A Look At Other Types Of Refractive Eye Surgery

LASIK surgery is not the only type of refractive eye surgery that is routinely performed on patients. Radial keratotomy (RK) as well as photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and a variety of other kinds of refractive surgeries are often performed to reshape the corneal tissue and in so doing, to improve the focus of the eye or eyes.

When radial keratotomy (RK) is performed an extremely sharp knife is made use of to cut a variety of slits in the cornea in order to change the shape of it. The very first kind of refractive surgery put into play to reshape the cornea area by way of a special laser and a sculpting procedure was photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). LASIK came along later on.

The same type of laser that is used for LASIK surgery is also used for photorefractive keratectomy the majority of the time. What makes the difference between the two surgeries is the method by which the middle section of the cornea or stroma is laid bare before the laser is used on it and it is vaporized. When LASIK is done, a flap of skin is cut in the layer of the stroma and this skin is then folded back. However it is different when it comes to PRK. In this case, the epithelium (or the top part of the cornea) is gently scraped away to reveal the stromal layer under it all.

But there are still other types of refractive surgery. Another common type is known as thermokeratoplasty. When thermokeratoplasty is used, heat is administered to the cornea of the eye to reshape it in a way that focus will be restored. Often the heat comes by way of a laser however it is not the same kind of laser that is used in LASIK or PRK eye surgery. Two other refractive tools that are often used include corneal ring segments that are directly placed into the stroma of the eye and specially made and fitted contact lenses that serve to reshape the cornea on a temporary basis. This reshaping by way of contact lenses is known as orthokeratology.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States makes sure that the sale of lasers used for LASIK and other kinds of eye surgeries are carefully regulated. Approval from the FDA is needed in order for a company or an individual to buy a medical device or tool that can legally be sold anywhere in the United States. In order to get approval it is necessary to make an argument for why the tool is safe as well as effective for the use it is going to be for. After a medical tool has gone through all the proper tests and has been approved by the FDA, a physician can use it however he sees fit to help a patient. This is often referred to as "off-label use." The FDA in no way regulates how medicine is practiced by doctors or off-label use. The FDA has a lot of leeway in some matters but it in no way is allowed to tell any member of the medical community how to determine care for patients.

• A Look At Lasik Eye Surgery
• A Look At Other Types Of Refractive Eye Surgery
• Aging Eyes And Cataract Surgery
• Are You A Candidate For Implantable Contact Lens?
• Are You A Candidate For Laser Thermokeratoplasty?
• Cataract Eye Surgery
• Cataract Surgery-the Second Time Around
• Common Laser Procedures
• Conductive Keratoplasty Eye Surgery
• Corneal Eye Surgery
• Corrective Eye Surgery Types
• Cosmetic Eye Surgery
• Cosmetic Eye Surgery
• Epi Lasik-what Is It And How Does It Work?
• Eye Removal Surgery
• Eye Surgeries That Can Be A Medical Need
• Eye Surgery - Do I, Dont I
• Eye Surgery With A Humanitarian Purpose
• Glaucoma And You-which Surgery Is Best?
• Glaucoma Eye Surgery
• Histoplasmosis Lesions And Surgery-will It Help?
• How Does Custom Lasik Work?
• Intrastromal Corneal Rings In Eye Surgery
• Laser-assisted Sub-epithelial Keratectomy (lasek)
• Laser Eye Surgery
• Laser Peripheral Iridotomy-alternative Surgery For Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma
• More Choices For Corrective Eye Surgery
• More Post Operative Information For Eye Surgery Patients
• More Risks Involved With Lasik Surgery
• Non Refractive Eye Surgeries
• Oculoplastic Surgery
• Photo Refractive Keratectomy Eye Surgery
• Refractive Eye Surgery
• Risks And Complications Of Lasik Surgery
• Roving Eyes? Eye Muscle Surgery May Help!
• Surgery To The Eye Muscles
• Risks And Complications Of Lasik Surgery
• The Psychology Of An Eye Surgery Patient
• The Risks Involved In Lasik Surgery
• The Success Of Implantable Lenses
• Vitrectomy Surgery-what Conditions Can It Correct?
• Vitreoretinal Eye Surgery
• What If You Are Not A Candidate For Lasik Surgery?
• What Is Astigmatic Keratotomy Eye Surgery?
• What Is Eye Surgery?
• What Is Wavefront Lasik Surgery?
• What Lasik Eye Surgery Means To You
• What To Do Before Eye Surgery
• What To Expect After Eye Surgery
• You Can Have A Natural Looking Prosthetic Eye!