Lasek PRK Diagnosis and Tests

Key pre‑op evaluations for LASEK/PRK safety

Learn about the comprehensive diagnostic tests for Lasek PRK at Liv Hospital. Discover how we map your eye to ensure the highest safety and precision.

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LASEK PRK: Diagnosis and Tests

Precision In Eye Mapping

The journey to clear vision begins with a highly detailed diagnostic evaluation. Because Lasek PRK involves reshaping the surface of your eye, we must have a perfect understanding of your ocular anatomy before the procedure begins. This phase is not just about finding your prescription; it is about mapping every microscopic hill and valley on the surface of your cornea. At Liv Hospital, we use a suite of advanced digital tools to ensure that we can provide the safest and most accurate treatment plan possible.

Measuring Visual Acuity

The first step in our diagnostic protocol is a comprehensive visual acuity test. This measures how well you see at various distances using a standard eye chart. However, we go much further than a typical exam to get a complete picture:

Autorefraction to get a digital estimate of your prescription.
Manifest refraction where a specialist fine tunes your lens power.
Cycloplegic refraction using drops to relax the eye’s focusing muscles.
Contrast sensitivity testing to see how well you distinguish shades in low light.

These tests provide the baseline data that tells us how much correction is needed to achieve your goal of 20/20 vision.

Corneal Topography And Analysis

Corneal topography is one of the most critical tests for this procedure. It creates a detailed 3D map of the surface of your eye. This machine projects rings of light onto the cornea and measures how they reflect back. This data is converted into a color coded map that shows the curvature and symmetry of your eye. For a surface based procedure, this map acts as a “GPS” for the laser, identifying exactly where tissue needs to be removed to smooth out irregularities and correct astigmatism.

Pachymetry: Thickness Verification

Pachymetry is a vital safety test that measures the thickness of your cornea in microns. Since Lasek PRK involves removing microscopic layers of tissue, we must ensure that your cornea will remain strong and stable after the procedure.

Uses ultrasound or light waves to get a precise measurement.
Identifies patients with naturally thin corneas who are better suited for surface laser.
Helps determine the maximum amount of correction that is safe for your specific eye.

One of the main reasons patients choose this surgery is because it is the safest option for those with borderline thickness measurements.

Pupillometry For Night Vision

Pupillometry is used to measure the diameter of your pupils in different lighting conditions.

This is essential for preventing night vision issues after the procedure. If your pupils dilate very widely in the dark, the laser treatment area must be large enough to cover that entire zone. If the treatment area is too small, light passing through the untreated edges of the cornea can cause glare and halos at night.

By accurately measuring your pupil size, we can customize the laser profile to ensure high quality vision regardless of the lighting.

Slit Lamp Biomicroscopy

Slit lamp biomicroscopy allows the surgeon to inspect the health of your eye structures under high magnification. This is a physical inspection of the eyelids, tear film, cornea, and lens. We check for signs of dry eye or inflammation and identify any microscopic scarring or irregularities. This test ensures that the “soil” of your eye is healthy enough for the surface skin to regrow properly after the procedure, which is the foundation of a smooth and rapid recovery.

Wavefront Aberrometry Technology

Wavefront aberrometry is a high tech diagnostic tool that captures the unique optical errors of your entire eye. While standard glasses only correct for “lower order” errors like myopia, this test identifies “higher order” aberrations.

Detecting tiny distortions that affect the quality and crispness of your vision.
Integrating wavefront data to move beyond simple prescription correction.
Aiming for “super vision,” which often provides better clarity than glasses ever could.
This technology allows us to create a bespoke surgical plan that is as unique as your thumbprint.

Dry Eye And Tear Film Screening

Dry eye evaluation is a key part of the screening process for any laser eye surgery. Healthy tear production is necessary for the surface of the eye to heal quickly and clearly.

Schirmer’s test to measure the quantity of tears your eye produces.
Tear break up time (TBUT) to check the stability of the protective film.
Osmolarity testing to check for chemical imbalances in the tears.

If your eyes are naturally dry, we may recommend a pre treatment plan to improve your eye health before the surgery, ensuring a more comfortable post operative experience.

Retinal And Nerve Assessment

The health of the back of the eye is just as important as the front. A dilated fundus exam is performed to check the retina and optic nerve. We check for signs of retinal thinning or tears and ensure the optic nerve is robust and healthy. By verifying that the “sensor” of your eye is in perfect condition, we can be confident that the high quality image created by the reshaped cornea will be accurately processed by your brain.

Final Data Integration

Final data integration is where all your test results are combined into a single digital blueprint. Our surgical team at Liv Hospital reviews this data to confirm that Lasek PRK is the best and safest choice for you. This is also the time when we discuss your lifestyle goals and manage expectations for the healing process. We believe that precision in the diagnostic suite leads to perfection in the laser suite, ensuring your safety is prioritized at every turn.