LASIK versus LASEK

Every year millions of Americans undergo laser refractive surgery. The two most commonly performed procedures are LASIK and LASEK. These are acronyms for some outrageously complicated medical terms. Just to satisfy your curiosity, the 'K' stands for keratomileusis!

LASIK requires a surgical incision to create a flap of clear cornea underneath which the laser energy is applied. That flap never really heals -- it can always be dislodged or lost...yikes!

LASEK only lifts the superficial corneal epithelium and heals permanently within days.

Technical differences, but are the outcomes similar?

Surgeons from the University of Illinois at Chicago reviewed 122 pairs of patients. They were matched by age, refractive error and many other criteria. These folks all had less than 8 diopters of myopia.

After all of the patients recovered from their surgery it was determined that both techniques were safe and effective. Six months later the postoperative uncorrected visual acuity was similar in both groups as was the rare incidence of complications.

Given that these operations are felt to be equivalent, the authors of the study acknowledge that LASEK offers the additional advantage of no flap-related complications as occurs with LASIK.

Thinking about laser refractive surgery? Ask your eye surgeon with which procedure she feels more comfortable and more experienced. Because this is elective surgery you do not want to be someone else's guinea pig, right?

SOURCE: American Journal of Ophthalmology, Dec 2006

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