Eye Healthy Care Information

Epi-LASIK is a type of refractive surgery, which is designed to reduce a person’s dependency on contact lenses and eyeglasses. The technique was invented by Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris, and it attempts to merge the desirable features of other major refractive surgery techniques, such as PRK, LASIK and LASEK. Epi-LASIK is believed to avoid risks associated with LASIK and offers improved postoperative recovery relative to PRK. In essence, Epi-LASIK is described as ‘an advanced type of corneal surface ablation’ employed to correct myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism.

Epi-LASIK differs from conventional LASIK. LASIK involves cutting a flap in the cornea with a microkeratome or laser to reveal the stroma (the middle layer of the cornea). On the other hand, Epi-LASIK entails the creation of a thin flap of corneal epithelium. The epithelium is gently separated from the underlying corneal layer without cutting - quite the same procedure as what is followed during LASEK. However, as opposed to LASEK, Epi-LASIK does not make use of any alcohol solution to loosen and remove the surface of the epithelium.

Like LASEK, Epi-LASIK is more appropriate for patients who have thin corneas and are therefore not viable candidates for conventional LASIK. Once the epithelial layer is removed, the excimer laser reshapes the cornea in the desired manner so as to correct any refractive anomalies. Upon successful ablation, the epithelial flap is repositioned on the cornea. A thin soft bandage contact lens is then placed over the flap. This must be worn for several days after the Epi-LASIK surgery, in order to minimize discomfort and aid in the healing process.

Epi-LASIK holds a significant advantage over conventional LASIK in that it avoids any of the potential flap complications associated with LASIK. That is, there is no such risk as dislocated flap, folds in flap, epithelial in-growth etc. In addition, Epi-LASIK allows a more rapid visual recovery relative to PRK and LASEK.

In summary, Epi-LASIK is a technologically advanced surgical procedure, which might be useful if you have a thin cornea or some other visual anomaly that rules out conventional refractive surgery. However, it is advised that you acquire the assistance of an expert eye surgeon instead of hastily jumping on a conclusion.

The LASIK Surgeons Directory - find a LASIK surgery. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news, views and information about Epi-LASIK at Your Lasik Information.

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Your-LASIK.info

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It is true that laser eye surgery is a safe and efficacious procedure for correcting a host of visual anomalies. However, as with any surgical procedure, refractive surgery has potential side effects or complications. Complications due to laser eye surgery may be classified into four categories - preoperative, intra-operative, early postoperative, and late postoperative. Peruse this article to have a clear understanding of the major complications associated with laser eye surgery.

One of the more frequently reported complications is dry eye. It has been reported that the surgery worsens the dry eye condition, where the tear gland’s capacity to produce tears is diminished. Another possible complication is over/under-correction, and in the worst case, loss of corrected vision. In the latter of the mentioned complications, the postoperative visual acuity is less than the preoperative one.

Patients who have undergone laser eye surgery may experience halos or starbursts around light sources at night. The eyes may experience abnormal light sensitivity and the patient may suffer from ghost vision or double vision. Then there are a few possible flap complications. A small microkeratome malfunction may result in an inappropriately cut flap. This in turn may lead to a number of different flap complications.

The most common among flap complications is flap dislocation, where the flap no longer rests on a hinge and is rather detached from the cornea. Another flap complication involves the appearance of folds in the flap. This hampers the natural healing process and typically necessitates repositioning of the flap. On the other hand, an awry healing procedure may result in debris or growth under the flap.

Though quite uncommon with the new breed of lasers, another possible complication is “de-centered ablation”. This pertains to an imprecise ablation of the corneal tissue because of an inaccurately focused laser. Another rare laser eye surgery complication is induced astigmatism.

The rapid enhancement in laser technology and other pertinent eye surgery equipment has reduced the complication rate to a meager 3%. This is also owing to an increase in the experience of eye surgeons. All in all, laser eye surgery is a potent procedure to correct a variety of refractive errors thereby enhancing a patient’s visual acuity.

The LASIK Surgeons Directory - find a LASIK surgery. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news and views about LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Complications at Your Lasik Information.

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Your-LASIK.info

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If you’re suffering from diminished eyesight in any capacity, there’s a whole parcel of feelings that go along with the possibilities of eventual loss of sight versus the risks of undergoing the treatments that are necessary to correct the problem.

When considering the delicate nature of the eye, many people make the decision to put off corrective treatment until the situation becomes dire - or is no longer able to be treated effectively.

Laser eye surgery - now quite common as a form of treatment for eye disorders - is one of the first options that many folks look toward when they’ve made the decision to pursue treatment and reclaim their ability to see clearly.

Weigh your options

While there are pros and cons involved in such a treatment plan, it’s worthy of a thorough investigation before making such a weighty decision. There are a number of things that should be looked into, and you should feel comfortable with the information that you uncover before attempting to take such a leap.

Here then, are a few safety and risk factors that are involved in laser eye surgery that you may find helpful in your quest for information.

Which type of treatment is right for you?

There are two main types of laser eye surgery procedures that are currently available: Lasik and CustomCornea.

The difference between the two is that CustomCornea utilizes newer technologies to accomplish what Lasik surgery can provide and, in either case, there are safety risks that may be involved. These may include serious complications which may result in decreased or lost vision, and there are those who would not be considered as candidates for such a treatment.

Included among those are:

individuals who are pregnant or nursing

under the age of 21

suffering from Herpes Simplex

currently taking medication that may interfere with the body’s ability to heal

suffering from severe allergies or diseases

or have a corneal infection or scarring.

Also listed among those who are not considered for laser eye surgery are those who have had previous eye surgery, those who have inflammation of the eye or eyelids accompanied by crusting of the eyelashes, suffer from unstable refractive problems, currently take medication that causes them to suffer ocular side effects, those with Keratonconus, glaucoma or high blood pressure in the eye region, corneal injury, and those who are taking sumatriptan for migraine relief.

Some of the risks

Among the more specific risks that are associated with laser eye surgery are:

lost vision

reduced low-light vision

under-treatment

over-treatment

increased need for reading glasses and severe dry-eye syndrome.

It’s best to discuss these risks with your physician before committing yourself to having this procedure performed, since there will be no way to reclaim diminished or lost sight when it comes about as the result of laser eye surgery.

One other consideration that you’ll have to pay careful attention to is the reputation and success rate of the doctor who will be performing the surgery. He or she should be licensed in the area of laser eye surgery and care, and be able to offer an impressive success rate.

If possible, check with other people who may have undergone this procedure with that particular doctor before making that final decision, in order to get their impression of both the treatment and the doctor, as well as an accounting of their experiences after opting to have laser eye surgery.

Copyright 2005 Octocat Ltd

Mike Spencer reviews reviews leading, and sometimes controversial, approaches to improving and protecting our health. Here he looks at the pros and cons of LASIK eye surgery and whether it can offer any real benefits to improved vision.
http://www.laser-eye-surgery-reviews.com

For more related articles see here: http://www.laser-eye-surgery-reviews.com/articles/index.html

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