LASIK Alternatives: LASEK and PRK for Raleigh / Durham, North Carolina Patients

Some patients aren’t well suited to LASIK surgery, often because the epithelium, the outer corneal layer, is too thin for creation of the corneal flap that is the first step in LASIK. Dr. Dean Dornic is trained and experienced in alternatives to LASIK, which can still provide patients with the same high quality of vision correction.

LASEK

Laser Assisted Sub Epithelial Keratotomy (LASEK) is a new twist on an older technique. LASEK offers our Raleigh / Durham patients who may not be good candidates for LASIK an alternative, by combining the advantages of LASIK with photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

When LASEK is performed at our Cary, North Carolina practice, a very thin corneal flap is created, by applying a dilute alcohol solution to the corneal epithelium. The flap, made up of weakened cells, is then lifted up and a laser is applied to the underlying corneal surface to reshape it. The epithelial flap is then replaced. Typically, a bandage contact lens is placed over the epithelial flap to hold it into position. The contact lens is usually removed three to five days later.

The epithelial flap created in LASEK maintains some of the advantage of a LASIK flap, i.e. improved comfort and reduced risk of haze. The speed of vision recovery is similar to that of PRK, but not as quick as LASIK.

Who is a candidate for LASEK? Raleigh / Durham patients for whom making a LASIK flap may carry unacceptable risks are the most likely candidates. Examples include patients with thin corneas or patients whose ocular anatomy may not be conducive to flap creation (warped, very steep, or very flat corneas).

Dr. Dornic is the first surgeon to perform the LASEK procedure in the Raleigh / Durham area. It has allowed for the successful, safer correction of vision in many patients who were previously considered poor laser vision correction candidates.

If you have been told in the past that you are not a good candidate for other procedures, why not ask about LASEK? Contact our laser vision correction center in Cary for the latest information.

PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)

PRK , first performed in the mid 1980s, uses the computer-controlled excimer laser to gently reshape the surface of the cornea, without the creation of a corneal flap. We recommend PRK for our Raleigh / Durham / Cary patients who have low to moderate levels of nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism, and for whom creation of a corneal flap is not practical, especially those with a very thin cornea or abnormal epithelium, the protective outer layer of the cornea.

The first step of PRK at our Cary practice is to use the laser to remove the epithelium. In the next step, the laser is directed on the middle layer of the cornea, called the stroma, to gently remove enough tissue to change its shape. The excimer laser removes tissue by breaking down the molecular bonds. This process allows the procedure to be clean and quick. For most patients, only 5 to 10 percent of the corneal tissue is removed to obtain the desired results.

Because the epithelium is removed, recovery from PRK at our Cary practice takes longer that recovery from LASIK. Our Raleigh / Durham patients are fitted with a bandage contact lens, to be worn for a few days while the tissue grows back. Dr. Dornic will prescribe eye drops to assist with comfort and reduce the risk of infection. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled to monitor progress.

To learn more about PRK for Raleigh / Durham patients, contact our laser vision correction center in Cary today.

[ Back to top ]