KERATECTOMY

TYPES

Phototherapeutic Keratectomy (PTK). Phototherapeutic Keratectomy is a minor surgical therapeutic procedure that uses an excimer laser (transepithelial) to treat mainly diseases of the outer layer of the cornea. Only the corneal dystrophies or protruding irregularities are exposed for laser ablation. 

Superficial Keratectomy. Superficial Keratectomy is the removal of scars and defective cells from the surface or outer layer of your cornea. This treatment is commonly used for some of the most common ocular surface diseases, such as anterior basement membrane dystrophy, recurrent corneal erosion, and more. 

SYMPTOMS

• Myopia. People who have myopia or nearsightedness are experiencing what is called a refractive error. They have difficulty seeing distant objects. A significant percentage of the population with this symptom can easily be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery like the Keratectomy.
• Hyperopia. People with farsightedness are having difficulty focusing on objects that are nearby, such as print in a medicine bottle or newspaper. However, they can see distant objects more clearly, such as highway signs or store signages.
• Astigmatism. This eye condition is the most common one which occurs to nearly everyone on different levels. Astigmatism can be genetically inherited and is often present at birth, but can also be the result of gradual thinning of the cornea. Astigmatism is also known as a refractive error where the cornea is significantly curved. It allows you to focus only part of an object at a time, while objects at any range can appear blurry and wavy.

DIAGNOSIS

It is crucial to have an ophthalmologist or optometrist evaluate a patient whose eyes do not align or who has vision problems. Refractive errors may go undetected early on in life especially school-aged children, but may slowly increase.

TREATMENT 

• Sedate. With Keratectomy, your ophthalmologist first sedates you with anesthesia to calm your whole body and numb your eyes before the procedure starts. 
• Loosen. The alcohol solution is applied to loosen and separate surface cells from those that lie beneath the cornea.
• Remove. Your doctor removes a layer of cells called epithelium from the center of your cornea. These cells may be removed with a particular type of brush, or with a specific surgical blade. Then your surgeon uses an excimer laser to remove a precise amount of corneal tissue. 
• Bandage. After reshaping the cornea, your ophthalmologist will place a bandage soft contact lens on the cornea. It protects your eye while new epithelial cells grow back usually in about five days. Then the contact lens will be removed by your doctor. 

After keratectomy, the reshaped cornea focuses light more accurately on the retina restoring clear vision.

Before keratectomy or any other surgical procedure, you and your eye doctor must discuss your vision needs based on your lifestyle, whether you’re into sports, reading, driving, and more.

Any prescription of eyeglasses, contact lenses, and especially surgeries that include Keratectomy must be approved and performed only by trained and certified professionals.