Laser Eye Surgery For Very High Prescriptions
There are a number of myths often perpetuated around the world of Laser Eye Surgery. One of the most resounding myths is that the treatment is not suitable for those with very high prescriptions.
It is often claimed that synthetic lens implants are the only treatment option suitable for patients with very high prescriptions. But is this true?
Until fairly recently, if you wanted to free yourself from glasses and contact lenses but had a very high prescription, you could opt for Implantable Contact Lens (also called ICL) treatment. This involves replacing the natural eye lens with an artificial one, to correct the refractory error.
Even today, this remains the only option at many clinics around the world. However, this is usually down to individual clinics lacking the technology or expertise necessary to treat very high prescriptions. In reality, many clinics are now able to offer more advanced treatments for very high prescriptions.
At London Vision Clinic, our expert surgeons can utilise ReLEx SMILE for the treatment of various refractory errors – including in patients with very high prescriptions.
The age of high prescription treatments
We have been treating patients with very high prescriptions for over a decade, thanks to a combination of world-class technology, the expertise of our surgeons, and our determination to give every patient the best possible outcome.
Our pioneering approach to the development of High Profile treatments has allowed London Vision Clinic to establish itself as a world leader in the treatment of very high prescriptions.
However, this is still not the industry standard, as Professor Dan Reinstein, Lead Laser Eye Surgeon at London Vision Clinic explains: “Generally speaking, traditional Laser Eye Surgery can only correct prescriptions up to a maximum of between -8 and -10.”
This is because LASIK surgery – which remains the most common Laser Eye Surgery treatment – involves the formation of a circular flap on the surface of the eye. This flap allows the surgeon to access and reshape the corneal bed by removing tissue.
When treating higher prescriptions, more tissue needs to be removed to correct the refractive error. Therefore, the cornea must be thick enough to allow for the formation of the corneal flap, and the removal of tissue. In the majority of patients, however, this is not the case, making LASIK treatment unsuitable.
ReLEx SMILE Treatment
Thankfully, here at London Vision Clinic, we are able to perform the revolutionary ReLEx SMILE treatment. This innovative treatment option allows us to offer Laser Eye Surgery to more patients than ever before. It can even be suitable for patients with thinner corneas and with prescriptions higher than -10.
This is because, with ReLEx SMILE, there is no need to make a flap on the corneal surface. Instead, we use a series of pulses to create a tunnel from the surface of the cornea to the corneal bed. This ‘keyhole’ allows the surgeon to remove tissue while having a minimal impact on the surface of the cornea.
This minimally-invasive technique allows us to leave the cornea intact, minimising healing times and patient discomfort.
What’s more, SMILE can significantly reduce or even eliminate the side-effect of post-operative dry eye, which people often experience temporarily after traditional Laser Eye Surgery.
