Eye
LASIK SURGERY
SMILE
• SMILE is an acronym for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction and is today’s state-of-the-art refractive laser surgery. It also corrects myopia and astigmatism. • The surgeon uses a femtosecond laser to create a small bit of tissue (lenticule) within the cornea. Then, with the same laser, an incision is made in the surface of the cornea, and the lenticule is extracted and discarded. • The removal of the lenticule alters the shape of the cornea and thus corrects nearsightedness. The corneal incision quickly heals without stitches, and sharper vision occurs very quickly. • SMILE presents some benefits in comparison to the other surgeries – A comparative table with the different surgery types is available below – check it out!
Intra-Lasik (Femto)
• Intra-Lasik surgery is the gold standard for refractive surgery and is the third generation of refractive laser surgery. • It is a blade-less surgery that creates the eye flap through use of a femto second laser. Once the flap is made and lifted, the cornea is then reshaped. • Intra-Lasik provides multiple advantages over PRK and Lasik – A comparative table with the different surgery types is available below – check it out!
Lasik
• Lasik Surgery is a variation of the PRK surgery and is considered the second generation of refractive laser surgery. It also corrects myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. • The main difference between Lasik and PRK is that a flap is created on the cornea with a microkeratome, and lifted to access the internal cornea tissue. The cornea is then reshaped with an excimer laser.
PRK
• Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) is a laser surgery to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. • PRK was the first type of refractive laser surgery and is still a popular option. • The thin layer of the cornea (epithelium) is removed (don’t worry it grows back!) and then the cornea is reshaped with an excimer laser. • The recovery time for PRK is longer than LASIK but is still quite common as it provides advantages over LASIK for some patients – trust your doctors’ advice!
Other procedures performed at the BESH Refractive Surgery Center
Cross-Linking
• Cross-Linking (CXL) is a procedure (in-clinic) that is performed to strengthen the cornea.
• Multiple conditions can lead to the weakening of the cornea.
Presbyopia
• Presbyopia is the condition when an individual has to wear glasses to read (age related).
• BESH is the only hospital in Lebanon that provides laser treatment to eliminate Presbyopia.
Comparative table
| PRK | Lasik | Intra-Lasik | Smile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain During Surgery | No | No | No | No |
| Speed of Recovery | Slow | Fast | Faster | Fastest |
| One-Day Surgery? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Risk of Infection | Slight | Slight | Slight | Slightest |
| Vision Improvement ? | Slow | Fast | Faster | Fastest |
| Causes Dry Eyes? | During Recovery | Sometimes | Rarely | Rarely |
| Patient Satisfaction | Highly Satisfied | Highly Satisfied | Extremely Satisfied | Extremely Satisfied |
