Will the outcomes of LASIK be worse if I have high myopia?

Doctor's Answer

Photo of Dr Daphne Han
Dr Daphne Han

Ophthalmologist

For high myopia close to 1000 degrees, the option of which refrative surgery technique to choose depends on a few factors:

1) How thick is the cornea

Thick corneas with regular features may be worth a shot with LASIK (or LASIK EXTRA or SMILE for more stability of power in the long run).

However, as the cornea will be made thinner with all of these laser-based procedures, you may not have adequate tissue thickness left for future enhancement should there be regression of myopia, which can still happen even if LASIK EXTRA or SMILE was chosen.

Surface ablation techniques such as epiLASIK or LASEK or PRK or transPRK are generally not advisable as there is a higher risk of corneal haze with high degree treatment using these so-called first-generation techniques.

2) Is there any astigmatism?

Astigmatism treatment will take up cornea thickness too. So that needs to be factored in.

SMILE is currently CE approved for treatment up to 1000 degree of myopia and astigmatism up to 500 degree. Again the extent that SMILE can safely treat depends on the individual corneal measurements.

3) What sort of occupation and lifestyle?

4) Are you prone to having dry eyes?

5) Pupil size?

6) Would you like to consider ICL which gives better quality of vision for high myopia but is more costly?

I hope you find a good and lasting solution for your high myopia! Best wishes!

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