If the only tool you have is a hammer, then everything starts to look like a nail…
The famous American psychologist Abraham Maslow once stated that “If the only tool you have is a hammer, then everything starts to look like a nail.” Clearly, it’s better to have a full set of tools in the toolbox so that the best one is used for each individual job.
This rings true in vision surgery, where the best procedure to correct vision should be custom tailored to each individual patient. While LASIK is commonly used to treat many different patients, conditions, and prescriptions, it is just one end of the spectrum. There are other options such as Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), Implantable Contact Lenses (ICLs), and even Cataract Surgery, that may be better options for some patients. The full spectrum of vision surgery options should be evaluated for each patient and then the best procedure can be selected.
Of particular interest is the Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) which can be painlessly implanted inside the eye, behind the iris (the blue, green, or brown part of the eye responsible for eye color) in less than 5 minutes. The ICL has the advantage of being able to treat very large degrees of myopia (nearsightedness), far more than is safely possible with LASIK. The ICL is also removable and reversible and is safe in people who have thin corneas. The ICL is currently available in powers from -3 to -16 and a wider range is planned for the near
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Comments
While LASIK is a great option for many patients, certain variables like prescription strength, curvature of the cornea, corneal thickness, and other factors may make the ICL a better procedure for some patients.
The ICL is available from -3 to -16. You can find out more information at http://www.maloneyvision.com
It’s funny, a similar quote is attributed to Mark Twain as well, “To a man with a hammer everything looks like a nail.” - http://48facets.wordpress.com/2007/10/20/everything-looks-like-a-nail/
I had LASIK done 8 years ago, and it does change one’s life (in a small but measurable way). I recommend it to my friends, but there’s some confusion I find as to who is eligible for LASIK. Are there restrictions based on the strength of the prescription? If so, is ICL the alternative?