As an alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses for dealing with refractive errors in your vision, LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis) surgery and ICLs (implantable contact lenses) are both strong options.
The right choice for you depends on your prescription, corneal characteristics, eye health, and lifestyle. Ophthalmologist Dr. Randa Garrana of Advanced Lasik can recommend the best match for your vision correction needs with a comprehensive eye exam.
For patients in the Pasadena area, Advanced Lasik has offices in Duarte and Long Beach, California; we also have an office in Midtown East, New York City. As one of the country’s leading vision correction surgeons, Dr. Garrana is ready to help you make the right choice for your eye surgery procedure.
In this blog, we’ve prepared a quick guide to help you understand LASEK and ICL surgeries, their differences, and which may be the right choice for you.
Some refractive errors of the eyes can be corrected by reshaping the cornea, which is responsible for the bulk of the light bending that brings images into focus on the retina. LASEK surgery works on the shape of the cornea.
Unlike LASIK surgery, LASEK requires no flap cut into the cornea. The epithelial surface of the cornea is loosened and slid aside, then replaced after the cornea is reshaped with an excimer laser.
Because there’s no flap, LASEK is suitable for patients with thin corneas or other factors that frequently rule out other laser-reshaping procedures.
Implantable contact lenses sit behind the cornea and iris and in front of your eye’s natural lens, adding another refractive layer that’s corrected for your vision. ICLs are ideal for patients with moderate to high prescriptions as well as those who aren’t candidates for corneal procedures.
There’s no change to the corneas. ICLs aren’t removable, like conventional contact lenses; instead, they remain permanently implanted in the eyes.
While the end results of each procedure may be similar, LASEK and ICL have several key differences, including:
The condition of your corneas and the level of your lens prescription are the main deciding factors for choosing the best surgical vision correction procedure for your particular case. Both procedures provide excellent results when matched to your vision and eye health needs.
Are you weighing your surgical options for clear, crisp vision without having to wear glasses or removable contacts? We can help you make sense of your choices to find the best approach for your specific needs.
To learn more, schedule a consultation at Advanced Lasik today: We have two West Coast offices in Duarte and Long Beach, California, and an East Coast office in Midtown East, New York City.
