Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA)
Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA), also called PRK (Photo-Refractive Keratectomy), is the process of using the excimer laser to reshape the cornea so light is focused naturally on the retina. ASA was the first procedure to use the excimer laser to treat many types of refractive errors and is still the procedure of choice for certain patients. During ASA, the excimer laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove very tiny bits of tissue from the surface of the cornea in order to reshape it. Once the cornea is reshaped, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before.
The Procedure
After numbing the eye with anesthetic drops, the physician gently removes the epithelium, a thin layer of tissue covering the cornea.
The excimer laser applies a cool beam of light, which gently reshapes the cornea allowing images to be more sharply focused by the retina to correct the individual refractive error.
After the cornea is reshaped, the epithelium is allowed to grow back in naturally and takes only three to five days to heal.
Please contact Chu Vision Institute for more information on ASA and other vision correction procedures.