Lasik surgery is the most popular type of corrective eye surgery, that is being performed, but its not the only type of eye surgery being offered. There are several types of corrective eye surgeries being preformed that are laser surgeries, but they each of them differs slightly, and its these slight difference that determine the success of your surgery.

Lasek, is very similar to Lasik, but this type of eye surgery is often performed on people that have thin corneas, who would other wise make poor candidates for Lasik eye surgery. With Lasek eye surgery, the outer layer of the cornea is removed, and alcohol is used to loosen the flap, so the risk of damaging the cornea is not that great. This type of corrective surgery is newer and is being used to correct astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness.

Most people tend to experience a longer recovery after the Lasek surgery has been preformed. Patients that have Lasik eye surgery preformed are often able to see well the very next day, but when Lasek surgery is preformed it often takes patients up to two weeks to heal. The longer recovery times is the biggest drawback to having this type of surgery preformed, because patients need to take more time off from work to recover.

Epi-Lasik, with this type of surgery no blade or alcohol is used to cut through the cornea, instead a plastic separator is used to separate the epithelial sheet from the eye. The same excimer laser that is used when Lasik surgery is used in Epi-Lasik surgery to reshape the corneal tissue. After this type of corrective eye surgery is preformed, a special contact lens is used to keep the epithelial flap in the correct position until it reattaches itself. People that experience this type of surgery, usually can see well enough to drive after one week, but it might take up to six months to achive the final results.

Bladeless LASIK Also very similar to regular Lasik eye surgery except that no blade is used to create the flap. Instead another laser is used. IntraLase, the technology used to create the flap may be safer than regular Lasik eye surgery which uses a bladed instrument to create the flap. Although complications are relatively rare, an oscillating blade presents more opportunity for an accident to occur.

With PRK corrective eye surgery, no flap is made in the cornea at all. Instead, the surgeon skips right to the next step and uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. If you’re nearsighted, the surgeon will attempt to flatten the cornea, which is too steep. If you’re farsighted, the surgeon will attempt to make the cornea steeper.

When your considering laser eye surgery, get all the facts before you make an informed decision. Although the success rates for these types of eye surgeries are impressive, but no corrective eye surgery is one hundred percent safe or successful.