A variety of vision correction alternatives exist for New York patients who are not ideal candidates for LASIK. These alternatives include PRK, EPI-LASIK, and LASEK, which are similar to LASIK except that no corneal flap is created. Other options include refractive lens exchange (RLE) which is essentially cataract surgery solely for refractive purposes. In RLE the natural lens that is removed is not cloudy (as it is in cataract surgery) but has a refractive error that is corrected when a new lens is implanted. Other LASIK alternatives include the Visian implant, which is like implantable contact lenses. Premium lens implants such as the ReSTOR, Tecnis, Tecnis Symfony and Toric lenses can also be used during RLE to give patients a wider range of vision, or in the case of the Toric lens, to reduce astigmatism.
