When most people hear terms like “laser vision correction,” “laser eye surgery,” and even the more technical “refractive surgery,” LASIK is usually the first thing that comes to mind. And for good reason. With 700,000 procedures performed annually, LASIK is the most common vision correction surgery and one of the most popular elective surgeries in the United States.
At NJoy Vision in Oklahoma City, we specialize in several laser eye surgery treatments to improve your vision. Although we are known for the countless successful LASIK procedures we’ve performed using our state-of-the-art iLASIK technology, we also have a stellar reputation for correcting refractive issues with other advanced laser vision treatments when LASIK isn’t the best option.
If you are struggling with poor vision, there’s a good chance we have a treatment option for you! Read on to learn more about the laser eye surgery options available at nJoy Vision. Use the links below to jump to the treatment you’re considering.
- LASIK
- Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
- Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer® Lens)
LASIK
As we mentioned, LASIK is one of the most popular elective procedures performed today. So even if you don’t know exactly how LASIK works, you probably know what LASIK is.
In simple terms, LASIK corrects vision problems by reshaping the cornea (the transparent front part of the eye) so that light is refracted in the eye properly.
Yes, it involves lasers. No, not those kinds of lasers.
At nJoy Vision, we use the iLASIK platform, which combines the advanced capabilities of two different laser technologies—the IntraLase® Femtosecond Laser (iFS® Laser) and the VISX Star S4 IR Excimer laser. The result is an entirely bladeless LASIK procedure customized to each patient’s unique visual needs.
LASIK treats:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Astigmatism
LASIK candidates:
- Are not currently pregnant
- Are over 18 years of age
- Don’t have non-vision-related eye issues or injuries in the last year
- Don’t have thin corneas
- Meet certain vision prescription limits
- Haven’t had a change in vision in at least a year
How the LASIK procedure at nJoy Vision works:
- A map of the eye is created. Your eyes are scanned with custom wavefront technology, creating an ultra-precise 3-D map that guides the laser.
- Your eyes are prepared. Anesthetic eye drops are administered, and a separator to keep your eyelids open is put in place.
- The corneal flap is created. Using the femtosecond laser, your surgeon creates a corneal flap by delivering over a million pulses of laser light at a precise depth in the outer layers of the cornea.
- The cornea is reshaped. The flap is peeled back, and a computer-guided excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea based on the 3-D map.
- The corneal flap is replaced. After the cornea has been reshaped, your surgeon carefully repositions the flap and checks for air bubbles, debris, and proper fit.
The LASIK procedure usually takes 5 to 10 minutes per eye, with the actual laser treatment time lasting less than a minute per eye. Patients are typically in the surgery suite for no more than 15 minutes and at our facility for less than 2 hours.
LASIK Recovery
Following LASIK, you will need to have someone drive you home. Once home, it is important to sleep or rest your eyes. Your vision may still be slightly blurry the day after surgery, but most patients can drive themselves to their follow-up the next day. You should notice improved vision within 48 hours of your treatment.
It is recommended that you take the next day off from work or normal daily activities, use your medication eye drops as instructed, and regularly apply the lubricating eye drops that are provided to you. You may experience some discomfort and blurriness as your eyes continue to heal. These symptoms should subside within a couple of days with proper rest and usage of the eye drops.
Expected Results
LASIK permanently changes the vision of patients with myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Most people experience 20/25 vision or better but may end up needing reading glasses as they encounter age-related vision changes in their 40’s.
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
Now that you know everything about LASIK, the simplest way to explain PRK is “LASIK, but without the flap.”
Similar to a LASIK procedure, nJoy Vision uses custom wavefront technology to generate an ultra-precise 3-D image of your eye and a computer-guided excimer laser to reshape the cornea.
But instead of creating a flap in the outer layer of the cornea that is laid back into place, PRK completely removes the epithelium (the outermost layer of cornea tissue), and a temporary bandage contact lens is put in place for a few days while it grows back.
PRK is an excellent option for many people who are not candidates for LASIK.
PRK treats:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Astigmatism
PRK candidates:
- Have thin corneas
- Have dry eyes
- Have a history of epithelial abrasions
- Are not currently pregnant
- Are over 18 years of age
- Don’t have non-vision-related eye issues or injuries in the last year
- Meet certain vision prescription limits
- Haven’t had a change in vision in at least a year
How the PRK procedure at nJoy Vision works:
- A map of the eye is created. Your eyes are scanned with custom wavefront technology, creating an ultra-precise 3-D map that guides the laser.
- Your eyes are prepared. Anesthetic eye drops are administered, and a separator to keep your eyelids open is put in place.
- The epithelium is removed. The thin, outermost corneal layer is removed, leaving the cornea exposed.
- The cornea is reshaped. A computer-guided excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea based on the 3-D map.
- A bandage contact lens is put in place. After the cornea has been reshaped, your surgeon carefully places a bandage soft contact lens over the cornea while the epithelium grows back.
The PRK procedure usually takes 5 to 10 minutes per eye, with the actual laser treatment time lasting less than a minute per eye. Patients are typically in the surgery suite for no more than 15 minutes and at our facility for less than 2 hours.
Length Recovery
Compared to LASIK, PRK has a longer recovery time due to the epithelium needing to heal and completely grow back.
Following the procedure, you will need to have someone drive you home. Once home, it is important to sleep or rest your eyes. It may be necessary to take a few days off work and avoid strenuous activity for about a week.
You may experience some pain or discomfort for a couple of days as your eyes begin to heal, but this is usually controlled by over-the-counter medicine and lubricating or medicated eye drops.
Most PRK patients experience noticeably better vision immediately following surgery, but it may worsen for a few days while your eyes heal and remain blurry until the bandage lens is removed. This is completely normal! Your vision will continue to improve for the next 30 to 90 days as your eyes fully heal.
Expected Results
PRK results are nearly identical to LASIK. PRK permanently changes the vision of patients with myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Most people experience 20/25 vision or better but may end up needing reading glasses as they encounter age-related vision changes in their 40s.
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
Refractive lens exchange (RLE) is an advanced laser vision correction procedure used to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism, and presbyopia (age-related near vision loss) in patients over 40 years old.
The procedure is essentially the same as laser cataract surgery. It uses the same technique and technology, but it is an elective procedure designed for patients who do not have cataracts.
Unlike LASIK, which reshapes the cornea and is still subjective to age-related vision changes, RLE uses nJoy Vision’s state-of-the-art image-guided femtosecond laser to create a perfectly-sized opening to access and replace the lens of the eye with an intraocular lens (IOL).
At nJoy Vision, we offer several basic and premium IOL options developed to treat various vision conditions. These options include:
- Basic Monofocal IOL. This option provides vision correction with one focusing distance—up close, medium-range, or distance vision.
- Toric IOL. This lens implant corrects astigmatism and can be included with a basic, multifocal or extended depth of focus style lens.
- Multifocal IOL. Multifocal lenses have multiple points of focus that provide near and distance-focusing capabilities.
- Extended Depth of Focus IOL. A class of lenses that allows for good distance, intermediate and near vision without the use of different optical zones and therefore lessening the occurrence of night glare and halos.
RLE treats:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Age-related near vision loss (presbyopia)
- Astigmatism
RLE candidates:
- Are over the age of 40
- Are not a good LASIK candidate
- Have moderate to severe hyperopia
- Have presbyopia (need for reading glasses)
- Have corneal abnormalities
How the RLE procedure at nJoy Vision works:
- Precise measures of your eye. The tests allow for the measurements of your eye length and corneal curvature to be used during the procedure planning.
- Your eye is prepared. Anesthetic eye drops are administered, and a separator to keep your eyelids open is put in place.
- Capsulotomy. A femtosecond laser aids in making a perfectly-sized incision in the capsule that surrounds the crystalline lens.
- The crystalline lens is removed. The femtosecond laser helps break up and remove the lens.
- The IOL is inserted. The replacement intraocular lens is placed inside the capsule.
The RLE procedure usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes per eye and patients are at the nJoy Vision facility for less than three hours. Typically, each eye is treated one to two weeks apart.
RLE Recovery
While most patients notice vision improvements right after surgery, it can take 6 to 12 weeks to experience full adjustment. Most patients can resume normal activities within a week of surgery.
Expected Results
Outcomes depend on the type of IOL used, but improvements in vision are permanent without risk of losing corrective effect, and the eye(s) treated will not develop cataracts in the future.
Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer® Lens)
Elite athletes and military personnel have chosen Visian ICL due to the procedure’s exceptional and reliable results.
The Visian ICL is a microscopically thin, soft lens made of special collagen material implanted between your iris and natural lens.
While Visian ICL permanently corrects myopia, the most common vision problem, it does not permanently change the shape of your cornea and can be removed if necessary.
Visian ICL treats:
- Nearsightedness (myopia) with or without astigmatism
Visian ICL candidates:
- Are between the ages of 21 and 45
- Have mild to severe myopia
- Have not had a significant change in vision in the last six months
- Want to avoid or are susceptible to dry eye syndrome
- Have no history of eye disease
How the Visian ICL procedure at nJoy Vision works:
- Precise measures of your eye. These tests allow for the measurements of the internal structures of the eye that are used during the procedure planning.
- Pre-op peripheral iridotomies. Two to three weeks before your procedure, a physician will make tiny openings in the iris with a gentle laser to ensure proper fluid flow after the ICL is implanted.
- Your eye is prepared. Anesthetic and dilating eye drops are administered, and a separator to keep your eyelids open is put in place.
- Corneal incision. Micro-incisions are made at the outer edge of the cornea to insert the ICL.
- Lens insertion. The ICL is implanted through the corneal incisions and properly positioned.
The Visian ICL procedure generally takes between 15 and 30 minutes. Most patients have improved vision almost immediately, but you will need someone to drive you home following the procedure.
Visian ICL Recovery
Over the next 48 hours, your eyesight will continue to improve as your eyes heal and adjust. You should be able to resume normal activities very quickly, but please avoid rubbing your eyes for a few days.
Expected Results
You can expect the following outcomes with Visian ICL:
- Immediate vision improvement at all distances
- Sharper, clearer, and more vivid vision with greater depth
- Night vision with minimal or no halos or glare
- Natural UV protection from the Collamer lens material
Leading the Way in Advanced Laser Vision Correction
At nJoy Vision, we’re proudly leading the way in laser vision correction by offering our patients life-changing treatment options using the most revolutionary laser technology on the market today.
If you’re considering any of these advanced laser eye surgeries with one of our experienced specialists, please give us a call at (405) 842-6060 or request a consultation using our online form.
