Specs Removal
Standard LASIK, Customised LASIK, Blade-less LASIK, Femto LASIK,
Contoura Vision LASIK, iLASIK SMILE ReLex SMILE PRK ICL RLE
Specs Removal surgery has been a life changer for those who are dependent on glasses. LASIK laser for removal of glasses has been the most successful and widely performed procedure globally. At Apex Eye Care our Doctors have a wide experience of the latest techniques for spectacle removal and after a detailed examination you will be advised which procedure suits you best.
LASIK (Laser assisted in situ Keratomileusis) is the time tested procedure for removal of spectacles. A thin flap is made in the cornea which is everted and Excimer laser rays are focussed to reshape the cornea according to a customised pattern. It is painless and vision recovery occurs rapidly.
Blade vs Bladeless Lasik: In bladeless LASIK a Femto Laser is used for creating the corneal flap whereas in conventional/blade LASIK surgery a microkeratome (which is a computer controlled precision surgical blade) is used for creating the corneal flap. While Femto Laser offers higher precision and is able to create a somewhat thinner flap, it is more expensive.
Standard vs Customized Lasik: In standard/conventional LASIK, only the lower order aberrations of the eye such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and regular astigmatism are corrected – essentially what is in your eyeglass prescription.
Customized LASIK uses much more detailed information about the eye to program the excimer laser that reshapes your eye during the LASIK procedure and hence higher order aberrations (HOAs) affecting your vision are also corrected, leading to somewhat better outcomes.
SMiLE is a different type of Laser Eye Surgery to correct myopia (nearsightedness) that is similar to LASIK. In SMILE there is no flap creation (which is why it is often advertised as “flapless” LASIK). SMILE currently is used primarily to treat only nearsightedness and it cannot correct higher order aberrations that is possible with, customized LASIK.
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) is also a type of refractive surgery in which an excimer laser is used to precisely change the shape of the cornea to improve vision. The main advantage of PRK is that it is Flapless & conserves corneal tissue as compared to Lasik. Hence it is indicated in patients with thin corneas or who may have some abnormal topography. Drawback is the longer healing time and initial postoperative discomfort as the epithelium is removed and a bandage contact lens has to be used for a few days.
ICL is done for individuals who are not suitable for laser specs removal due to thin corneas or very high refractive errors. In this latest technology a special lens is placed within the eye called ICL. This lens is customised according to the patient’s eye dimensions and power. The surgery is painless and takes about 15 min. You can quickly resume normal daily activity with a few precautions.
RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange) is done In some cases where both Lasik and Phakic IOL may not be suitable. It provides freedom from glasses by removing the natural lens and replacing it with a Multifocal or Monofocal artificial intraocular lens. Patients above the age of 40 years who want to get rid of specs can opt for RLE.