Dr William Boothe of Boothe Eyecare Discussses Solutions For Farsightedness
The short answer: Yes, definitely. LASIK procedure can correct farsightedness. For correcting farsightedness or hyperopia, hyperopic LASIK or H-LASIK procedure is most often used. First of all, the thin corneal flap is created using the laser and then the flap is being lifted and LASIK is performed on the corneal tissue in the center. The laser works on the cornea in a circular pattern which changes the shape of the cornea and the cornea will become steeper than before. The LASIK procedure removes the corneal tissues precisely without destroying the surrounding tissues. The corneal flap is replaced back to its previous position.
H-LASIK needs low recovery time when compared to H-PRK, even though it has longer recovery time when compared with the LASIK procedure for nearsightedness. This surgical procedure is without pain or may be a little painful in comparison with hyperopic photorefractive keratectomy (H-PRK). There are two primary types of hyperopic correction - CK and LTK - which apply radio waves and laser. This is done by creating a ring of dots towards the outside edges of the cornea. The dots around the corneal tissue will shrink after performing the most common types of the procedure. The middle of the cornea bulges outside due to this corneal shrinking.
But in the case of excimer laser hyperopic corrections like All-laser LASIK, Epi-LASIK, LASEK and PRK, the reshaping of the cornea is done by removing the ring of corneal tissue surrounding the cornea. Because Dr. Boothe makes the corneal center thick and the outer ring thin, the cornea bulges outwards. H-LASIK is used to correct mild and moderate hyperopia. H-LASIK can be used to treat low levels of hyperopia more than higher levels. Severe hyperopia is usually treated with LASIK, but it is not always considered as an option. The risk of hyperopic LASIK varies. Complications are not expected to arise when the procedure is done by an experienced surgeon.
The risk of having regression is higher in the case of H-LASIK in comparison with LASIK done for nearsightedness. The exact reason for regressions that happen after the hyperopic LASIK is not known yet. Problems in night vision like halos around lights, glare, double vision, astigmatism, and clouded vision are some of the major complications occurring after performing LASIK procedure for hyperopia. Some of the serious complications which are rare include increased pressure of the eye that may lead to glaucoma and corneal infection. Be sure to pick a doctor who has done many of these cases in the past and ask him/her to evaluate whether you will be a good candidate and what are the risks of complications.
H-LASIK is a relatively new type of surgery and only a dedicated & serious eye doctor can perform the procedure. If you would like to learn more about this surgery, you can discuss the various options of surgery with Dr. William Boothe. H-LASIK has better results than H-PRK mainly because of the quick procedure and painless recovery of your vision offered by H-LASIK. The record of the original measurements of your eyes should be kept as you may need to provide it to an eye surgeon when/if you undergo a cataract surgical procedure in the future. With the help of wavefront technology Boothe Eyecare will provide you with the precise measurements of your eyes. Visit Boothe Laser Center for more information.