LASIK Alternatives - PRK, LASEK, and Implantable Contact Lens ( ICL) Options Available in Toronto, Ontario
Everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits of clear vision. Currently, advancements in LASIK surgery are yielding some of the most effective techniques available for laser vision correction. However, not everyone is an ideal candidate for LASIK. Fortunately, at Yonge Eglinton Laser Eye & Cosmetic Centre, Dr. David Rootman and his associates provide several alternatives to LASIK surgery. Despite requiring a slightly longer recovery time, vision correction utilizing photo refractive keratectomy (PRK), LASEK, or the placement of an implantable contact lens ( ICL) allows our Toronto, Ontario patients to achieve comparable results to those attained through LASIK surgery.
Photo Refractive Keratectomy ( PRK)
Photo refractive keratectomy ( PRK) is a method of laser vision correction offered at our Toronto centre that can effectively treat mild to moderate levels of astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness.
The PRK Procedure
PRK involves the same laser correction procedure as LASIK, with the exception that our Toronto surgeon does not cut a flap in the cornea. Instead, a small portion of the eye's surface is safely removed while the remaining surface is reshaped with the laser. The microscopic re-contouring of the corneal surface improves the way light is "refracted," or focused, by the eye.
Performed on an outpatient basis, the PRK procedure lasts approximately 30 minutes; most of this time is devoted to the preparation of the laser and your eye, while the actual treatment takes only about a minute per eye.
Benefits of PRK
The major benefit of PRK is that it may be performed on candidates who do not meet the requirements for traditional LASIK surgery. Typically, PRK candidates at our Toronto centre are people with dry eyes or thin corneas.
Improvements in laser technology have helped surgeons achieve PRK results equivalent to LASIK, though recovery times following the surgery are typically longer. Both Dr. Rootman and his son have successfully undergone the PRK procedure, so you can be confident that the treatment is proven effective and reliable.
Even if LASIK is not for you, you deserve to see the world as it was meant to be seen. With PRK surgery performed at Yonge Eglinton Laser Eye & Cosmetic Centre in Toronto, our doctors can help you see a world of clarity and color. Contact us today to schedule your FREE PRK consultation at our Toronto centre and find out whether this surgery is the best option for you.
LASEK Surgery
LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis) is another option offered at our Toronto centre. It is a procedure that is often utilized when a patient's corneas are too thin or too flat for LASIK surgery. Though very similar to PRK and LASIK, the LASEK procedure keeps the cornea intact.
The LASEK Procedure
In the LASEK procedure, the surgeon will lift the surface of the cornea rather than cutting a corneal flap to reshape the tissue below. LASEK performed at our Toronto practice begins by covering the eye with a special solution of alcohol, which loosens the outer layer of corneal cells.
Next, the surgeon lifts the outermost layer of corneal cells, sculpts the underlying corneal tissue with a laser, and places the layer of cells back into their original position, bandaging them with a special contact lens. Because no actual flap is created as in LASIK surgery, complications arising from the cutting and reattaching of a corneal flap are avoided.
LASEK Results
Patients who have undergone LASEK tend to have a slightly longer recovery time than those recovering from LASIK. Performed at our Toronto, Ontario centre, LASEK offers results quite similar to those achieved though LASIK.
To learn more about LASEK, contact our Toronto centre today.
Implantable Contact Lens (ICL)
Severe cases of farsightedness and nearsightedness that cannot be effectively treated with LASIK may be treated with an implantable contact lens ( ICL) inserted at our Toronto, Ontario centre. ICL placement is an effective alternative to laser surgery when the level of vision correction a patient needs cannot be accomplished. ICLs are similar to the intraocular lenses (IOLs) that are used in cataract surgery. However, unlike the process used in cataract surgery, the implantable contact lens is inserted without removing the natural lens.
The ICL Placement Procedure
When placing an implantable contact lens at our Toronto, Ontario centre, your surgeon will first treat the eyes with drops and a local anesthetic. The surgeon then creates an incision and places the implantable lens between the clear outer film of the eye and the iris (the colored portion of the eye). Small, dissolvable sutures close the incision. The whole procedure lasts around 15 to 30 minutes. After the placement of an ICL, patients are instructed to wear a protective eye covering for a short period of time.
Benefits of ICL Placement
An ICL can be used to correct the vision of patients who are poor candidates for laser surgery. The placement of an ICL is absolutely reversible; if necessary, the implanted lens can be removed at any time.
To learn whether an ICL is right for you, please contact us to schedule a consultation at our Toronto, Ontario centre.