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Refractive

Laser Eye Surgery in Newport Beach – Dr. Sheri Rowen

Dr. Sheri Rowen is a Newport Beach Laser Eye Surgery specialist and expert. In addition to the LASIK procedure, she also performs other types of laser vision correction at her Newport Beach LASIK offices, including PRK and Epi-LASIK.

Refractive Surgery is a broad term which encompasses all surgical vision correction techniques that are intended to correct common refractive errors, including hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism and presbyopia (diminished focusing ability). Laser eye surgery remains the most popular surgery available; however, we continue to introduce new safe and effective alternatives to eye surgery.

Each procedure offered at our practice has its own risks and benefits, and though we have an extremely high success rate, the surgery does have its limitations. While we do not guarantee perfect vision, we believe that the surgery at our practice can reduce, if not eliminate, the need for glasses and contacts while dramatically improving overall vision.

If you are interested in laser eye surgery, contact us at our Newport Beach LASIK and Cosmetic Center. Find out if you are eligible for surgery at one of our offices.

Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA)

During Advanced Surface Ablation or ASA, the surgeon uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea, changing its ability to focus light on the retina. This is the same laser used in LASIK surgery. But unlike LASIK, ASA does not require the initial step of creating a corneal flap. Instead, the surgeon painlessly removes the eye's surface layer in order to access the cornea. ASA surgery takes only a few minutes per eye. A protective contact lens must be worn for several days following the procedure to allow for complete healing, and vision typically recovers within one to four weeks.

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

This is a surgical procedure designed to reshape the surface of the cornea in order to increase the focusing power at the back of the eye on the retina. It is appropriate for the treatment of low to moderate nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. During the surgery at our practice, the epithelium (outermost layer of the cornea) is removed, and an excimer laser is used to sculpt and shape the outside of the cornea. Following treatment, a contact lens is placed over the eye to allow healing to occur. After several days the epithelium layer grows back, and this contact lens can be removed.

While other surgery requires the creation of a partial thickness corneal flap to allow access to the inner cornea, PRK is more of a surface treatment, and is therefore less invasive, and technically easier to perform. It does, however, manipulate a significant amount of tissue, which means that patients can expect a longer recovery time, approximately three to five days, or more. Once any blurry vision has subsided, patients are free to return to work.

This is ideal for patients with corneal scarring, corneal dystrophies, or corneal erosion, who may be ineligible for LASIK. To find out if the surgery is right for you, please contact our practice today.