LASIK & Phacorefractive Surgery

Refractive surgeries (vision correction) are elective medical procedures that offer an alternative to wearing glasses or contact lenses. Among these, the Bellevue ophthalmology clinics offer LASIK and phacorefractive surgery. But what are the differences between the two surgeries and who are they for?

Custom Bladeless LASIK

Newly offered at our clinic, Custom LASIK is a popular procedure among young people (18 to 40 years old) that offers a 100% laser and bladeless procedure. This method reduces the risk of complications, in addition to offering better precision and increased safety – compared to standard LASIK.

The objective of LASIK is to reshape the cornea, thanks to the excimer laser, in order to correct refractive errors so that the light is directed precisely on the retina. It is mainly used to treat myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.

In the case of myopia, the cornea is longer than normal, which creates a focus in front of the retina. Thus, a myopic person will have blurred vision from afar. Unlike nearsightedness, patients with farsightedness will have a shorter cornea and focus of light at the back of the retina. This will have the effect of blurring near vision.

With regard to astigmatism, it is an abnormality of the cornea which makes it irregular in shape, like a football. In some cases, it may be the crystalline lens (the natural lens of the eye) that has an irregular shape. Symptoms of astigmatism are blurry, blurred or even distorted vision. Having a perfectly round cornea is quite rare. Most people are affected by astigmatism, but when it is weak, its correction using glasses or refractive surgery is not necessary.

In any case, LASIK can be a simple and effective option for people who are nearsighted, farsighted or astigmatic. The operation lasts only a few minutes and normal activities can be resumed quickly following the procedure.

Phacorefractive surgery

Part of the family of so-called "refractive" operations, phacorefractive surgery aims to replace the lens with an intraocular lens. Although it can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, phacorefractive surgery is generally used to treat cases of presbyopia. This disease is characterized by the reduction of the accommodation capacity of the lens. It is a process that occurs over several years, usually in people over the age of 45. Presbyopia is a natural effect of aging of the eye, so there is no possible prevention.

Phacorefractive surgery is a femtosecond laser-assisted medical intervention that has the particularity of being able to correct all types of vision thanks to multifocal, trifocal or extended or progressive range vision intraocular lenses. In addition, phacrorefractive surgery can also be performed to treat people with cataracts (clouding of the lens).

Phacorefractive surgery is the preferred vision correction option for people aged 40 and over.

Full support for your vision correction process

If you wish to make an appointment for LASIK surgery, you will first need to complete a free evaluation with our team. During this evaluation, you will pass several examinations which will be used to determine your eligibility as well as the safety of the procedure. Using the results, the doctor will be able to determine the best type of refractive surgery to use.

If you believe you are a good candidate for phacorefractive surgery, you can also make an appointment with our ophthalmologists for an eye exam. If the doctor deems that phacorefractive surgery is the best solution for you, you will get an operation date as soon as possible and can meet with our intraocular lens specialists to make an informed choice.

In both cases, no ophthalmology consultation request is necessary. Simply complete the online appointment request form.