With the advances in refractive surgery treatments, individuals with vision problems now have more options to minimize or eliminate their dependency on glasses and contact lenses.

Refractive surgery includes any procedure designed to treat refractive errors or common eye disorders - myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism.

The most common refractive surgery is LASIK which stands for laser in situ keratomileusis, which means using a laser underneath a corneal flap (in situ) to reshape the cornea (keratomileusis).

During the LASIK procedure, refractive surgeons reshape the cornea by removing precise amounts of corneal tissue to correct the patient's degree of refractive error. LASIK surgery only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to perform.

Many people opt for LASIK surgery to eliminate the hassle of dealing with eye glasses or contact lenses while performing their normal activities. It is also a popular treatment for those who have problems associated with wearing contacts like allergies. However, LASIK is not for everyone.

LASIK might not be the best option for people with thin corneas or with certain eye conditions, such as dry eyes.

Experts cite Photo Refractive keratectomy or PRK as an alternative to LASIK. LASIK has the same overall effect as PRK—except that no flap is created. Both surgeries work by changing the shape of the cornea.

In LASIK, the refractive surgeon creates a flap of tissue which can be done either with a laser or blade. After the flap is created, a type of laser called an excimer laser is used to reshape the layers of the cornea to repair imperfections in curvature that lead to distorted vision.

Like LASIK, PRK employs a laser to permanently reshape the cornea. However, the procedures differ in how the cornea is accessed. In PRK, the outer surface of the cornea, the epithelium, is removed to expose an area for a laser to reshape.

This makes PRK a better choice for patients whose eyes meet certain criteria, such as having thin corneas or chronically dry eyes. And since no flap is created, patients are in no risk of suffering from flap complications, which may occur when the eye is hit or poked.

Thus, some ophthalmologists recommend PRK to patients who participate in contact sports or have occupations that may subject them to injury.

Both LASIK and PRK are being done at The LASIK Center of The Medical City. The center specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all refractive errors.

The LASIK Center, a subspecialty unit of the TMC Department of Ophthalmology, was established on June 15, 2012, with the ultimate goal of being a leader in providing the most advanced and safest treatment in refractive surgery, ensuring quality laser vision correction of its patient partners.

Following the internationally set standards and guidelines accepted by ophthalmologists and refractive surgeons worldwide, The LASIK Center was formed by a team of skilled and well-trained refractive surgeons headed by Dr. Victor Jose L. Caparas, chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, and Unit Head Dr. Johann Michael G. Reyes.

TMC acquired the world’s fastest refractive platform, the WaveLight Refractive Suite, which combines two of the most advanced lasers currently available for performing LASIK surgery—the WaveLight FS200, a 200 kHz Femtosecond laser for flap creation and the superfast WaveLight EX500, a 500 Hz repetition excimer laser that reshapes the cornea.

The WaveLight Refractive Suite is a revolutionary bladeless technology for the vision correction. The FS200 is currently the fastest femtosecond laser in the industry while the EX500 is the fastest Excimer laser. This translates to more comfort and less anxiety for the patient.

Faster surgery means lesser inflammation and quicker visual recovery. And since the laser is guided by a computer, it is very precise and results are accurate. In most cases, a single treatment will achieve the desired outcome. Enhancements are possible if needed, even many years after the initial surgery.

Since the surgery is done within one of the Philippines’ premiere hospitals, The Medical City, and performed by highly skilled ophthalmologists, the procedure is guaranteed to be safe, precise, and effective.

For more information about The Medical City LASIK Center, please call 988-1000 or 988-7000 ext. 7783 or 7784.