LASIK Alternatives: PRK, EVO ICL, Clear Lens Exchange

If you’re ready to reduce your dependence on glasses or contacts but have learned you may not be a candidate for LASIK, you still have excellent options. Modern vision correction has advanced far beyond a single procedure, and alternatives can often provide equally life changing results depending on your eyes, age and goals. Here’s a look at 3 LASIK alternatives available at Fisher-Swale-Nicholson Eye Center: PRK, EVO ICL and Clear Lens Exchange.

PRK

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) actually predates LASIK and still remains a trusted, highly effective laser vision correction procedure. Instead of creating a corneal flap like in LASIK, PRK gently removes the thin outer skin layer and then uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. The epithelium naturally regenerates over several days.

Patients choose PRK if they have corneas that are too thin for LASIK, an irregular corneal shape or are at higher risk of eye trauma. There are no flap related complications, long term outcomes are excellent and it’s a safer procedure for thin corneas. Recovery is slower than LASIK, so patients should expect several days of discomfort and a few weeks for vision to fully sharpen.

EVO ICL

EVO Implantable Collamer Lens is a great option for patients with moderate to severe nearsightedness, dry eye concerns or corneas that make laser procedures less ideal. Rather than reshaping the cornea, a soft, biocompatible lens is placed inside the eye, positioned behind the iris and in front of your natural lens. The lens works with your eye’s anatomy to focus light properly.

EVO ICL can treat a wider range of prescriptions than LASIK, and the procedure is reversible if necessary. There is no removal of corneal tissue and patients rave about the high quality of vision after. It has a quick recovery, can improve night vision and won’t be felt once in place. Since it is an intraocular procedure, meaning it involves surgery inside the eye, it carries different risks than laser vision correction.

Clear Lens Exchange

Clear lens exchange replaces your eye’s natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens, similar to modern cataract surgery. It’s ideal for patients over 40–50 who are developing reading vision problems or want to prevent future cataracts. Because the natural lens is replaced, it can correct distance, intermediate and near vision depending on the implant selected.

Schedule a Vision Correction Screening Online

We know that vision correction is a big decision, and we are here to help you find a solution for breaking away from glasses and contact lenses!

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