Lasik surgery has given millions of people the gift of restored vision and the freedom of not having to wear glasses. It is a relatively easy procedure to perform and is done on an outpatient basis right in an eye doctors fully equipped facility. Not everyone is a good candidate for the surgery for a variety of reasons and a consultation with a qualified Ophthalmologist will be required before it can be determined if Lasik surgery is right for you.
Some people are not good candidates for Lasik surgery due to the strength of their prescription, having pupils that are too large or that have risk factors associated with lifestyle or health. There is an alternative treatment that offers permanent vision correction for people who should not have Lasik surgery and it’s called implantable contact lens or ICL. Like Lasik, ICL is an eye surgery that can correct vision to the point that the patient no longer needs to wear glasses or removable contact lenses but there are differences that make it a better alternative than Lasik.
In Lasik surgery, tissue is removed from the eye that cannot be put back in the event that the surgery does not work or has side effects that are undesirable such as halos, glares and starbursts in low light. With an implantable contact lens, a lens is surgically placed behind the iris to complement the eyes natural shape and improve vision. It can be removed in the event that it is an ineffective procedure or has negative consequences, unlike Lasik which cannot be reversed. ICL surgery can also be more effective at treating severe refractive errors that Lasik is not able to correct. It is a very good and safe alternative for restoring vision in people for who Lasik is not an option.