because she likes to swim and it was hard to take the contacts in and out every time she got into the water.
Searching for a solution, she heard about ICL (short for Implantable Contact Lenses), a procedure involving lenses that were developed for patients with high levels of nearsightedness and minimal amounts of astigmatism and are implanted in front of or behind the iris. But one thing was holding Rachel back.
"The idea of it really kind of freaked me out," she said.
Then one day, as she was trying to apply eyeliner while looking in a mirror and holding her glasses in front of her eyes, she realized that "things were getting ridiculous," and she was ready to explore the idea of ICL again.
She consulted with Moran's Dr. Amy Lin, who confirmed that her situation was ideal for ICLs. Rachel decided to go for it, and the procedure was a success.
"ICLs are a safe alternative to LASIK," Dr. Lin said. "Because the lenses are usually reserved for people with high amounts of nearsightedness, it is not performed as commonly as LASIK. However, the refractive surgeons here at Moran are very comfortable and experienced with the procedure. Vision is corrected almost immediately, and patients are so amazed they can see so well, even before they leave the operating room."
Those aren't right for you either? No worries
Clear Lens Extraction — or CLE — offers a double benefit for patients with farsightedness or nearsightedness combined with astigmatism. Similar to cataract surgery, it involves removing the eye's natural lens and replacing it with a synthetic lens, improving vision. Some people may still need glasses for near vision, but because the lens has been removed, they will never develop a cataract.
After a complete evaluation, the surgeon chooses among a selection of state-of-the-art lenses and implants the right choice for the patient's vision needs.
Another option is Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segments — or INTACS, which employ another kind of technology: tiny plastic arcs used to flatten a steep cornea. This procedure offers the most benefit to nearsighted patients with little or no astigmatism. It is especially helpful for patients who have progressive keratoconus, and it some cases, it can help achieve a better, more comfortable fit with their contact lenses.
"With the right kind of screening and evaluation, patients with a variety of conditions who are looking for LASIK alternatives have some pretty exciting laser and non-laser choices that are safe and effective," Dr. Lin said.
Ready to say goodbye to your glasses?
Find out if one of these options may be right for you by scheduling a refractive vision screening or attending a free LASIK seminar with a Moran expert who can help you take a closer look at what's right for you. For more information, click here or call 801-581-2352.
