If you aren’t a doctor or didn’t study medical terms, it can be confusing when you come across certain medical terms and jargon. The LASIK Los Angeles eye doctors believe you should go ahead and do your research into laser eye surgery, and if you encounter something you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask the best LASIK surgeons in Los Angeles about the terminology. Most of the time, patients don’t know the difference between vision correction procedures that are available to them, and that also goes for the differences between LASIK and LASEK.
The LASIK surgeons Los Angeles have to admit that LASIK and LASEK are nearly identical names, which doesn’t help matter much, but there are easy, noticeable distinctions between LASEK and LASIK that patients have to understand before going ahead with laser eye surgery.
What’s Laser Eye Surgery?
Laser eye surgery is a vision correction procedure that’s purpose is to make the patient less dependent on glasses or contact lenses.
Oftentimes known as laser vision correction, laser eye surgery utilizes lasers to alter the shape of the cornea (the front surface of the eye) which provides enhanced focus. Laser eye surgery can sufficiently correct both long and short-sightedness, as well as astigmatism. Although LASIK Los Angeles is known as ‘surgery’, it doesn’t require an incision.
The two main types of laser eye surgery are LASEK and LASIK. Their fundamental difference is based on the way the top corneal layer is taken off.
What’s LASIK?
LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis and is the best laser eye surgery in Los Angeles. It consists of two separate lasers. The first is a femtosecond laser that makes a thin, round flap on the cornea, which the doctor then folds back to enter the stroma or underlying part of the cornea.
When this step has been completed, the doctor utilizes an excimer laser to change the shape of the stroma. This takes away tissue from the cornea, to provide better vision and focus.
LASIK is usually a painless procedure, and both eyes can be treated in as short a time as fifteen minutes. Typically, patients recover within 24 hours.
What’s LASEK?
LASEK or Laser-Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy, also known as (LASEK), is slightly different from LASIK since the process only uses one laser. Rather than using a laser to create a flap in the top corneal layer, the eye surgeon applies an alcohol solution which helps to soften the surface layer, supporting it to be moved to the eye’s side.
When this top corneal layer has been removed, the eye surgeon can change the shape of the cornea with a laser. The top corneal layer is then brought back to its original position, and a protective contact lens is placed on the eye to magnify comfort during the healing process. In many situations, this can be taken off after four days.
Most eye surgeons will recommend LASEK to patients who have thin corneas, or other problems which may make conventional laser eye treatment complicated or risky. Similar to LASIK, both eyes can be treated on the same day, but the recovery process is a tad slower, usually lasting up to two weeks.
What’s The Difference Between LASIK And LASEK?
The most significant difference between LASIK and LASEK procedures is the method that the cornea is uncovered. With LASIK, this is carried out with a laser; when it comes to LASEK, the top layer of the cornea is removed using an alcohol solution.
Some LASIK Los Angeles patients, particularly those with thin corneas, will be told by their eye surgeons that their eyes are unsuitable for LASIK treatment and will be advised to go for a LASEK procedure.
What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of LASIK?
The advantages of LASIK are simple. The procedure can be done within fifteen minutes, and the patient normally recovers within 24 hours. The primary disadvantage of LASIK is the fact that patients with thin corneas are not suitable candidates for LASIK, and it’s not the most efficient procedure to treat individuals with severe short-sightedness. Also, patients who are at high risk of suffering an eye injury may want to avoid LASIK, since there is a possibility of the corneal flap being detached.
What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of LASEK
The best thing about LASEK is the fact that it’s suitable for all patients, and this includes those with thin corneas, pre-existing medical conditions, and severe short-sightedness.
Because the procedure does not require the eye surgeon to create a flap in the cornea, there is less risk for the patient to suffer from dry eyes than with LASIK. Also, this means LASEK patients can return to contact sports sooner than is recommended with LASIK.
LASEK’s main disadvantage is the recovery time, which is longer, and usually more uncomfortable than LASIK’s.
What’s The Cost Of LASIK VS LASEK?
Because LASIK Los Angeles needs more complex equipment to carry out a procedure compared to LASEK, the cost of the surgery is usually slightly higher. At Excel Laser Vision Institute, we have various financing options to suit your needs.
Before you decide on the type of procedure you want to do, make sure you talk to a medical professional who specializes in this sort of treatment. At Excel Laser Vision Institute, we offer free consultations, which you can book here. Or else, you can call us on (310) 905-8622, to book an appointment with us.
