Refractive Surgery

What is refractive surgery?

Refractive surgery refers to several procedures that correct four types of vision problems:

Nearsightedness (myopia)

When you’re nearsighted, you can see close objects clearly, but things in the distance are blurry. Myopia occurs when the cornea’s curve is too steep, causing light to focus in front of the retina.

Farsightedness (hyperopia)

Farsighted patients can see distant objects clearly, but close objects are blurry. In this refractive error, the cornea is slightly flat, so light is focused behind the retina.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism affects near and distant vision, making everything appear blurry. This condition occurs when an irregularly shaped cornea scatters light rather than focusing it.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a type of farsightedness that occurs due to age-related changes in your eyes. As you get older, your lens becomes less elastic, preventing it from bending light properly. As a result, it doesn’t focus the incoming light on the center of your retina.

What is the most common type of refractive surgery?

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is the most frequently performed type of refractive surgery. When you have a LASIK procedure, a specialized bladeless laser restores the normal shape of your cornea by removing microscopic areas of your cornea. A LASIK procedure corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

If you can’t have LASIK surgery due to a problem like a thin cornea, you may be able to have another procedure that’s similar to LASIK but uses a slightly different technique. Alternatives include laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

What other types of refractive surgery might I receive?

Your provider at Astorino & Associates Eye Center may recommend another type of refractive surgery, depending on the underlying cause of your vision problem and your eye health.

Some patients with presbyopia or high hyperopia may need a refractive lens exchange, which is surgery to replace the natural lens with a new intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL is specially designed to correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness and farsightedness.

If you have a high degree of refractive error that LASIK surgery can’t treat, you may be the right candidate for surgery to implant an intraocular lens. Your provider at Astorino & Associates Eye Center places this IOL in front of your natural lens, where it redirects light rays to focus on the retina properly.

If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct your vision, chances are you qualify for a type of refractive surgery. To schedule an appointment, call Astorino & Associates Eye Center or use the online booking feature.