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Question & Answer:
I have a possibly stupid question...If someone were to need an enhancement
after LASEK (even though we have heard the enhancement rate is very low) how
long would the patient have to wait? 3 months or 6 months? Would it also
depend if they were hyperopic or a high myopia? Also, do you make a new
flap?
my last question would be, I have heard of people dislodging their LASIK flap
over a year out-in the case of LASEK, because that flap is thin, what are the
chances of something like that happening? Or does that flap heal more like a
PRK? Would LASEK be a better alternative to someone who is involved in sports
or an activity in which they could be the recipient of blunt trauma to the
eye (rather than having LASIK)? Hope these questions don't sound too
silly?
Christine
Dear Christine,
I believe that it would need to be at least 3 months and as long as six
months depending on a stable refraction. Remember as in PRK you can
modulated the response of the treatment a little more than LASIK with the use
of topical steroids and NSAIDS as well as a contact lens. Therefore, it is
more forgiving. I believe that retreatments can be done as LASEK or PRK or
even LASIK (I am sure that it will be more difficult to remove the epithelium
in these patients as it was in the PRK patients). Again higher corrections
will require retreats more often, but again as in LASIK the safety issue is a
concern especially in thinner corneas (Yes, ectasia has happened in PRK
patients also, but this is rare). As far a flap problems - No! is the
answer. It is basically the same as PRK - there is no flap, just epithelium
that will grow back as in a corneal abrasion! I believe that because of
the
enhancements in laser technology, LASEK / PRK will come back as a safer and
more predictable treatment in the majority of cases, especially if surface
ocular trauma from sports activity is the issue. Your questions are valid
and of interest to many.
Dr. Cano
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