Since it was approved by the FDA in 1999, LASIK is the most performed laser vision correction surgery, still going strong today. In its almost 30-year history, periodic advances have made an effective and safe procedure even better.
At Advanced Lasik in Midtown East, New York City, and Duarte and Long Beach, California, ophthalmologist Dr. Randa Garrana offers several variations on the classic LASIK procedure. Fortified LASIK adds a process called corneal cross-linking (CXL) to add long-term visual stability to your eyes.
One of the potential drawbacks of LASIK surgery is the compromise of corneal health. The standard procedure cuts a flap in the surface of the cornea. This flap is pulled back and the internal corneal tissue is gently ablated with a laser to reshape the cornea to bring vision into clearer focus. Then, Dr. Garrana replaces the flap and it heals naturally.
These changes can, by some estimates, weaken the cornea between 15% and 25%. This rarely, if at all, causes problems for LASIK patients in the short run, but there’s a potential for improvement in corneal strength by adding a simple procedure to the already fast LASIK surgery. That procedure is CXL.
To receive LASIK surgery, your corneas need to be healthy and of a sufficient thickness to support the changes needed. In rare cases, bulging of the corneas can occur after LASIK.
CXL is a procedure to stop the progress of an eye condition called keratoconus, where the cornea bulges into a cone-like shape. Dr. Garrana applies vitamin B drops to the cornea, then focuses a beam of ultraviolet (UV) light on the eye to create a chemical bond that builds the strength of collagen in the cornea.
When used in ectasias (corneal bulges), CXL effectively stabilizes the shape of the cornea, preventing changes to its shape.
Adding cross-linking after LASIK surgery is a proactive step to protect against future changes in your vision related to corneal distortion. LASIK can’t protect against age-related vision changes (presbyopia), but CXL assures that cornea distortion won’t occur as a side effect of your laser vision correction procedure.
Fortified LASIK may be advised for young patients who want to count on decades of peak visual performance. People with higher corrective lens prescriptions or minor corneal risk factors for LASIK may be better-suited for the procedure when it’s combined with CXL.
If you’re looking at laser vision correction with an eye on the future, talk to Dr. Garrana and our team about your eligibility for fortified LASIK. Call or click online to book an appointment at your nearest Advanced Lasik location today. We have one East Coast office in Midtown East, New York City, and two West Coast offices in Duarte and Long Beach, California.
