Many people have corrective eye surgery to treat eye conditions. In some cases, the person pursues an elective surgery, such as Lasik, to improve vision, while others may have a medical need for the surgery. In either situation, a person should understand the alternatives to the surgery. If a person tolerates an alternative method, she may avoid surgery altogether, reducing the risks for complications that come with every surgical procedure.
Prescription Eyewear
A common and relatively simple alternative to elective vision correction surgery is prescription eyewear, such as glasses or contact lenses. In most cases, glasses will improve vision without any side effects from wear, and most people require an updated prescription approximately every two years. Contact lenses require care and proper use to avoid damaging the eyes, warns The University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. However, contacts may provide the most comparable alternative to vision correction. Wearing contacts eliminates the need for glasses to sit prominently on the person's face, one of the most common cosmetic reasons patients pursue vision correction surgery. Doctors typically prescribe contacts for one year before requiring an appointment to evaluate the fit and health of the eye.
Orthokeratology
Another alternative to elective eye surgery for correcting vision reshapes the cornea, a process called orthokeratology. The shape of the cornea, the front, outer covering of the eye, helps to direct the light entering the eye, which ultimately gives visual images. Reshaping the cornea will help the light hit directly on the back of the eye, offering improved vision. This treatment uses special contact lenses the patient must wear at night, and the lens works to painlessly reshape the cornea in a few weeks, says All About Vision. The process does not damage the cornea, but the results only last temporarily. After a day or two, the person must resume wearing the reshaping contacts at night in order to achieve the improved vision.
Patching
Many young children have a condition called strabismus, a problem often referred to as "crossed eyes." A person with strabismus will typically have one eye pointing forward, focusing on an object while the other points in a different direction, explains Langone Medical Center at New York University. If left untreated, the turned eye may have permanent loss of vision. Doctors often perform muscle surgery to realign the eyes. However, many children respond to patching the "good" eye, the one that points forward, forcing the turned eye to focus on objects and provide vision. Depending on the severity of the condition, the eye doctor will determine a patching regimen to encourage both eyes to point forward and work together.
