Vision Correction

Decrease Your Dependence on Glasses with Refractive Surgery

Some people cannot stand wearing glasses and wearing contacts on a daily basis can be expensive. Refractive surgery is an umbrella term that includes numerous procedures for vision correction. If you have been diagnosed with nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia, you could be a candidate for refractive surgery.

Our highly skilled ophthalmic surgeons utilize state-of-the-art technology and medical expertise to perform vision correction procedures for patients throughout New Jersey. With our help, you may never need to wear glasses or contacts again!

Types of Refractive Surgeries

There are several different kinds of refractive surgeries, the most common of which is LASIK. Most of these procedures involve reshaping the cornea so that it can properly focus light in the back of the eye. In some cases, an ophthalmologist may recommend completely replacing your eye’s natural lens with an artificial one.

The most common vision correction procedures ophthalmologists recommend include:

• LASIK (Laser in-situ keratomileusis) – Most doctors will recommend LASIK surgery for vision correction. In LASIK surgery, a small incision is made in the cornea so that a computer-controlled laser can access the eye and reshape it. At our facilities, we can perform LASIK surgery without the use of a knife thanks to our cutting-edge LASIK IntraLase® Blade-Free Technology.
• PRK (Photoreactive keratectomy) – This procedure uses a laser to reshape the corneas outer covering by removing small amounts of tissue from the surface. Ophthalmologists usually only recommend this is the patient is not a good candidate for LASIK surgery as the recovery period is a bit longer.
• LASEK (Laser epithelial keratomileusis) – This is a combination of LASIK and PRK techniques. During the operation, the cornea’s surface is loosed with an alcohol solution and moved aside so that the laser can reshape the cornea. It requires no incisions and is most often recommended for patients who cannot have LASIK.
• LTK (Laser thermal keratoplasty) – This is a less invasive procedure used to treat farsightedness and astigmatism. Instead of lasers, LTK uses heat to reshape the cornea and does not involve any touching of the eye, meaning less risk of infection or complication. However, this procedure is not often recommended because the effects are not permanent.

Is vision correction surgery right for you?

Vision correction surgery is primarily seen as an elective surgery and it is rarely covered by insurance. You should also be aware that while you will be sedated, you cannot be unconscious during vision correction surgery, which can be difficult in patients who are sensitive to people touching their eyes.

That said, vision correction surgery success rates are higher than 90%, and could mean that you will never again need to wear glasses or contacts. This is a very personal decision, and you should discuss it with your eye doctor to fully understand the pros and cons.

For more information regarding vision correction, email Refractive@rwjbh.org.