At Innisfail Eyecare Centre we offer pre and post operative care following laser and refractive eye surgery, allowing for co-management with your ophthalmologist, when appropriate. Not everyone is a suitable candidate for laser refractive surgery. A comprehensive eye examination by your optometrist is essential to determine your eligibility and assess your eye health and discuss the most appropriate treatment options and potential risks.
Types of Refractive Surgery
Laser Refractive Surgery
Laser Refractive Surgery is one of the most well known uses of laser technology in vision care. These procedures reshape the cornea to eliminate refractive (prescription) errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.
A flap is created in the cornea and a computer-controlled laser reshapes the underlying tissue. Most patients experience rapid recovery and immediate improvement in vision.
Instead of creating a flap, the outer layer of the cornea is gently removed, and the underlying tissue is reshaped with a laser. Recovery takes slightly longer than with LASIK, with visual improvement typically occurring within one to two weeks.
A safe and effective alternative to LASIK, SMILE is performed through a very small incision without creating a corneal flap. During the procedure, a tiny disc-shaped piece of corneal tissue is gently removed to reshape the eye and improve vision. This minimally invasive approach helps reduce the risk of dry eye and supports a quick recovery.
Lens Related Refractive Surgery
Lens Related Refractive Surgery offers an excellent alternative for individuals who have high prescriptions, thin corneas or dry eyes and for those who may not be eligible for laser refractive surgery. These procedures insert a lens into the eye to correct refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia (age related difficulty with near vision) to reduce or eliminate dependency on glasses.
This procedure does not reshape the cornea and instead involves implanting a lens behind the iris and in front of the natural lens. This can effectively correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
This procedure does not reshape the cornea and instead involves replacing the eye’s natural lens with an implant, often in individuals with presbyopia or early cataracts. RLE corrects for refractive errors including presbyopia.
