What is refractive surgery?
Refractive surgery is a type of eye surgery to correct your vision and reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contact lenses. Dr. Pham performs several different types of refractive surgery to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are all refractive errors. They have differences, but they all affect the way light hits your eyes and the way you see as a result. Here are their differences:
Nearsightedness
Nearsightedness makes it more difficult to see objects that are far away.
Farsightedness
Farsightedness makes it more difficult to see objects from up close.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism makes objects look blurry from up close and far away.
What are my options for refractive surgery?
Dr. Pham provides two types of refractive surgery at his offices. Both procedures are designed to change the shape of your eye so that you can see images more clearly. Your options for refractive surgery are:
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
During PRK, Dr. Pham gives you numbing eye drops before removing the surface layer of tissue from your cornea. Then, he reshapes the other layers using an excimer laser. Finally, Dr. Pham places a small protective bandage that looks like a contact lens over the treated tissue.
Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
During LASIK surgery, Dr. Pham numbs your eyes with special drops. Then, he cuts a flap into the surface layer of your cornea and places it to the side while it’s still attached. He reshapes the layers under the surface using an excimer laser before placing the tissue flap back into its place for healing.
Am I a good candidate for refractive surgery?
To find out if you’re a candidate for either type of refractive surgery, you should sit down for an evaluation and consultation with Dr. Pham. You might be eligible for either surgery if you:
- Are 18 or older
- Are not pregnant or breastfeeding
- Don’t have allergies that affect your eyes
- Have a 6-millimeter pupil size in a dark room
- Have stable eyesight that hasn’t changed much in a year
There are many other factors that determine your eligibility for refractive surgery. Dr. Pham asks about your overall health and the state of your vision. If you’re not eligible for one procedure, you might be eligible for the other.
To learn more about refractive surgery and choose the right type for your eyes, call Randal Pham, MD, MS, FACS, for an appointment or book online today.
