LASIK Alternatives

Home » Our Services » LASIK Eye Surgery » LASIK Alternatives

Sometimes after we have evaluated your eyes for LASIK, we find for various reasons that your vision would be better corrected by other procedures. Reasons may include corneas that are too thin, or refractive errors (prescriptions) that are outside the range of what LASIK can correct. For some individuals, lifestyle or vision goals could mean that a LASIK alternative procedure would be better suited to correct your vision. Fortunately, our doctors provide many other options to achieve the best visual outcome. Our clinic performs many modern variations of LASIK alternative procedures.

• Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK): the excimer laser is used to reshape the curvature of the cornea directly on the surface of the eye, without the creation of a flap. This procedure is preferred for patients with thinner or irregular corneas, as well as for some professions. Recovery may take 3-5 days, but long term outcomes are just as excellent as LASIK because we use the same technology.

• Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE): the natural lens of the eye is replaced with an implant to aid both distance and near vision. This procedure offers the broadest range of vision correction with the most advanced intraocular lens implant technology as well as use of the femtosecond laser for precise correction.

• Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL): this implant acts like a permanent contact lens and is placed in front of the eye’s natural lens and behind the iris.  

The various laser and laser-alternative procedures are outlined below: