Should I go for Enhancement Surgery - LASEK?
For many times, I’ve requested a copy of my medical records (details before and after my LASIK surgery) from my LASIK centre but they refused. After all the pestering that I’ve made and some e-mails, they (my LASIK centre) finally agreed to give a copy of my medical records. When I reach there, they gave me an envelope containing some orbscans, refraction data and some other details of mine. I don’t know whether they are still hiding anything else from me or not but I sure hope not. I’ll try to scan them and post them onto the site after I have enough money to get myself a Scanner.
I’ve consulted a LASIK doctor (not my surgeon) there again. I wanted to know what else can he do for me for all the haloes, doubles, glares and starbursts that I’m seeing. He suggested me to go for an enhancement surgery. He told me that I can go for LASEK instead of LASIK. What is LASEK? Okay, from what I understand, LASEK (laser-Assisted Epithelial Keratemileusis) is basically a variation of PRK and LASIK. But unlike LASIK, LASEK does not cut a flap of the cornea’s tissue. LASEK is more like a modified form of PRK and is a moderately popular form of surface ablation.
“In LASEK, a solution of alcohol is used to soften and temporarily remove the epithelium (outer “skin” of the cornea). An excimer laser is then applied to the stroma underneath and then the epithelium is replaced. LASEK is often offered to patients who do not have sufficient corneal thickness to have LASIK performed safely, such as those with high prescriptions and/or thinner than average corneas.
Like all surface ablation procedures, LASEK takes longer to heal than LASIK and may involve more discomfort or pain during the first day or two. However, what it loses in “convenience factor” or “wow” effect it may gain in increased safety. LASEK does not use a microkeratome blade and therefore the complications associated with those blades are eliminated. It also reduces the risk of ectasia by not compromising as much of the cornea, and it may possibly provide superior quality optics as there is no flap interface.” - taken from the encyclopedia of www.lasermyeye.com .
Theoretically, enhancement with LASEK should reduced my LASIK complications and it should NOT make things worse. But then again, there’s always risks. Now the question is, should I go for the LASEK enhancement?