Can people with thin cornea do SMILE?

Some patients with thin corneas will not be able to receive LASIK surgery and might be better suited for a PRK or SMILE procedure. Additionally, patients with pre-existing dry eye may not be ideal candidates due to the low risk of LASIK induced dry eye.

Can you get SMILE eye surgery with thin cornea?

SMILE is less invasive than LASIK, making it better for treating patients who are severely nearsighted. The SMILE procedure allows our Los Angeles patients to have another alternative to LASIK, in addition to PRK, for patients with thin corneas.

What is the minimum corneal thickness for SMILE?

I know that some SMILE surgeons feel SMILE has better biomechanical stability than LASIK, and there have been some studies to that effect, but I still strive to maintain a minimum preop corneal thickness of 500 µm.

Can thin cornea be treated?

Surface ablation is often talked of as a treatment option, in thin corneas, since it does not require a corneal flap, or raises a flap which includes only the epithelium and not the stroma, and is consequently thinner.

How can I strengthen my thin cornea?

Current methods to ameliorate thinning of the cornea and limbus include surgical and nonsurgical modalities such as vitamin therapy, ultraviolet (UV) light therapy, and corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL).

Is it bad to have thin corneas?

A Thin Cornea – The Danger of Misreading Eye Pressure Many times, patients with thin corneas (less than 555 µm) show artificially low IOP readings. This is dangerous because if your actual IOP is higher than your reading shows, you may be at risk for developing glaucoma and your doctor may not know it.

Does corneal thinning continue to get thinner?

Thin corneas are the same thing. Some people have thick, most have normal and some have thin. It’s just the way you were born and is a variation of normal. No it will not continue to get thinner. The amount of surgery that can be done for lasik or PRK varies depending on corneal thinckness.

How can corneal abrasions affect my child’s vision?

Because they affect the way the cornea works, corneal abrasions can cause problems with vision. Your child might complain of stinging or burning in the eye, of not being able to see as well as usual, or of things appearing blurry.

Will my cornea continue to get thinner after LASIK surgery?

No it will not continue to get thinner. The amount of surgery that can be done for lasik or PRK varies depending on corneal thinckness. If too thin then if surgery is done the cornea can become unstable (ectasia). For thin corneas its safer to do PRK than LASIK.

How is a diagnosis of corneal abrasion confirmed?

In some cases, the doctor will confirm a diagnosis of corneal abrasion by doing a test on the eye. A fluid called fluorescein is placed on the surface of the eye, then the doctor looks at the eye under a filtered light.