SMILE Eye Surgery
Dr. Hamilton was the first surgeon on the West Coast to perform ReLEx SMILE eye surgery, a safe and effective alternative to LASIK eye surgery for patients with nearsightedness or astigmatism. To perform the procedure, a small lens-shaped piece of tissue (called the lenticule) is created inside the cornea. Unlike LASIK, where an outer flap is created on the cornea to access the tissue beneath, SMILE only needs to create a small arc incision at the edge of the outer surface. From that incision, the lenticule can be extracted, altering the cornea’s shape and correcting the nearsightedness. The SMILE procedure takes ten minutes or less.
Patients who undergo SMILE eye surgery will enjoy a quick recovery time, a lower chance of dry eye, and visual results on par with that of LASIK.
Learn more about SMILE eye surgery.
Photo-Refractive Keratectomy (PRK)
Photo-Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) is another method used to surgically reshape the cornea using the excimer laser with Rex Hamilton, MD. PRK was the first type of eye surgery that used a laser for vision correction. During PRK, a thin outer layer of the cornea (also called the epithelium) is excised, providing access to the corneal tissue beneath. Like LASIK, an excimer laser is used to reshape the tissue. A contact lens is applied after surgery to improve comfort. During the few days required for healing, the eyes can be sensitive to light and individuals may experience discomfort.
Patients who don’t qualify for LASIK due to a thin cornea may still qualify for a PRK. Despite the longer recovery time, the final results of PRK are very comparable to that of LASIK.
Clear Lens Exchange
Advancements in cataract surgery have led to new technology in lens replacement surgery designed to correct refractive error. As a result, clear lens extraction is very similar to cataract surgery, but has multiple benefits that extend well beyond. Clear Lens Extraction is a vision correction surgical procedure intended to reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts for people over the age of 40. Clear Lens Exchange may be a better procedure for someone who is considering LASIK, but might be over the age of 40 years old.
For individuals over 40 who are considering refractive surgery to decrease dependence on glasses and contact lenses, clear lens extraction (CLE) is an excellent option worthy of serious consideration. Like cataract surgery, this procedure involves removing the natural lens of the eye and replacing it with an intraocular lens (IOL) implant, a multifocal IOL implant, a phakic IOL, or an accommodating IOL. Please consult directly with our doctors to determine what IOL is right for you and your unique vision.
Other types of refractive surgery, such as LASIK laser vision correction, accomplish good vision by changing the shape of your cornea. Unlike these other refractive procedures that change the shape of the cornea, CLE corrects vision by removing the natural lens in the eye and replacing it with a new artificial lens of different focusing power. This is exactly the same process used during cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is currently one of the top procedures reimbursed by Medicare and millions of cataracts are removed every year.
Advantages of Clear Lens Extraction
- Very fast recovery
- Excellent predictability of outcome
- Excellent quality of vision
- May be a better option than LASIK for people over 40 years old
- A similar procedure to cataract surgery