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LASIK Eye Surgery

Denver, Boulder - Colorado

There are two pieces of exciting news - both centered on refractive surgery. The first is related to LASIK surgery. Almost every patient with a refractive error has either had LASIK or has thought about it. However, while millions of patients have had the procedure successfully performed, there are many that have not done so. There are three reasons why patients do not have refractive surgery:

  1. They are happy and/or comfortable with their present situation. That is, they see no reason to change their glasses or contact lens wearing arrangement as it presents no problem to them and they are content with their vision.
  2. They don't feel they can afford the out-of-pocket expense associated with having the procedure.
  3. They are nervous about having a cut made in their cornea despite hearing the success stories of their friends.

Reason #3 is by far and away the reason why most patients decide to put off having their eyes fixed. And, their fears are somewhat justified if they are risk intolerant. After all, almost all of the problems associated with LASIK are related to the creation of the cornel flap. One could have a thin flap, a buttonholed flap, a short flap, a dislocated flap etc. Now there is a way to have the procedure without the creation of a corneal flap.

Using a specialized epithelial separator (without a blade), only the very top fifty microns of tissue are removed from the underlying cornea. The laser procedure is done and the tissue that was separated from the top of the cornea can either be replaced or removed. The body's normal healing processes replace the 50-microns of tissue that were separated. There is no cutting and thus the complication rate is very small. This procedure (Epi-LASIK) provides the same results as LASIK without the same risks. The downside is that the healing time is in the 3 - 5 day range compared to 6 - 12 hours for LASIK.

The second bit of exciting news is related to intraocular lenses. We have completed a study on the last 100 surgeries where a multifocal lens was used to replace the natural lens of the eye. Only one eye obtained a vision that did not meet the patient's visual needs. While most patients reported having a "glow" around point sources of light at nighttime, none of them said they would change the lens when this was offered. And, the glow that was initially reported diminished over a four to six month period.

We live in an exciting time technologically speaking. The physicians at the Cherry Creek Eye Center will try to keep you up to date on the newest developments in the field of eye care.

Keep up with the latest eye care technology at Cherry Creek Eye Physicians and Surgeons, P.C. Call or email us in Boulder today for your free personalized vision correction consultation.

Cherry Creek Eye Physicians and Surgeons, P.C.

4999 E. Kentucky Ave
Denver, CO 80246
(303) 691-2228
Uncompromised Excellence in Eye Care