For the past seven centuries, eyeglasses have become the only practical way to correct refraction problems.
Contact lenses were then introduced in 1950 as an alternative.
Nowadays, with our modern and advance technology, methods to treat refraction now include insertion of artificial lenses through eye surgery and laser reshaping of the cornea.
Different Kinds of Corrective Eye Surgery Several tools, techniques and procedures have rapidly evolved over the past 25 years.
Contact lenses were then introduced in 1950 as an alternative.
Nowadays, with our modern and advance technology, methods to treat refraction now include insertion of artificial lenses through eye surgery and laser reshaping of the cornea.
Different Kinds of Corrective Eye Surgery Several tools, techniques and procedures have rapidly evolved over the past 25 years.
- RK or Radial Keratotomy.
Radial keratotomy was introduced in the United States during 1980s as a surgical option to correct nearsightedness or myopia.
It involves cutting flatting the eye's surface by cutting spoke-like incisions.
Though effective at some point, there are patients who suffered from long term problems like night vision problems, significant glare, fluctuating vision and regression.
Because of this, radial keratotomy is now virtually obsolete. - PRK or Photorefractive Keratectomy.
Also known as the surface ablation, photorefractive keratectomy is the first successful procedure that uses laser to correct vision.
It removes tissue directly from the surface of the eyes in order to change the curvature of the cornea.
It was first performed outside the United States during the 1980s.
It was only on 1995 that it did receive its approval from FDA.
Although PRK or Photorefractive Keratectomy is still used today, LASIK is by far more popular. - LASIK or Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis.
It is somewhat similar to PRK or Photorefractive Keratectomy except that it uses a tiny flap over the eye's surface.
It also uses an alcohol solution to loosen it up.
The procedure involves lifting of the flap and then uses the laser underneath to reshape the cornea.
The flap is then replace and functions as a natural bandage.
The main advantage of LASIK over PRK is that LASIK causes very little, if any, discomfort immediately after the procedure.
Also, the improvement in vision is usually clear within hours instead of days, after the procedure. - Conductive Keratoplasty.
This is a non-invasive corrective procedure that applies "spots" around the periphery of the eye's surface by using a low heat radio waves and a tiny probe.
This is used for patients suffering from farsightedness.
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