LASIK vs Visian
Recently, Turner Eye Institute examined a patient who was returning for her 1 day post-op visit for her new Visian lens in the left eye and her 4 day post-op for her LASIK surgery in her right eye. At her initial consultation it was decided that while her right eye could have LASIK performed safely, her left eye had a slightly higher prescription and the cornea was slightly thinner. It was therefore suggested that Visian ICL might be a better choice for the left eye. The patient agreed.
At this follow-up visit, the patient reported that her vision was better in the left eye than the right. Both eyes were seeing very well in fact. Both were seeing even better than they had been with glasses. Yet this patient preferred the vision through the Visian lens in this case. The vision feels sharper and clearer than the LASIK eye.
This case is not unusual. It is very typical for highly nearsighted patients to prefer vision with a Visian lens over vision through LASIK surgery. LASIK surgery can require more tissue and often results in a drop in contrast sensitivity. In some cases, LASIK is not recommended as it could require a significant loss of tissue and therefore corneal instability. Visian, however, allows the cornea to maintain its natural shape and often retains the normal levels of contrast sensitivity.
While LASIK is still the preferred option for many patients, Visian is becoming more and more popular to residents throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Stephen Turner is the only LASIK surgeon in the San Francisco Bay Area to offer Visian treatment.
