Vision Correction: 4 Contact Lens Alternatives
Are you tired of wearing contact lenses each day? Do you want to get rid of those glasses for good? There are many painless and effective contact lens alternatives available today to set you free of these hassles. Laser surgeries like LASIK or PRK; implantable contact lenses, and Ortho- K are the various options available today to get rid of contact lenses permanently. Remember to ask plenty of questions when considering vision correction surgery.
Laser Surgery as a Contact Lens Alternative
Laser surgery corrects some of the common problems of vision such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia.
It involves permanently sculpting the shape of the cornea with a sharp and precise laser beam so that the light focuses clearly on the retina, enabling you to see clearly without the use of contact lenses or glasses.
Laser surgeries are very easy outpatient procedures that require a very short period of time to conduct, have a quick recovery and you can go home the same day in an hour’s time.
All laser surgeries are performed by a machine with extreme precision, due to which there are minimal changes of errors.
Some popular contact lens alternatives in laser surgery are as follows:
1) PRK: Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) is a predecessor of the popular LASIK procedure. The eye surgeon removes and discards the thin outer layer of the cornea and then reshapes the underlying corneal tissue using a laser beam. The outer layer of the cornea heals itself within a few days. Though this procedure has a longer recovery time, it is still performed as it offers some advantages over LASIK eye surgery in some patients.
2) LASIK: LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is one of the most popular corrective eye surgeries in recent times. It involves the removal of the underlying corneal surface with a laser beam by first creating a thin flap on the cornea, which is lifted to reveal the underlying corneal tissue. The corneal tissue is reshaped using a laser and the flap is replaced back. There are many LASIK benefits that people find advantageous to other procedures.
The main advantage of LASIK over PRK is that it has a relatively much shorter healing time.
If laser surgeries seem too dramatic for you to undergo, here are the other options to say goodbye to glasses and contact lenses for good.
Nonlaser Contact Lens Alternatives
Not everyone is a good candidate for a laser surgery. People having naturally thin corneas and those having high levels of nearsightedness are generally advised against a laser correction procedure. Others may be uncomfortable with the idea of removal of their corneal tissue. Implantable Contact Lenses (ICL) are excellent contact lens alternatives for such patients.
3) Implantable Contact Lens (ICL): ICL or Implantable Contact Lens is a state-of-the-art surgical procedure that involves implanting a special contact lens inside the eye between a structure called iris and our natural eye lens. The ICL works along with the eye’s natural lens to provide for a wider range of vision correction. ICL is made from a biocompatible material called Collamer that can safely stay in the eye for a long period of time without causing any side effects or discomfort.
ICL is superior to laser procedures because it allows replacement of the contact lens in case the number of the glasses changes after a period of time and works along with the eye’s natural focusing ability.
4) Orthokeratology (Ortho- K): Orthokeratology is a process of correcting vision by means of wearing a specially designed lens at night while sleeping. The lens works by gently reshaping the cornea while you sleep to enable you to see more clearly during the day. One important thing to know about Ortho-K is that it is a temporary procedure and its effect lasts only for a day or two.
Your ophthalmologist will suggest you the best contact lens alternatives based on your spectacle numbers and preferences.
Contact Inland Eye Specialists to learn more about our vision correction procedures.
