Non-surgical Alternatives to LASIK

If LASIK is not right for your eyes, or if the thought does not appeal to you, consider contact lenses, Orthokeratology (Ortho-K), or, that old standby, eyeglasses. These options are cheaper, may fit your life better and be less scary than surgery. They are less invasive, less risky, and have the benefit of reversibility.

Setting LASIK aside, consider the variety of contact lens designs for usual and special needs. They are now available in bifocal prescriptions. And, sensitive eyes even have the option of extra thin lenses. There are soft, comfortable lenses that you can discard after a day or a month, and rigid gas permeable lenses that can last years and provide sharper, clearer vision than soft lenses.

Soft lenses absorb moisture and conform to the eye with more ease. They are cheaper initially than rigid lenses, but more expensive in the long run. Some patients count this cost when comparing with LASIK.

Rigid lenses are more durable, but take more getting used to. They are more resistant to buildup of deposits. LASIK deals with astigmatism. With rigid contacts, you can differentiate between the left and right eyes and select toric lenses for astigmatism. Seven-day continuous wear lenses and 30-day continuous wear lenses have recently been approved by the FDA.

LASIK uses surgery to change the shape of the cornea. Ortho-K uses rigid gas permeable contact lenses to train the shape of the cornea. In both, this improves the eye's ability to refract light and focus. While not a permanent result, with continued use, a person's vision may improve drastically, up to 20/40 or even 20/20 vision.

In the beginning of the Ortho-K therapy, the contact lenses are worn about eight hours each day. After LASIK, vision improvement occurs in days. With Ortho-K, as the cornea changes shape over the weeks, improving the vision, the lenses are worn less frequently. Wearing time shortens to a few hours at a stretch every few days. Stopping the use of the Ortho-K lenses causes the corneas to revert to their original state. Occasionaly, the effects of LASIK may fade, too.

Clarity of vision may fluctuate, and it may take several months to change the vision measurably. Accelerated Ortho-K therapy may be used to get the desired effect more rapidly. People with low levels of nearsightedness and/or slight astigmatism are the best candidates for Ortho-K.

If LASIK or contact lenses are not for you, there is another alternative. Sticking with your eyeglasses may be the choice you need make. Eyeglass frames are more durable and flexible than ever. Lenses are lighter, stronger, more scratch resistant. New options for glasses include tinting that changes more rapidly, progressive bifocal lenses, anti-reflective coatings, UV protection and greater impact resistance.

Some advantages to this option are less expense than contact lenses or LASIK surgery, greater ease in changing your mind, and fashion-forward styling. The greatest benefit may be the guarantee that the good eyesight they have provided to you for years can continue indefinitely.

If you cannot have LASIK surgery now, or even if you never choose to have that procedure, these are viable, safe, money-saving choices. Even if you decide to have LASIK surgery at some future date, choosing contact lenses, Ortho-K therapy, or eyeglasses can keep you going until you make that decision.

What is Lasik Eye Surgery?

You may have heard of surgery for vision instead of glasses or contacts. In the United States, lasik is the primary surgery used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In less than thirty minutes per eye, it reshapes the stroma, the middle portion of the cornea.

The Lasik Procedure
In order to access the stroma, the surgeon cuts a flap in the upper portion of the cornea, right above the pupil. Numbing drops are put into the eye, the cornea is marked to aid in replacing the flap, and then the eye area is cleaned.

A lid speculum holds the eye open. High pressure is applied to the eye with a suction ring that is briefly placed directly on the eye. Then the flap is cut. This is called a keratectomy, which may be done by either of two methods.

The time-tested way uses a microkeratome, a cutting instrument or blade. The newer method of cutting the flap is by "laser-only" or femtosecond lasik, sometimes known by the brand name "IntraLase." After the suction ring is removed, both lasik methods are nearly identical.

The corneal flap is folded back, and the exposed tissue is allowed to dry. Then, the patient is asked to stare at a light for about sixty seconds to help keep the eye fixed and immobile. In less than one minute, the lasik computer pulses high-energy ultraviolet light removing the tissue that was previously determined to reshape the cornea most effectively and accurately.

The lasik laser makes clicking sounds, and there may be a smell of burning tissue. After very precise amounts of tissue are removed from the stroma, the surgeon lays the flap back into place. The eye is observed for a few minutes to make sure that proper bonding is taking place.

After the Surgery
Once the surgery is complete, a protective shield is placed over the eye, to prevent pressure and anything from bumping the eye. Since there are no stitches in lasik surgery, these precautions must be taken to ensure that the flap remains in place.

Some patients return to work the next day, but most doctors recommend that you wait a few days. Strenuous activity, and non-contact sports should be avoided for up to three days. Facial products and makeup are out for up to two weeks. The eyelashes may need to be scrubbed fairly often during this time to help prevent infection.

No contact sports are allowed for at least four weeks. Expect to leave off swimming, hot tubs, whirlpools and saunas for up to eight weeks.

Expected Outcomes from Lasik
Most lasik patients see huge improvements in their vision by the next day. Vision may continue to improve for three to six months post-operatively. While visual fluctuations may occur temporarily throughout the day, this tendency diminishes over time.

Lasik eye surgery is not for everyone. Most good candidates follow their surgeon's pre and post-operative directives faithfully. They find their vision, and therefore their lifestyle, greatly enhanced by this laser procedure.