Visian: A LASIK Alternative –
Submitted by Dr. Dean Dornic on Sun 08/19/2012 - 12:40
What if you could have a contact lens to correct your vision that you couldn’t feel, didn’t have to remove or clean and never had to replace. That’s the idea of a Visian implantable lens. This lens, unlike a standard contact lens, doesn’t sit on the eye, it resides inside the eye.
So how does the Visian implantable lens compare withe LASIK? For many patients, a Visian implantable lens may have advantages over LASIK? LASIK is a great procedure, is safe and yields excellent results for the majority of patients. However, for some individuals, LASIK may carry risks of side effects that can be prevented by choosing another procedure to correct vision. In a LASIK procedure, tissue is removed and reshaped with a laser. This process can lead to excessive thinning of the cornea or a decrease in vision quality as a result of extreme reshaping of corneas with high prescriptions. The Visian procedure leaves the shape and thickness of the cornea virtually unchanged. This gives the implantable lens procedure a significant advantage over LASIK in patients with thin or irregular corneas or patients with very high prescriptions. They may also be a better choice for patients with certain cornel disorders.
The optical quality of an implantable lens is excellent leading to excellent quality of vision. Implantable lenses also do not tend to cause the significant dry eye side effects experienced by some LASIK patients. In addition, once LASIK eye surgery is performed, because tissue is removed, the results are irreversible. In contrast, an implantable lens procedure is potentially reversible. Removal of the implant may remove the source of any ill effects or side effects.
Both LASIK and Visian implantable lenses have a very high level of patient satisfaction. There is no one best procedure.
If you are not an excellent candidate for LASIK, you may be a great candidate for implantable lenses. Of course, all medical procedures have risks, and the risks of implantable lenses are different than that of LASIK. Make sure you discuss these risks with your surgeon. Want to compare and contrast the risks and benefits of LASIK vs implantable lenses? Make sure you consult a physician who performs both!
At the Laser Eye Center of Carolina, we offer LASIK and numerous other procedures for patients in North Carolina and beyond. Our consults are free so the only thing you risk is. Little of your time to make sure you are informed of all your options.