EPI-LASIK
Encyclopedia
Epi-LASIK is a refractive surgery
technique designed to reduce a person's dependency on eyeglasses and contact lenses. Invented by Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris
(Crete
, Greece
), the technique is basically an automatic LASEK
without alcohol
:It can be better considered as superficial LASIK
. The stromal bed is smoother than that obtained by mechanical methods or brush. Unlike alcohol (LASEK) there is no chance of damaging the limbal stem cells. It is also relatively less painful than LASEK.
Advantages
The first cases outside Greece were performed in September 2003.
Refractive surgery
Refractive eye surgery is any eye surgery used to improve the refractive state of the eye and decrease or eliminate dependency on glasses or contact lenses. This can include various methods of surgical remodeling of the cornea or cataract surgery. The most common methods today use excimer lasers to...
technique designed to reduce a person's dependency on eyeglasses and contact lenses. Invented by Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris
Ioannis Pallikaris
Ioannis G. Pallikaris is a Greek ophthalmologist who in 1989 performed the first LASIK procedure on a human eye. Pallikaris also developed Epi-LASIK....
(Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), the technique is basically an automatic LASEK
Photorefractive keratectomy
Photorefractive keratectomy and Laser-Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy are laser eye surgery procedures intended to correct a person's vision, reducing dependency on glasses or contact lenses. The first PRK procedure was performed in 1987 by Dr. Theo Seiler, then at the Free University...
without alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
:It can be better considered as superficial LASIK
LASIK
LASIK or Lasik , commonly referred to simply as laser eye surgery, is a type of refractive surgery for correcting myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism...
. The stromal bed is smoother than that obtained by mechanical methods or brush. Unlike alcohol (LASEK) there is no chance of damaging the limbal stem cells. It is also relatively less painful than LASEK.
- A device similar to a microkeratomeMicrokeratomeA microkeratome is a precision surgical instrument with an oscillating blade designed for creating the corneal flap in LASIK or ALK surgery. The normal human cornea varies from around 500 to 600 micrometres in thickness; and in the LASIK procedure, the microkeratome creates a 83 to 200 micrometre...
(called epi-keratome) slides over the surface of the corneaCorneaThe cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, with the cornea accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is...
, just underneath the epithelial layer of cells while suction is applied. - The result is a hinged sheet of epithelium that is at least partially viable.
- It is reflected out of the way so that the ablationAblationAblation is removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes. This occurs in spaceflight during ascent and atmospheric reentry, glaciology, medicine, and passive fire protection.-Spaceflight:...
can take place. - The sheet is repositioned and a bandage soft contact lens is placed on the eye.
Advantages
- Less damage to corneal nerves, hence safer in Dry Eyes
- If cornea is abnormal for LASIK, epilasik may still be an option
The first cases outside Greece were performed in September 2003.
Complications
Although relatively uncommon, the following are some of the more frequently reported complications of Epi-LASIK http://www.complicatedeyes.org/complications.htm:- Slower or delayed epithelial healing
- Duplication of epithelium
- Over/undercorrection
- Visual acuityVisual acuityVisual acuity is acuteness or clearness of vision, which is dependent on the sharpness of the retinal focus within the eye and the sensitivity of the interpretative faculty of the brain....
fluctuation - Halos around light sources
- Starbursts around light sources
- Decentered ablation
- Corneal Haze
- Epithelium erosion
- Loss of epithelial flap