What is LASIK and PRK?
LASIK is an in-office surgical procedure that treats the refractive error (ie- myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism) in the eye that causes blurred vision when not using visual aids such as glasses or contact lenses. A protective flap is made using a finely tuned femtosecond laser. The flap is lifted and an excimer laser is used to sculpt or reshape the cornea in a manner that treats your eye prescription. The flap is replaced and that concludes the procedure. Vision improves dramatically within 24 hours; however it can take a few weeks for all the fine details of vision to improve.
PRK is a surgical procedure that also treats your eye prescription, however, there is no flap that is created. The surface epithelial cells of the cornea are gently removed with a solution that is placed on the eye. The same excimer laser that is used in LASIK is then applied to the corneal surface to reshape the cornea. A contact lens is placed as a protective bandage for 5-7 days and then is removed in clinic once the surface cells have healed in. Some patients choose to have PRK, especially if they do contact sports such as marital arts and may be at risk of eye injury with sport related trauma, while others elect to have PRK because they are not appropriate LASIK candidates.
Regardless of LASIK or PRK, in near-sighted (myopic) patients, the cornea is too steep and will be flattened and reshaped by the laser to decrease dependency on glasses and contact lenses. Far-sighted (hyperopic) patients have a cornea that is relatively too flat and the laser will reshape the cornea to steepen the cornea to normalize the shape. In both scenarios, the laser is reshaping the cornea to the optimal shape to allow light rays to precisely pass in fine focus to the retina.
What happens at my LASIK consult?
At Triangle Eye Consultants we believe in performing a comprehensive evaluation to make sure that LASIK is the correct procedure for you. Not everyone that comes in for an evaluation will be a good candidate for the LASIK procedure. We perform a 10-part examination including dilation to fully assess your eyes. Our examination includes:
- Acuity Measurement
- Intraocular Pressure
- Visual Field Assessment
- Pupil Measurements
- Corneal Imaging: Topography & Tomography
- Retinal Imaging
- Refraction
- Cycloplegic Refraction
- Dilated Exam of the Retina
You will be examined by your surgeon, Dr. Preeya Gupta, who will comprehensively integrate all of your information and discuss the optimal plan for your eyes with you.
Why choose Triangle Eye Consultants for your LASIK or PRK surgery?
We believe in partnering with our patients as they embark on the journey of getting better
vision. Here are a few reasons we believe that we are the best in the Triangle:
- Dr Gupta is a board-certified cornea specialist who specializes in cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery. We perform all types of corneal and refractive procedures, so if you are not an ideal laser vision correction candidate, we can offer other options.
- Our LASIK evaluations are FREE—while some providers do a basic free exam, we provide a complimentary comprehensive exam which includes state of the art corneal imaging and diagnostic testing, all at no cost to you. We only want to do surgery if it is the right option for you.
- You will meet and be examined by your surgeon (not another doctor) on the day of your free LASIK consultation. Dr. Gupta will share her expertise and recommendations with you as well as review all testing done. Together you will determine what plan is best for your vision. Our surgical fees include one year of post-operative care and enhancement within the first year if needed.
- We offer financing through Care Credit—while paying for LASIK can seem daunting, financing through Care Credit can make it affordable for all with small monthly payments.
- Our equipment is state of the art—we only offer blade-free, all laser LASIK. The Wavelight excimer laser and FS200 femtosecond laser provide wavefront optimized treatments for optimal vision correction.