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Determining the Right Laser Eye Surgery or Procedure for You

surgeon in laser eye surgery

Bring This Information to Your Free Consultation and Candidacy Exam

To benefit from laser eye surgery, you first need to determine what procedure you qualify for. Your local provider may offer several different procedures that are beneficial for a specific set of patients, depending on their vision goals, eye health, age range, and other factors.

Scheduling a free consultation and exam at your chosen provider is the most accurate way to determine whether LASIK or another laser eye surgery is the best fit for you. However, you can come to this appointment with an understanding of the most common procedures and their qualifications to feel confident and on top of your care.

LASIK

LASIK reshapes your corneas to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. SBK Advanced LASIK is available at specialized providers and uses a more advanced laser for more precise treatment and the ability for most patients to return to daily activities after a one-day post-operative exam.

Who qualifies for LASIK? LASIK is for patients 18 years of age or older. Your LASIK provider can determine whether you should or should not have this laser eye surgery based on factors such as the condition of your corneas and your prescription strength. Those with thin, outer layers of their corneas, corneal scarring, or extreme nearsightedness (-10 diopters) may be better candidates for an alternative to LASIK.

Advanced Surface Ablation (PRK)

Advanced Surface Ablation, also called photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), corrects the same refractive errors as LASIK, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, without creating a corneal flap.

Who qualifies for PRK? Patients 18 or older who do not qualify for LASIK due to thinner corneas, corneal scarring, prior eye surgery, or high-impact occupations are candidates for PRK.

SMILE

SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a minimally invasive laser procedure that treats mild-to-moderate nearsightedness and astigmatism. Instead of creating a flap, a refractive surgeon creates a lens-shaped “lenticule” within the cornea.

Who qualifies for SMILE? Candidates for SMILE are 18 or older with a stable vision prescription. These candidates do not qualify for LASIK laser eye surgery because of their mild or moderate prescription, limited corneal thickness, or irregular corneal shape.

EVO ICL™

The EVO Implantable Collamer® Lens is a soft, biocompatible lens placed behind the iris and in front of your natural lens. Instead of reshaping the cornea, the lens provides focusing power. This procedure is also reversible.

Who qualifies for EVO ICL™: EVO ICL™ is for patients 21 to 45 years old who are nearsighted, with or without astigmatism, and have maintained the same prescription for one year.

Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)

RLE replaces your natural lens with an advanced intraocular lens (IOL) to correct distance, intermediate, or near vision, along with astigmatism. It also prevents future cataract surgery.

Who qualifies: Those 40 or older who are not able to get LASIK or PRK due to their vision prescription and who are experiencing a decline in their near vision due to aging eyes are excellent candidates for RLE.

Refractive Cataract Surgery

Refractive cataract surgery removes your clouded natural lenses and replaces them with IOLs for sharper vision. Premium IOLs are available, including those that allow you to focus on near, intermediate, and far distances with the same eye.

Who qualifies: Refractive cataract surgery is for those diagnosed with cataracts. If you are considering premium IOL options, your cataract and laser eye surgery provider determines your candidacy based on your vision goals and eye health.

Find Out Which Laser Eye Surgery Is Best for You With a Free Consultation and Exam

Determining whether you should or should not have laser eye surgery like LASIK as opposed to another procedure isn’t something you can exclusively decide on your own.

Your chosen vision correction specialist is your authoritative source to determine which procedures you qualify for based on your eye health, vision prescription, health history, vision goals, daily activities, work environment, and more.

Many patients have options to get rid of their glasses or contact lenses and find a better quality of life with a procedure like LASIK or another laser eye surgery or procedure. Before your consultation, consider equipping yourself with a wealth of information to feel fully prepared. Keep exploring your options by checking out the following resources: