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The two most common Laser Vision Correction procedures that we perform at Whiting Clinic are LASIK and PRK. And, although PRK was the first laser vision procedure FDA approved to correct myopia and astigmatism in the US, it is still a relatively unfamiliar option to many of our patients.

Both LASIK, Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, and PRK, Photo-Refractive Keratectomy, are procedures that reshape the external cornea, the clear front structure of the eye, in such a way that the light focuses clearly onto the retina at the back of the eye. It is much the same visual correction as contact lenses, except that the cornea itself is reshaped as if to have the same prescription shape as a contact lens.

Cataracts are a frequent, even “normal” development for all of us who are fortunate to live into our 60’s, 70’s and beyond.  It isn’t rare to see cataracts in some individuals as young as 30’s or 40’s either.  Whatever the underlying cause, a cataract is simply a haze or film that develops in the natural lens of the eye, resulting in a loss of visual clarity, difficulty seeing in low light, and glare off of lights at night.  The result is trouble seeing to read fine print, recognizing faces, even trouble seeing to safely drive.

The treatment for cataracts involves removal of the natural “crystalline” lens of the eye, and replacement with a new intraocular lens implant, or “IOL.”   These lenses have been in wide use for over 30 years and can restore clarity to levels similar to what most patients had 20 years earlier.  New technologies have enabled us to now accurately correct myopia, astigmatism and farsightedness with these lenses as well.  Within the last several years, advanced design lenses have become available that let us even correct the near vision so that dependence on reading glasses is also reduced or even eliminated.

Every means of refractive correction has some element of long-term instability, whether it's glasses, contact lenses, LASIK, Laser Vision Correction or Implants.  It’s not that the correcting mechanism looses it’s effectiveness—i.e. glasses don’t lose their ability to correct the refractive error they were created to correct—but the human eye can change in subtle ways over time in a way that requires a slightly different prescription to correct the vision most effectively at some point in the future.  Most changes happen because of subtle changes in the internal lens of the eye or of the outer clear cornea.

The Laser Vision Correction refractive technology is colliding with corrective lens implant technology in a big way.  For years, Laser Vision Correction or LASIK, has been the predominant way to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.  Lens implants have been relegated primarily to use in the correction of cataracts, with a lesser goal of correcting some of the underlying, preexisting refractive error in the process.  Times are changing!

We often take the health of our kids’ eyes for granted; assuming that eye health troubles are only something that older people need to think about.  Unfortunately, this isn’t always true.

On a daily basis we meet patients looking to be free of glasses for both distance and near. For those under 40, that can be easily accomplished with the current LASIK technology. But as we get closer to 50, the need for "readers" to help with near vision will be unavoidable unless we take other steps to correct the near focus as well.

Thanks for visiting the NEW Gift of Sight Blog at whitingclinic.com!