What is the difference between Lasik and Lasikplus?

Answer 1

LASIK is a surgical procedure to correct vision. It is an acronym which stands for Laser Assisted Stromal In-situ Keratomileusis. This is what is actually done in a LASIK procedure. LASIKplus is a branding or marketing name given to a corporate group of centers which have as their main business purpose to perform LASIK surgery. There is no real plus or anything different that these centers are able to do than any other LASIK provider. The real company behind LASIKplus (or LASIK+) is LCA-Vision which trades under the stock ticker LCAV. Perhaps they believed that the name LCAV was not appealing enough to the public, so they opened centers with the LASIKplus moniker.

All LASIK involves two steps, first to make a flap and then to use a laser to reshape the cornea. The most advanced treatment option is to also use a laser of a different type to make the flap. Many centers have these capabilities. It is best for patients to seek a doctor, not a corporate entity whom they trust with their eyes and their vision. This trust should be based on that doctor's own reputation and experience. Many corporate centers hide behind the corporate name, with multiple doctors available to perform procedures. These centers quote statistics based on the overall performance of all of their doctors, but what is most important is the care given to an individual patient by their own doctor.

Answer 2

Some of my colleagues who perform the LASEK procedure do so b/c of the slight reduction in complications seen (since there is no corneal flap created in this procedure). The downside to LASEK is not only that the healing time takes longer but that the healing process may be more uncomfortable than LASIK. In fact, some surgeons have noted that LASEK is more uncomfortable and has a longer healing time than PRK. For that reason, I perform LASIK and PRK, not LASEK at my practice. If you're interested in LASEK, I would suggest researching PRK. There is much more information out there about PRK and the two procedures are very similar. The only difference is that, in PRK, the outer epithelial cells of the cornea are removed before the laser treatment is performed while, with LASEK, the outer epithelial cells are loosened with an alcohol solution and then lifted in a pseudo-flap. From that point on, the procedures are identical. Hope that helps!