I wouldn’t be surprised if only a few of you have heard of the term LASEK because it just isn’t used very often. LASEK is actually a form of bladeless flap-free LASIK eye correction surgery, which involves the use of a relatively complex chemical process to temporarily remove a patient’s epithelium - the protective barrier around the eye.

Instead of cutting a flap using a blade (i.e. microkeratome) or femtosecond laser, several chemicals are used to loosen the epitelium, allowing it to be “unrolled” and thus providing flap-free access to the patient’s corneal tissue.

On the upside, we’re talking about a means to tackle patients with very thin corneas, or satisfy patients that just can’t handle the idea of a blade going near their eyes. But on the downside, LASEK results in longer recovery. LASEK patients need 3 to 7 days to heal, unlike LASIK patients who require less than a day to recover.

So, is this form of bladeless flap-free LASIK worth it? Well, not to me, but then, I have thick enough corneas to handle a microkeratome.

[News via 14 WFIE]