| Horizon Vision Centers Medical Group (800) 921.2020 |
Why Horizon Vision Center |
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| Horizon Vision Centers Medical Group (800) 921.2020 |
Why Horizon Vision Center |
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The time-honored method of correcting refractive errors is with glasses and contact lenses. However, refractive errors can be surgically corrected by altering the curvature of the cornea. The shape of this clear surface tissue can be modified to reduce and even eliminate focusing problems.
LASIK is an out-patient procedure that is performed in the comfort of the Horizon Vision Center. Your eyes are numbed with anesthetic drops so you will feel no pain throughout the treatment. First the surgeon creates a thin flap at the top of your cornea which is lifted away, but remains attached at one side. Next, the excimer laser, which has already been programmed to correct your degree of refractive error, removes a microscopic layer of cornea. This part of the prodedure takes approximately one minute. The corneal flap is then put back in place and, because of its natural bonding properties, healing starts immediately. No stitches are required.
The entire LASIK procedure takes about one hour and you can return home immediately afterward. For safety reasons you should have return transportation arranged. Once at home, we ask that you rest your eyes for the remainder of the day. We encourage you to nap or listen to the radio. Reading, watching the television and computer work is not conducive to healing.
What can you expect? The majority of people who choose LASIK see a dramatic improvement in their vision within the first 24 hours, and most can return to normal activities faster than with PRK. Almost all patients treated with LASIK are able to pass a drivers license test without glasses or contacts.
Following surgery, glasses may be required for certain tasks such as night driving, though most people require no spectacle correction most of the time.
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The PRK Procedure
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Photorefractive Keratectomy uses laser energy to correct vision disorders. As with LASIK, the laser alters the shape of the cornea so that light rays can focus properly on the retina.
The excimer laser is a unique type of "cold" laser that does not burn tissue. The laser sculpts the cornea's surface by removing small amounts of surface tissue--one molecular layer at a time. This process of cell removal is termed "ablation". As with LASIK, this part of the procedure takes approximately 1 minute.
When using laser PRK to correct nearsightedness, the curvature of the cornea is reduced. To correct farsightedness, the cornea's curvature is increased by removing peripheral tissue. To correct astigmatism, tissue is removed from specific areas of the cornea to create a more spherical shape.
What to Expect
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