Dr. Paul Cutarelli | About LASIK
Dr. Paul Cutarelli offers various procedures to improve vision for different type of eye conditions. Common eye surgeries for the improvement of vision without glasses or contacts include Lasik, IntraLasik, Epi-Lasik, corneal implants and refractive lens transplant, each with their own advantages. Dr. Cutarelli is able to professionally recommend a personalized treatment according to the patient’s expectations and lifestyle. You don’t have to suffer – contact Dr. Cutarelli today to see how he can help you see better.
Vision Errors
The cornea is the front part of the eye that helps focus light to create an image on the retina. It works in much the same way that the lens of a camera focuses light to create an image on film. The bending and focusing of light is also known as refraction. Usually the shape of the cornea and the eye are not perfect and the image on the retina is out-of-focus. These imperfections in the focusing power of the eye are called refractive errors.
Dr. Paul Cutarelli explains that there are three primary types of refractive errors: myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Persons with myopia, or nearsightedness, have more difficulty seeing distant objects as clearly as near objects. Persons with hyperopia, or farsightedness, have more difficulty seeing near objects as clearly as distant objects. Astigmatism is a distortion of the image on the retina caused by irregularities in the cornea or lens of the eye. Combinations of myopia and astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism are common. Glasses or contact lenses are designed to compensate for the eye’s imperfections.
Dr. Paul Cutarelli utilizes surgical procedures aimed at improving the focusing power of the eye are called refractive surgery. In LASIK surgery, Dr. Paul Cutarelli uses a special laser for the precise and controlled removal of corneal tissue to reshape the cornea, thereby changing its focusing power.
Other Refractive Surgery
Radial Keratotomy or RK and Photorefractive Keratectomy or PRK are other refractive surgeries that Dr. Paul Cutarelli uses to reshape the cornea. In RK, a very sharp knife is used to cut slits in the cornea changing its shape. PRK was the first surgical procedure developed to reshape the cornea, by sculpting, using a laser, the same type of laser is used for LASIK and PRK. The major difference between the two surgeries is the way that the stroma, the middle layer of the cornea, is exposed before it is vaporized with the laser. In PRK, the top layer of the cornea, called the epithelium, is scraped away to expose the stromal layer underneath. In LASIK, a flap is cut in the stromal layer and the flap is folded back.
Another type of refractive surgery is thermokeratoplasty in which heat is used to reshape the cornea. The source of the heat can be a laser, but it is a different kind of laser than is used for LASIK and PRK. Other refractive devices include corneal ring segments that are inserted into the stroma and special contact lenses that temporarily reshape the cornea (orthokeratology).
Dr. Paul Cutarelli feels it is vital that patients learn about and understand the various options available and offers a free, no-obligation LASIK consultation. Please contact his office today!
Cutarelli Vision – Denver LASIK
7887 East Belleview Avenue, Suite 180
Denver, Colorado 80111
303-486-2020
Visit Dr. Cutarelli’s website: LASIK Denver