Lasik Phoenix Services

At Lasik Phoenix, we make it our mission to meet the unique and specific needs of each person we treat. Whether a patient is in need of treatment for astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness, cataracts, or other vision-related issues, we pride ourselves in meeting those needs with top-quality professional care. A few of our services include:

PRK, or ”Flapless” LASIK

PRK, or Photorefractive Keratectomy, has been practiced for over fifteen years. It was the first laser corrective eye surgery method approved by the FDA. There are some key differences between PRK and the more commonly-known LASIK surgery. The primary difference is that with PRK, the surgeon does not create a flap of tissue prior to re-sculpting the cornea—hence the name “Flapless” LASIK. This makes PRK a good option for patients with thin corneas, or for those who, for a variety of reasons, may not be good candidates for conventional LASIK.

PRK can be used to successfully treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In terms of the post-surgery outcomes, PRK and LASIK offer equivalent long-term results. The primary difference is in the recovery period. Patients who have undergone the PRK procedure may experience a bit more discomfort for the first 2-3 days after the procedure.

During a PRK procedure, the surgeon gently removes the top layer of the cornea. This prepares the eye for treatment. The cells in this top layer of the cornea are some of the fastest healing tissue in the human body. Once this top layer of the cornea is removed, the cornea itself is re-sculpted. During the procedure, the eye is numbed with anesthetic drops, making the PRK procedure itself a painless experience.

AST-Advanced Surface Treatment
AST, or Epi-LASIK, is a combination of the best features of LASIK and PRK. Developed by the creator of LASIK, AST been in use since the year 2000. This procedure involves separating the surface layer of the cornea, called the epithelium, from the rest of the cornea. The surface of the cornea is then re-shaped, which is the key element in improving vision. Finally, the epithelial flap is replaced. During a healing period of 4-7 days, the cornea is covered with a protective contact lens. Once the eyes have healed, the contact lens is removed.

Intralase, or all-laser LASIK

Intralase is a 100% blade-free technique, using only lasers to achieve lasting results. The lasers are employed to create the corneal flap, which is the first step in laser vision correction. The Intralase method utilizes pulses of laser light, which create tiny bubbles in the corneal stroma. When these bubbles coalesce, a perfect flap forms. The surgeon is then able to customize the flap to the precise and specific measurements for your eye. This method allows our surgeons at LASIK Phoenix to ensure that the flap created is perfectly suited to your eye’s unique depth and shape.

Before the creation of Intralase, LASIK procedures were performed with a a microkeratome, which is a hand-held oscillating blade. The drawback with this method is that flaps created with a microkeratome are ofen imprecise. What’s more, the microkeratome is only capable of making a single, one-dimensional cut across the cornea, further limiting the surgeon’s ability to work with precision. Fortunately, the Intralase method offers a great improvement on these limitations. Many patients also find it comforting to learn that, with the Intralase method, a blade NEVER touches your eye.

Though this procedure is newer than other LASIK methods, it has proven itself in both safety and effectiveness. More than 1 million people worldwide have used the Intralase procedure to safely and effectively improve their vision, and the number continues to grow as people learn about the benefits of this method.

We at LASIK Phoenix look forward to assisting you with your particular vision-related needs and goals. With our staff of highly-trained, compassionate and professional surgeons, and a wide variety of available procedures, we are committed to helping you improve both your vision and your quality of life.