Refractive disorders are an eye ailment that affects more than 150 million Americans, often forcing them to depend on prescription glasses and contact lenses. However, you can fix refractive errors by undergoing refractive eye surgery.
Denver Vision is known for refractive eye surgery and other vision correction treatments in Lakewood, CO. Our experienced eye doctors and surgeons use the latest techniques to diagnose and treat all refractive disorders.
How Your Eyes Change Throughout Your Life
The eyes develop throughout childhood and teenage years. By early adulthood, most people’s vision has fully developed, which explains why most people in their 20s and 30s have healthy eyes and good vision. Your eyesight changes as you age. Middle-aged adults tend to notice subtle changes in their vision, such as difficulty seeing in dim light and changes in their perception of color, as they age. Vision problems are some of the first signs of aging, mainly because our eyes gradually lose the ability to see things clearly as we age. After age 60, most older adults experience common aging eyesight problems, which is often a source of frustration.
What is Refractive Eye Surgery?
Refractive Eye Surgery is an elective procedure used to improve your eyesight by reshaping the cornea or lens of the eye, thus eliminating your dependency on corrective lenses. During surgery, specialists perform techniques such as lens replacement, surgical remodeling of the cornea, and refractive lens exchange to correct issues like myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, or astigmatism.
Different Types of Refractive Eye Surgery
There are many different types of refractive eye surgery. Here are some of them:
LASIK (Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis)
LASIK is the most popular type of laser refractive surgery. LASIK eye surgery is used to treat myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, and it is quick to perform and takes only a few minutes. During the procedure, a flap is created in the outer corneal layer, and a special type of laser, the excimer, is used to reshape the underlying corneal tissue. The cornea is permanently reshaped to allow the light entering the eye to be more focused on the retina in order to improve vision.
SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction)
SMILE is a less invasive type of refractive surgical procedure used to reshape the cornea and remove the lenticule from inside the cornea. During the procedure, a laser creates a thin opening that is used to remove the contact lens-shaped layer from the cornea.
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)
PRK was the first laser refractive vision correction technique used to correct myopia, astigmatism, and hyperopia. During the procedure, a computer-guided laser is used to precisely remove the cornea’s epithelium to access deeper corneal tissue, and an excimer laser is used to reshape it.
Clear Lens Exchange (CLE)
Clear lens exchange is an outpatient refractive lens exchange procedure. During the procedure, your eye’s natural lens is exchanged with an advanced intraocular lens that is made specifically for your eyes to correct your refractive error. The natural lens is extracted and exchanged with an artificial lens to treat extreme farsightedness and presbyopia.
Book an Appointment at Denver Vision for Vision Treatment Needs
Are you considering a lens refractive surgery in Lakewood, CO? You will find experienced eye doctors and surgeons at Denver Vision. Our team of eye specialists can help you get rid of your glasses and contacts. Contact us today to book an appointment for all your vision treatment needs.
IMG Credit: Rohane Hamilton