Laser vision correction is the name for the set of eye procedures that uses a laser to reshape your cornea in order to create clearer vision. There are three major laser vision correction treatments available in the U.S. today:
PRK: Photorefractive keratectomy
LASIK: Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis
SMILE: Small incision lenticule extraction
Photorefractive keratectomy
PRK-In this procedure, the thin outer layer of the cornea is first gently removed. Then an advanced excimer laser is used to reshape the underlying cornea area. The result is a cornea that more accurately focuses light on the retina. A bandage contact lens is placed over the eye until the epithelium grows back.
Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis
LASIK-In this procedure a precise flap is created on the surface of the cornea. Then an advanced excimer laser is used to reshape the underlying cornea area. The result is a cornea that more accurately focuses light on the retina.
Today, doctors can create the LASIK flap in two ways. The first is using a handheld surgical device called a microkeratome. The second is using a fast and highly precise laser called a femtosecond laser. At Griffin Eye Center we use the latest technology of the Femtosecond laser.
Small incision lenticule extraction
SMILE-the latest in laser vision correction for myopia (nearsightedness), providing LASIK-like visual outcomes in a minimally invasive procedure. In this procedure, a laser is used to create a thin, contact lens-shaped layer just beneath the surface of the eye and then a small opening through which that layer is removed, correcting your vision.
Griffin Eye Center is the first in South Carolina to offer the advancements of both the Wavelight® EX500 excimer laser and the VisuMax® laser. This unique combination allows us to provide our patients with the best possible vision. Also, we are now the first ophthalmic center in South Carolina to offer SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction). SMILE is the latest advancement in laser vision correction for myopia (near-sightedness), providing LASIK-like outcomes in a minimally invasive procedure. Other options include the Contoura Vision® which is laser vision correction that uses some of today’s most advanced mapping technologies to create a highly personal treatment for your eyes.
If you would like to see if you are a candidate for LASIK, or a similar procedure, your eye doctor and surgeon, Neil B. Griffin, M.D., will offer you an advanced vision correction experience built on a team-based approach tailored to your unique lifestyle needs. Visit griffineyecenter.com or call 843-449-6414.