Why does my corneal thickness matter for the LASIK procedure? This is an excellent question. Before any patient decides that they are ready to have the LASIK procedure this question of “How much corneal thickness do I have” should be answered appropriately by your doctor. All patients must have a measurement of their corneal thickness with a pachometer. A pachometer is an instrument that measures the amount of corneal tissue in order to ensure that there is a sufficient amount of corneal thickness to prevent any abnormal bulging of the cornea or a side effect known as ectasia. Your corneal thickness measurement is a major key to having LASIK because we need to know how much tissue is available to reshape your cornea to correct your vision. The amount of your prescription is also a key component with corneal thickness. They really go hand in hand. The higher your prescription is, the more corneal tissue you need. Dr. Holzman feels so strongly about your corneal thickness that he even measures your thickness intra operatively before reshaping the cornea with the laser to ensure that there is enough tissue available. We perform pachymetry on all of our patients both with a pachometer as well as with Pentecams and Wavescans.
If you do not have adequate corneal thickness for the LASIK procedure, do not fret! There are other refractive procedure options available to you! Any laser vision correction center should be able to discuss other laser eye surgery options such as PRK, LASIK, and Epi LASIK, INTACS and CK. Laser Eye surgery is a life changing procedure. You only have one set of eyes so be sure and ask your LASIK surgeon what is the safest and most effective surgery for YOU given your personal dilated eye exam and history.
