Whaddya know that Lasik is not the only solution to have your 20/20 vision?
Lasik $1,000-$2,000 per eye.
Best for those healthy corneas who are mildly to moderate near or farsighted. The surgeon cuts a small flap of tissue on the eye's surface. A computer guided laser then reshapes the cornea underneath and the flap is repositioned.
PROS: You'll see clearly within 24 hourswith minimal discomfort.
CONS: Doubles matches are out for a month or so - getting hit in the eye soon after Lasik could displace the flap of tissue.
Wave Front-Guided PRK $1,500-$2,700 per eye.
Best for people with thinner corneas or dry eyes, and athletes who don't want to take the month off after Lasik. This technique requires no such cut: Instead, a laser is used to create a 3-D map of your eye, and then a second laser reshapes the top layer of the cornea.
PROS: Becuase there is no cutting involved, there's also no risk that you'll need to stock up on artificial tears.
CONS: Your vision will be blurry for four to six days. And because part of the top layer of the eye is removed, the risk of infection is higher than it is with Lasik - 1 in 1,000 compare with 1 in 10,000.
Phakic Intraocular Lens Implant $2,600-$4,000 per eye.
Best for people who are severely nearsighted or have thin or unusually shaped corneas.
PROS: You'll be able to make out the digits on your alarm clock the next morning.
CONS: The procedure has been available for only a few years, so long-term side effects are not very well known.
Refractive Lens Exchange $2,000-$4,500 per eye.
Best for patients who are extremely far-sighted (+6 or more) or who have cataracts or are at high risk of developing them.
PROS: Docs have been performing this procedure for years on patients with cataracts, which affect more than 20 million Americans age 40 and over.
CONS: In severely nearsighted patients (with prescription worse than -8), the procedure carries an increased risk of retinal detachment, which requires a second surgery to fix.
Disclaimer: This is to share what I've read in the newspaper. You need to get a professional advice if you're planning to take any of this procedures.
Reference: Express Fit, page E7
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