LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Articles from
San Francisco Vision Specialist Dr. Gary Kawesch

LASIK tips for the beginning surgeon
Gary M. Kawesch, MD - Exclusive to EyeWorld

Anyone attending the recent American Academy of Ophthalmology or pre-AAO International Society of Refractive Surgery meeting will appreciate the role laser in situ keratomileusis is beginning to have in the armamentarium of the modern-day refractive surgeon. As more and more surgeons embark on performing lamellar refractive surgery, complications during the learning curve are inevitable. Here are a few tips for the beginning LASIK surgeon.

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Therapeutic LASIK: A Case Report
Gary M. Kawesch, MD - Exclusive to EyeWorld

Phototherapeutic keratectomy is a valuable technique for treating corneal opacities, but its usefulness is limited to the anterior cornea. Traditionally, deeper scars have required lamellar or penetrating keratoplasty. I recently had an interesting case. A 26-year-old patient underwent hyperopic automated lamellar keratoplasty in September 1994, by another surgeon. His preoperative refraction was +4 +1.25 x60 right eye and +3.5 +3 x107 left eye, with best-corrected acuity of 20/20 in each eye.

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Bandage Contact Lenses and PRK - Special Techniques
Gary M. Kawesch, MD - Exclusive to EyeWorld

Although sometimes difficult to handle, bandage contact lenses have strong postoperative value. One surgeon offers an idea on making them easier to use.

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A New Technique for Pre-PRK Epithelium Removal
Gary M. Kawesch, MD - Exclusive to EyeWorld

The laser-scrape method may have several advantages over traditional techniques used to remove epithelium before PRK. Most surgeons would agree that epithelium removal in photorefractive keratectomy is one of the procedure's most critical aspects. Expedient, uniform removal helps minimize stromal drying, which can increase the ablation rate and lead to overcorrection.

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