Using laser eye surgery to correct refractive errors is a popular choice. This procedure has been proven to be safe, and offers clear, crisp vision with minimal recovery time, allowing patients to say goodbye to glasses and contact lenses for good.
At Claresholm Eye Care, we will conduct a thorough examination of your eyes, including your visual acuity and corneal thickness.
There are several forms of laser eye surgery. To help you make the best decision to suit your needs, your optometrist will walk you through the procedure and go over the benefits and risks with you so you can make an informed decision. If you decide that laser eye surgery is a good choice for you, we will refer you to one of our trusted partners to perform the surgery.
To help ensure your procedure goes as smoothly as possible, we will work closely with your surgeon and handle your pre and post-operative care.
The most popular form of laser eye surgery, LASIK involves using a laser to make a thin flap in the outer layer of the cornea. This flap is then gently pulled back and out of the way so the surgeon can use a small laser to reshape the cornea to improve visual acuity before gently repositioning the flap.
PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, was the first type of laser eye surgery ever introduced. Unlike LASIK, which involves making a flap in the outer layer of the cornea, PRK removes the thin outer layer of corneal cells (called the epithelium).
Once the procedure is finished, the epithelium grows back. Since the cells need to regrow, PRK has a slightly longer recovery time than LASIK but does offer some advantages to select patients, such as those with thin corneas.
LASEK laser surgery is essentially a hybrid of PRK and LASIK. Like LASIK, your surgeon begins by making an extremely thin flap in the epithelium, which is moved aside so that the cornea can be reshaped.
However, the flap created during the procedure is thinner than the one created during LASIK surgery. As such, you will likely need to wear a contact lens bandage during the healing process. Since the flap is thinner, LASEK can be a good choice for patients with thin corneas.
Following your surgery, we will monitor your recovery closely over the course of several post-operative appointments. These appointments allow your optometrist to monitor your recovery, ensure your eyes are healing properly, and your vision is clear. They also allow your optometrist to address any questions or concerns you may have about the healing process.
After you undergo laser eye surgery, it is important to see your optometrist for annual eye exams. This allows your optometrist to monitor the results of your surgery and to ensure your eyes stay healthy and your vision remains clear.
Our office in Claresholm has been serving the Southern Alberta region for over twenty years. We are located next to Rooster Tails and Prairie Home Decor & Framing.
Contact Us
