LASIK surgery is the best known vision correction procedure available today. We hear about it on the radio, see it on television, and read about it in newspapers and magazines. But LASIK isn’t for everyone. For medical reasons or because of occupational considerations, many people need an effective alternative to LASIK.
Aloha Laser Vision is a top provider of LASIK, but we are also proud of our expertise in achieving excellent results through alternative procedures. If LASIK isn’t appropriate for correcting your vision, Dr. Alan Faulkner can evaluate your situation and advise you about the results that many of our patients achieve through alternative options like the ones described below.
Our Honolulu practice is pleased to offer the EVO ICL™ as one of the latest variations on the intraocular lens (IOL). Because of its unique composition and design, it is foldable, allowing it to be placed behind the iris, and requiring a smaller incision that other lenses.
The term “implantable contact lens” (ICL) is another used to describe IOLs that supplement, rather than replace, the natural lens. Staar Surgical, producers of the EVO ICL™, describe it as an “implantable Collamer® lens,” because it is made of a proprietary material that combines polymer plastic with collagen, an organic material found in the human body.
The use of Collamer® allows the EVO ICL™ to be more flexible. It can be folded, so that it can be inserted through an incision only 3.0 mm (1/8 inch) in length. As a result it is possible to place the EVO ICL™ behind the iris, where it is completely invisible to even the closest inspection. No one will ever know that you have an implanted lens. Collamer® also makes the EVO ICL™ highly biocompatible.
Learn More
Those suffering from mild to moderate myopia (nearsightedness) are often good candidates for PRK. This LASIK alternative involves laser treatment to the surface of the cornea, instead of the deeper eye tissue. PRK is a great solution for those with thin corneas, epithelial defects, or overly large pupils–all of which may affect candidacy for LASIK.
The procedure is also beneficial for those who simply do not want to undergo the flap procedure involved with LASIK or if their employer does not allow LASIK due to the nature of their position (e.g. the U.S. military).
PRK vision correction is completed in a relatively quick procedure. Although healing is often longer and involves more discomfort than LASIK, the long-term results are typically the same. With this advanced option, patients can significantly reduce, if not completely eliminate, their need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. Your candidacy for PRK will be determined during your in-office examination.
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) involves the replacement of the eye’s natural lens with an artificial lens. This procedure can often be an option for patients who are not good candidates for LASIK or PRK. RLE can improve either nearsightedness or farsightedness and eliminate the need for cataract surgery in the future.
Dr. Alan Faulkner is committed to providing patients with the highest-quality vision treatments and procedures that serve to improve and optimize vision. To schedule a consultation, examination, or to find out more about LASIK eye surgery, PRK, the EVO ICL™ and other alternatives please contact Aloha Laser Vision of Honolulu, Hawaii today.