Alternatives to LASIK
Alternative to Wavefront™ LASIK
The alternative to CustomVue™ LASIK is standard or traditional LASIK, also offered to our Maryland and Washington DC area patients. In the standard LASIK procedure, a patient’s glasses or contact lens prescription is plugged into the laser, and the laser simply corrects that patient’s degree of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Custom LASIK, however, can enhance vision by correcting unique refractive errors known as higher order aberrations for the best possible results.
To find out if you can benefit from Custom LASIK, also known as CustomVue™ or Wavefront™ LASIK, contact our practice, serving Maryland, Northern Virginia and surrounding areas, to schedule a consultation with Dr. Clinch or Dr. Kang.
Custom LASIK vs. Custom PRK
While most people who are interested in laser vision correction are good candidates for Custom LASIK, some people are not due to certain circumstances. If you have thin corneas, dry eyes, an unusually, or are in the military, PRK may be better suited to your visual needs.
PRK was approved by the FDA in 1995 for the treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The PRK procedure is painless. Local anesthetic drops are placed on the eye to remove any sensation. Then, the outer cells of the cornea or epithelium are removed to expose the underlying cells. The VISX STAR S4 laser uses CustomVue™ technology to reshape the cornea in a procedure that usually takes less than one minute. Once the procedure is complete, a bandage contact lens is placed on the eye to facilitate healing and to reduce discomfort. The lens is left on the eye for several days until the epithelial cells have healed.
To find out if you can benefit from PRK or Custom Wavefront™ LASIK with IntraLase®, contact Eye Doctors of Washington, serving Bethesda, Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia areas.