PRK
(photorefractive keratectomy)
LASEK
(laser epithelial keratomileusis)
The PRK procedure is often utilized for patients
with larger pupils or thin corneas and LASEK is used mostly
for people with corneas that are too thin or too flat for
LASIK.
The basis for all laser eye surgery is to
reshape the cornea so that it changes the focal point of the
eye. Both of these procedures use the same advanced laser
technology to reshape the cornea but there is No Flap. In
both of these procedures, the surface layer (epithillium)
is removed prior to the laser procedure. In PRK, it is removed
in a fragmented fashion and in LASEK, it is lifted in a continuous
sheet. There is more post-op discomfort and a slower healing
but results are equal to the LASIK vision correction procedure.
Multifocal Intraocular
Lens Implantation
Cataract is a common disorder of the eye,
where the natural lens within the eye becomes progressively
cloudy. Multifocal Intraocular Lens Implantation provides
a full range of vision with independence from glasses in most
situations. While distance vision with the
The Array® Multifocal IOL is a breakthrough
in lens implant surgery. Until recently, most of these procedures
have involved the exchange of the natural lens inside the
eye for a single vision (monofocal) lens. In the past few
years, hundreds of thousands of people who are candidates
for the Array® Multifocal IOL have enjoyed a full range of
vision with independence from glasses.
Dr. Gelwan was the second doctor in New York
and the first doctor in Queens to implant a multifocal intraocular
lens in his cataract patient 5 years ago. Since then he has
used this lens in hundreds of cataract and clear lens patients’.
This procedure takes 15 minutes and is done
at an office surgicenter under topical anesthesia one eye
at a time. There is minimal discomfort during the procedure
and post operatively.
AK (Astigmatic Keratotomy)
Astigmatism is a visual condition in which
the cornea is football-shaped instead of spherical, causing
the image to be blurred. AK can correct small to moderate
amounts of pure astigmatism in less than a minute under topical
anesthesia.
Astigmatic Keratotomy can be useful for numerous
refractive problems, including congenital astigmatism, astigmatism
with a cataract, posttraumatic astigmatism, and astigmatism
after corneal transplantation. The AK procedure is often used
in combination with the Multifocal Intraocular Lens Implantation
procedure to correct vision in cataract patients.
Corneal Transplants
Dr. Gelwan is the most active corneal transplant
surgeon in Queens, New York.
For many patients with scared or diseased
corneas, corneal transplant is the only answer to correcting
their vision. In a corneal transplant surgery the damaged
cornea is replaced with a clear donor cornea. Done at the
office surgicenter, this 30 minute procedure performed under
“no needle” anesthesia, provides patients with the healthy
cornea needed to see well.
Corneal transplants can be combined with LASIK
at a later date to achieve excellent vision without the need
for glasses or contact lenses. The surgery itself is painless
and usually done on an outpatient basis.
ON THE HORIZON:
Implantable Contact
Lenses
Implantable contact lenses, known as phakic
intraocular lenses (IOLs) to ophthalmologists, works similar
to a regular contact lens, except that it never needs to be
removed or cleaned. However, if necessary due to changes in
vision or medical problems, the lens can be surgically removed
and the patient can either receive a new impantable lens or
return to wearing regular glasses or contacts.
This in-office procedure done under local
anesthesia is proving to be a quick and safe rapid vision
correction.
Since the long-term risk profile of the implantable
contact lens is still being evaluated by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), it remains an experimental procedure
in the United States but is soon to be FDA approved.
