LASIK vs. Contact Lenses: A Review of Contact Lens Vision Correction, an Alternative to LASIK and PRK Laser Eye Surgery (Part One).

Contact lenses are one of the most common alternatives to LASIK and PRK laser vision correction eye surgery, yet many people do not fully understand contact lens options and complications.

When patients consider having LASIK or PRK laser vision correction eye surgery, they need to carefully consider other options as well. Surgical options to LASIK or PRK include clear lens extraction, refractive lens exchange, phakic intraocular lens implantation (“phakic IOL or implantable contact lens”), intrastromal corneal ring segments (Intacs), and corneal inlay insertion.

Of course, the most common non-surgical options to LASIK or PRK are glasses and contact lenses. It is surprising to me how many people do not fully understand the world of contact lenses and, since contacts are a viable alternative to laser vision correction surgery I thought I would delve into contacts in this blog.

There are two categories of contemporary contact lenses: soft contact lenses and rigid gas-permeable contact lenses. Within the soft contact lens category, there are two types of soft contacts based on materials: conventional hydrogel and silicone hydrogel contacts. To make things even more complicated, there are five different sub-types of silicone hydgrogel lenses based on somewhat different materials!

In terms of usage, there are two categories of contact lenses: daily wear contacts and extended or overnight continuous wear contacts. Extended wear contact lenses typically are soft lenses, although there are some extended wear rigid gas permeable lenses as well. The FDA has approved extended wear contact lenses for up to 6 to 30 days, depending on the lens type. Personally, I am not a fan of overnight wear of any contact lens as I feel it increases the risk of contact lens complications, even if the lens is otherwise approved for overnight use by the FDA.

There are also specialized use contact lenses, included orthokeratology, or “Ortho-K” lenses, and decorative or cosmetic contact lenses. Orthokeratology involves a lens fitting procedure that uses rigid gas permeable contact lenses to change corneal curvature and decrease the need for corrective glasses or contact lenses. The vision correction effect with orthokeratology is temporary. Decorative contact lenses are lenses use to create special effects such as changing eye color to a different color or even to create lizard eyes or cat eyes. Decorative lenses are sometimes called “fashion contacts” or “Halloween contacts.” Care must be taken that only FDA approved prescription decorative lenses, fit by an eye care professional, are used.

In my next blog, I’ll review contact lens care.

LASIK vs. Contact Lenses: A Review of Contact Lens Vision Correction, an Alternative to LASIK and PRK Laser Eye Surgery (Part One).

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