To learn more about refractive procedures such as LASIK, LASEK, and PRK, please contact our Huntsville, Alabama office – serving Decatur, Florence, and surrounding areas - today.
Huntsville Center for Sight
2780 Bob Wallace Ave. SW
Huntsville, Alabama 35805
256.536.7483
1.888.828.7483
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Freedom from your corrective lenses may be possible through LASIK, PRK, or LASEK eye surgery performed at the Huntsville Center for Sight. Both Dr. Craig Thorstad and Dr. Walter Hubickey have gained extensive training, experience, and knowledge in each of these procedures in order to ensure that our patients receive exceptional care. If you are interested in undergoing a safe and effective refractive procedure such as PRK, LASEK, or LASIK, our Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama-area practice is ready to help you begin your journey to clearer vision. Contact our office today to schedule a private consultation.
LASIK, which stands for Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, has become the most commonly-performed variety of refractive surgery, and for good reason. The LASIK procedure, when performed at our Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama-area practice, takes less than an hour and has proven to be a very effective and safe way to reduce or eliminate a patient's dependence on glasses.
For many people, dependence on corrective lenses stems from myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or an astigmatism, each of which are caused by an imperfection in the shape of the cornea. While an imperfection in the shape of the cornea causes blurred vision, refractive procedures such as LASIK are designed to correct its shape to improve its ability to focus light and images, ultimately improving vision.
At our Huntsville LASIK center, which also serves Decatur and surrounding Alabama communities, our surgeons utilize an extremely precise, computer-aided laser to re-contour the shape of the cornea. The cornea itself is accessed by creating a flap in the outer corneal tissue with a precise blade called a microkeratome, and then folding it back to expose the inner cornea, a process that is performed safely and painlessly by any of a number of methods. After the cornea is reshaped with the special excimer laser, the flap is placed back in its original position, where it reattaches within a matter of minutes.
LASIK surgery provides distinct advantages that millions of patients have experienced, including short operation time, short recovery time (typically no longer than a day), and proven safety. In addition, the prevalence of LASIK surgery and its well-documented record of successful outcomes allow both the surgeon and patient to feel confident entering the surgery.
Before the innovation of the LASIK procedure, PRK, or Photo Refractive Keratectomy, was the first method of refractive surgery that made use of an excimer laser. Though LASIK has become overwhelmingly popular, PRK is still performed by the surgeons at our Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama-area practice, as well as the majority of other eye surgeons, as it carries its own advantages and benefits LASIK cannot provide.
Whereas one of the LASIK procedure's trademarks is the creation of a corneal flap, PRK does not require a flap. Rather, the excimer laser is used to carefully vaporize corneal tissue that is either at the surface or under the extremely thin epithelial layer of the cornea. In doing so, the PRK procedure leaves more corneal tissue intact. Healing is aided by a bandage contact lens that is placed over the cornea and takes anywhere between one and two weeks.
Because PRK affects less corneal tissue, the procedure can be performed on patients who are otherwise ineligible for LASIK. Individuals who have a greater refractive error are often deemed as unable to undergo LASIK safely, and can instead opt to undergo PRK. PRK often leads to excellent refractive error correction results and can provide hope to patients who are told that LASIK is not a viable option.
The LASEK and Epi-LASIK procedures, both performed at Huntsville Center for Sight, are very similar to each, yet remain distinct. The main difference between the two is the manner in which the superficial corneal skin is dealt with; while LASEK manually slides the corneal skin to the side, Epi-LASIK moves it mechanically. Neither technique requires making an incision, which sets them apart from the conventional LASIK procedure.
Sliding the corneal skin to the side exposes the pristine underlying collagen surface. This surface is reshaped with the excimer laser to correct any irregularities causing blurred vision, and the epithelial flap is then gently repositioned.
A clear contact lens placed to protect the corneal skin as it heals over the next three to five days. The patient will also be given anesthetizing anti-inflammatory eye drops to help maintain comfort.
Without the initial incision, normal corneal sensation is maintained and clear vision is restored immediately. Vision is fully functional and continues to improve as the weeks pass. Recent studies have found that after three months, LASEK patients have equal or slightly better vision than patients of conventional LASIK surgery.
If you would like to learn more about the revolutionary LASEK procedure, please contact the Huntsville Center for Sight today.
The use of lasers to correct refractive errors with the goal of dramatically improving eyesight has been refined greatly over the past decade. With the LASIK, PRK, and LASEK procedures provided at our practice, residents from the Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama vicinity have the hope of attaining clearer vision. To learn more about how these procedures can free you from a life attached to corrective lenses, please contact the Huntsville Center for Sight.