Laser Eye Surgery Treatment For Very High Prescriptions
There are a number of myths often perpetuated around the world of Laser Eye Surgery. One of the most resounding myths is that the treatment is not suitable for those with very high prescriptions.
It is often claimed that synthetic lens implants are the only treatment option suitable for patients with very high prescriptions. But is this true?
Until fairly recently, if you wanted to free yourself from glasses and contact lenses but had a very high prescription, you could opt for Implantable Contact Lens (also called ICL) treatment. This involves replacing the natural eye lens with an artificial one, to correct the refractory error.
Even today, this remains the only option at many clinics around the world. However, this is usually down to individual clinics lacking the technology or expertise necessary to treat very high prescriptions. In reality, many clinics are now able to offer more advanced treatments for very high prescriptions.
At London Vision Clinic, our expert surgeons are able to treat much higher prescriptions than once thought possible. By utilising the revolutionary ReLEx SMILE for the treatment of various refractory errors, we have helped countless patients – including those with very high prescriptions – to achieve clear vision.
The Age of High Prescription Treatments
Thanks to a combination of world-leading expertise and the latest, cutting-edge Laser Eye Surgery technology, we have been successfully treating patients with high prescriptions for well over a decade. This is part of our determination to deliver the best possible outcomes to as many patients as possible.
Our pioneering approach to developing effective high-profile treatments for a wider range of prescriptions has made London Vision Clinic a leader in this area of Laser Eye Surgery.
Unfortunately, this still isn’t standard in the field of Laser Eye Surgery. As our expert surgeon and founder, Professor Dan Reinstein, explains: “Generally speaking, traditional Laser Eye Surgery can only correct prescriptions up to a maximum of between -8 and -10.”
LASIK surgery remains the most common Laser Eye Surgery treatment. This procedure involves creating a circular flap on the surface of the cornea. The corneal flap allows the surgeon to access the tissue beneath – some of which is removed to reshape the cornea and correct the way light is directed into the eye.
The treatment of higher prescriptions requires more corneal tissue to be removed. The cornea must therefore be thick enough to allow for both the creation of the corneal flap and the removal of tissue from the corneal bed. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for most patients, making LASIK treatment unsuitable for most people with very high prescriptions.
ReLEx SMILE Treatment
London Vision Clinic was the first Laser Eye Surgery clinic in the UK to offer the revolutionary ReLEx SMILE treatment. This innovative treatment was developed in collaboration with our very own Professor Reinstein and has helped to make Laser Eye Surgery an option for more people than ever before.
ReLEx SMILE can be a suitable option for patients with thinner corneas and with prescriptions higher than -10.0D!
That’s because SMILE procedures do not require the creation of a corneal flap. Instead, a series of pulses are delivered through a small incision in the cornea to create a small tunnel from the surface of the cornea to the corneal bed. This ‘keyhole’ tunnel allows the surgeon to remove a pre-determined area of tissue while having a minimal impact on the cornea.
As such, ReLEx SMILE is also associated with faster healing and recovery times and less patient discomfort! This technique can also significantly reduce or even eliminate the common side effect of post-operative dry eye.
What’s more, SMILE can significantly reduce or even eliminate the side-effect of post-operative dry eye, which people often experience temporarily after traditional Laser Eye Surgery.
