Vision correction using laser surgery such as LASIK® and PRK®, is safe and effective, and gives most patients the ability to stop wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. Dr. David O’Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery specializes in performing vision correction procedures using the most advanced eye mapping and laser technology. To learn whether you’re a good candidate for vision correction, call the office in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, or use online booking to schedule an appointment.
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Vision Correction Q & A
What refractive errors are treated with vision correction surgery?
Refractive errors occur when the light entering your eye isn’t properly focused directly on the center of the retina. This lack of focus causes vision problems such as:
- Nearsightedness (myopia): can see close objects, but distance vision is blurry
- Farsightedness (hyperopia): distant objects are clear, while close-up vision is blurry
- Astigmatism: can have blurry vision at any distance
- Presbyopia: farsightedness caused by age-related loss of lens elasticity
Dr. O’Day helps patients live life without eyeglasses, contact lenses, or reading glasses by offering several types of vision correction procedures: LASIK, PRK and Refractive Lens Exchange or RLE
What is LASIK?
Laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a surgical procedure that corrects refractive errors — nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism — by reshaping your cornea and restoring its ability to focus light.
Your cornea is a clear dome that covers the outside of your eye. Although it protects your eyes from wind, dirt, and debris, it’s also essential for focusing light as it enters your eye. Your cornea must maintain its round shape and transparency to focus light properly.
When your cornea isn’t evenly curved, refractive errors occur. LASIK repairs its shape and corrects your vision by removing microscopic pieces of the cornea.
How is LASIK surgery performed?
Before you undergo LASIK surgery, you’ll need a complete eye examination to be sure it’s the best choice for your eyes. A few examples of the criteria you must meet to qualify for LASIK include:
- Stable vision prescription for at least one year
- Free of eye disease or other vision conditions
- Proper corneal thickness
The first step, ZYOPTIX®, measures vision errors using Wavefront technology and creates a 3D map showing the contours of your cornea. This information is used to automatically control the laser during your procedure.
Dr. O’Day performs bladeless LASIK, which means that every step is done using lasers. Your procedure begins by creating an opening in the outer layer of your cornea, which provides access to the middle layer where reshaping occurs.
When Dr. O’Day cuts the opening, it stays attached on one side, leaving a flap that’s folded over during surgery. It takes fewer than five minutes for the laser to reshape your cornea, then the flap is placed back over your cornea.
What is PRK?
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is another type of laser eye surgery that corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism by reshaping your cornea. The surgery is performed like LASIK, with one difference in the way the opening is made in the outer layer.
During PRK, a flap isn’t created. Instead, a round piece of the outer layer is removed, and discarded. The outer layer regrows as you heal in the days after your procedure.
The PRK technique removes a thinner layer of tissue than the flap. This means that PRK may be used for patients who aren’t candidates for LASIK because they have a thin cornea.
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