What are All the Different Types of Laser Eye Surgery?

In years gone by, corrective vision solutions entailed having your eyes tested and getting either glasses or contact lenses, which you were basically stuck with for the rest of your life, in most cases. These days, things are very different, as you can opt for the safe, effective and hassle-free solution known as laser eye surgery.

There are a number of different types of laser eye surgery that you can choose from, based on your needs, circumstances and vision. If you are wondering what the cost of laser eye surgery is, this can also vary, based on the type of procedure you choose among other things.

Laser eye surgery treatment options

With more and more people putting increased strain on their eyes through habits such as spending far more time online, the availability of laser eye surgery will prove invaluable to many. However, it is important to look at the various laser eye surgery treatment options before making any decisions or commitments, as different procedures will suit different needs and budgets. Some of the main options you can choose from include:

LASIK eye surgery: LASIK, or Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis eye surgery is one of the most common types of laser eye surgery. This involves cutting the cornea to create a flap, administering the laser treatment and then replacing the flap. This is a convenient and straightforward procedure with a short recovery time of 24-48 hours.

LASEK eye surgery: LASEK, or EPI-LASEK, eye surgery is another popular choice and is also pretty straightforward. This involves folding the epithelium and pushing it aside so that the laser treatment can be administered, after which the epithelium is smoothed back into place. Recovery time with this method is slightly longer than with LASIK, lasting for around five to seven days.

IntraLase LASIK eye surgery: This type of surgery is like the standard LASIK eye surgery but is less invasive. This is because the way in which the corneal flap is created, differs. Rather than a cut being made with a blade, as it is with the standard LASIK procedure, a special laser is used to create the flap.

Wavefront eye surgery: Wavefront laser eye surgery is classed as a tailored procedure that is used to treat those with unique requirements when it comes to the optics of the eye. This is a procedure that may be suited to people who wouldn’t get the best results from standard LASIK or LASEK surgery.

The above are the main types of laser eye surgery treatments and each of these is designed to meet a variety of needs. It is important to make the right choice when selecting a suitable procedure for laser eye surgery and ensuring you are informed about the various options is one way of doing this. You can also talk to experts in laser eye surgery in order to help you make your decision.