LASIK is an invaluable advancement in the world of permanent vision correction. It is an incredibly effective way to counteract nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
However, LASIK is not the only effective solution for permanent refractive error correction. There are many other options for laser vision correction, especially if you are not a candidate for LASIK, like PRK.
Keep reading to learn more about why PRK may be right for you!
What Would Stop Me From Getting LASIK?
There are a lot of factors that your eye doctor will take into consideration to determine your LASIK eligibility. In order to find out if you are a good LASIK candidate, you will need to see your eye doctor for a LASIK consultation.
Age
Most people who get LASIK are in their twenties to forties. While your eye doctor may have specific age requirements for candidacy, many people can still have LASIK beyond their forties.
You must be at least eighteen to have LASIK. In many cases, the LASIK surgeon will require you to wait until you are in your twenties to have the procedure.
Sable Glasses Prescription
You must have a stable glasses prescription prior to qualifying for the LASIK procedure. Having a stable glasses prescription means that you have not had to update or change your prescription in at least two years.
If your LASIK surgeon performs the procedure on the eyes with a changing prescription, the procedure’s results will likely not be optimal.
Eye Health
It is also essential that your eyes are healthy prior to receiving LASIK surgery. If they are healthy, they will be able to heal quickly and correctly.
Your eye doctor may determine that you are not a candidate for the procedure if you have certain eye conditions that could affect the procedure’s outcome.
Corneal Thickness
During your consultation, your eye doctor will measure the thickness of your cornea. Your corneas must be thick enough to sustain the creation of a flap on the surface of your cornea during the procedure.
Without enough tissue to be able to create a flap, the procedure will likely be unsuccessful. There are other candidacy requirements to be eligible for LASIK.
The consultation is an in-depth evaluation of your eyes. Your eye doctor will need to take various measurements and do a thorough examination of your eyes.
What’s The Difference Between LASIK and PRK?
The PRK procedure was developed prior to LASIK. PRK follows much of the same process as LASIK, with one key difference.
Both procedures involve reshaping the cornea to allow the light to focus on the retina in the back of the eye. During the LASIK procedure, your LASIK surgeon will make a small flap on the surface of your cornea.
Your LASIK surgeon will then reshape the corneal tissue below the flap and reposition the flap to heal. This process differs from PRK.
During the PRK procedure, your eye surgeon does not make a flap in the cornea. Instead, they will remove a portion of the top layer of your cornea.
Although PRK often requires a more extended recovery period, there is no risk of developing flap complications. PRK can be an ideal option for those who are very active in sports or who do not qualify for LASIK.
PRK is a very effective and reliable surgery that can produce excellent visual results. It has a comparable success rate to LASIK, and is available to a broader range of people.
However, not everyone will be a good candidate for PRK. You will still need to attend a consultation to determine your candidacy for either procedure.
Are you ready to see if you are a candidate for PRK? Schedule a consultation at Stahl EyeCare Experts in Garden City, NY, today!
