Do You Recommend ICL or PRK For Thin Corneas?

asked 4 months ago by megantd
Latest answer by Jay Bansal, MD
Question viewed 262 times
Tags: comparison, cornea, recommendation, thin

I am 28, have a prescription of -3.0 (right) and -2.0 (left) and a central corneal thickness of 470 in both eyes which I understand too thin for Lasik. I have been to two separate eye clinics and one advises PRK and one ICL. The surgeon recommending ICL says they believe my corneas are too thin even for PRK and that ICL would be much safer. ICL does sound like the more pleasant option but is twice the price! Any advice?

7 answers to Do You Recommend ICL or PRK For Thin Corneas?

ICL or PRK

Your prescription is considered low in both eyes and based on the calculations alone, you might still qualify for LASIK although there are more factors to consider than just the corneal thickness and the prescription. An irregular topography would be a red flag for potential post-LASIK problems. ICL provides better vision for patients with high prescriptions but since your prescriptions are low, the vision would be very similar. Since ICL is an intraocular surgery,... more

Jay Bansal, MD
San Francisco Ophthalmologist

Laser Vision Correction For Thin Corneas

According to my calculations you are looking at a residual stromal bed of about 360 microns in the right eye and about 380 microns in the left eye, which is well above our accepted standards for safety. That being said, your 470 micron cornea is significantly thinner than the average cornea and it is possible that one of your doctors saw other abnormalities (possibly on the topography test) that were concerning.

Christopher Starr, MD
New York Ophthalmologist

Visian ICL vs PRK for thin corneas

Really depends on other factors too such as topography. In the US, the Visian ICL is only approved for -3.00 to -15.00 dioplers with less than 2.5 dioplers of astigmatism and the reduction of myopia from -15.00 to -.20.0 dioplers. Therefore Visian ICL may not be an option for your left eye.

Christopher Coad, MD
New York Ophthalmologist

www.lasikdoctornyc.com

PRK vs Intraocular Contact Lens Implants when Corneas are Thin

You describe your corneas as 470 microns thick, which is on the thinner side of the average range of corneal thickness. You do not mention any other corneal abnormalities from the computer testing, so, for the purposes of this discussion, I will assume your corneas are otherwise normal. PRK(Photorefractive Keratectomy), also known as Advanced Surface Ablation and, with a few minor variations in technique, LASEK, is a surface corneal procedure that does not require a corneal... more

Anthony J. Kameen, MD
Baltimore Ophthalmologist

www.kameen.com

PRK for thin corneas

There is no question that you are better off with PRK. Both are great procedures, but ICL is a bit aggressive for your low RX. Many studies show that the stability of PRK over many years may even exceed that of LASIK. It is a fantastic procedure when done properly and the healing isn't nearly as bad as some may tell you. It really does depend on your pre and post op care, and the skill and care of your surgical team/surgeon. Choose that carefully and you will do... more

Andrew E. Holzman, MD
Mc Lean Ophthalmologist

PRK or ICL

Your two options of PRK or ICL are both reasonable. Personally, I would want PRK as you have a relatiely low prescription. I usually reserve ICL for prescriptions over -7 or so. With respect to risk, the chance of blindness from PRK is about 1 in ten million vs 1 in ten thousand for ICL. PRK is dependent on your having a completely normal cornea. Many surgeons who recommend ICL at such a low prescription do not perform PRK. If you are still concerned, seek... more

Mark Golden, MD
Chicago Ophthalmologist

PRK vs LASIK vs LASEK vs ICL for thin corneas

I will explain the math and then the real answer will be obvious to everyone it is unsafe to do anything if your initial corneal thickness is below 450, because then you may have KC assuming your thickness is 455, to fix -3 about 35 microns of cornea would need to be lasered off if you chose hi-def, then you would need about 55 microns removed, so you would be left with 400 the minimum safe thickness is 250, or else you would increase the chance of getting KC a LASIK flap... more

Emil Chynn, MD
New York Ophthalmologist

www.ParkAvenueLasek.com

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