Should i have prk or lasik? i had a lasik consultation yesterday with a top surgeon in my area. on my topography scan, he said i had a asymmetrical bow tie on the bottom of one of my eyes that can indicate a predisposition to develop keratonconus. howev

Without : Without question - you should have prk. Surface ablation is as effective as lasik, and has the same safety profile. While vision recovers faster with lasik, the long term results are identical. More importantly - with your potential risk of weakening of the eye with lasik - i would in general recommend surface ablation. Obviously - without seeing the maps - i can not know for certain - but this is just a general answer to your question. Best regards bill trattler, md www.Centerforeyecare.Com.

In : In my opinion, if there is any risk at all of keratoconus, the laser surgery of any type is not an option. There is no evidence that prk eliminates the risk. A much better choice for any patient who is not a candidate for lasik is the icl or implantable contact lens. This surgery involves insertion of a lens into the eye, behind the iris so that it is invisible. Since the cornea (where keratoconus shows up) is not involved, there is no risk of that problem. Learn more here:.

You : You should not have lasik as that would increase your risk of developing keratoconus. Prk is likely to be a good option. With the prescription prescription that you noted, it is likely that you would have an excellent and stable result with prk>.

If : If there are any indication for development of keratoconus then you are not a candidate for lasik. You do not want to take that risk. Lasek or epilasik is a better option than prk. It has shorter healing time and more predictable. I would recommend getting a second opinion.

Without : Without seeing the topographies it is impossible to assess your relative risk of developing full blown keratoconus. However, choosing prk over lasik does not eliminate the risk entirely. Sometimes topographies look suspicious if a patient wears contact lenses and hasn't been out of them long enough. At your age the risk may be low but now zero, and there is some thinking that prk (lasek/epilasik) may be 'safer' but is it worth it? Icl's are an option but are not without their own risks. I would repeat the topographies and try to get a high resolution pentacam reading to better assess the back surface of the cornea....

Topography abnormal: Depending on the topographic abnormality, you might not be a candidate for either. Based on your description, you are likely either a prk candidate or not a candidate at all.