What is the difference between LASIK and Epi-LASIK/PRK?
LASIK is a newer procedure that many refractive surgeons now prefer over Epi-LASIK/PRK. The surgeon performing LASIK uses a motor-powered microkeratome to create a “flap”. The flap is then lifted and reflected back, allowing the laser beam to remodel the corneal tissue underneath. Afterward, the flap is gently positioned back onto the cornea without requiring any stitches. Vision is restored quickly and the patient’s discomfort is minimal. Most patients report greater comfort post operatively with LASIK than with Epi-LASIK/PRK, and can generally drive two to three days after the surgery. Epi-LASIK/PRK is a procedure where the outer membrane of the cornea is gently polished away by an instrument, then the excimer laser uses light pulses to flatten the top surface of the cornea, 0.2 microns at a time (less than the thickness of a human hair). This flattens the curvature of the cornea, allowing images to be more sharply focused on the retina. Following the surgery, a special contact lens
