We came across an ad on google, and also in the newspapers in Mumbai (Bombay) from a center call tlvc. We feel that it is patently misleading, and felt that this blog should offer a clarification, so that patients do not get misled by unscrupulous laser centers.
TLVC offers something called “bladeless laser vision correction” for Rs. 9000/- per eye. Normally, blade free or bladeless LASIK costs as much as Rs. 40000-50000 per eye. TLVC is not being fair to centers which have invested a lot in blade free LASIK to offer patients significant advantages.
The peculiar brand of “bladeless laser vision correction” advertised by TLVC is nothing but PRK. Giving it fancy names like ASA (Advanced Surface Ablation) or epiLASIK does not change this fact. PRK is quite different from Bladeless LASIK (Notice that TLVC does not say bladeless LASIK but bladeless laser vision correction!!!). In Bladeless LASIK, there is near immediate vision recovery. One can almost guarantee that the patient will be 20/20 the next day. The patient will only experience some grittiness in the eyes for a few hours, but there is perhaps a burning sensation for a couple of hours. Patients need to use steroids for only a few days, and the vision quickly stabilizes (more or less within a day).
The particular form of ASA or epiLASIK or PRK or bladeless laser vision correction espoused by TLVC and Shroff Eye Care is a far cry from this state of the art procedure. This type of laser vision correction procedure results in reduced visual acuity for the patient for a number of days and weeks. Patients experience intense pain for the first 24 hours, and they need to use steriods (with possible complications of rise in intraocular pressure and cataracts) for at least 4 weeks. Vision takes more than a month to stabilize.
As a blog which seeks to promote laser vision correction in India, we cannot condone such misleading behavior by centers like TLVC and Shroff Eye Care. Laser Vision Correction in India (whether Bladeless LASIK, LASIK, or PRK (ASA)) will not grow by centers engaging in unethical behavior. This is a large country, and there is always a place for centers like TLVC, which may not have the best technology, but who are willing to offer their services cheaply. But misleading patients in dubious ads is not the correct way.
By the way, many centers around the world who were reluctant to invest in bladeless LASIK technology because of its costs have tried the same method of misleading patients. Without a doubt, all of them have fallen by the wayside.
#1 by Nazim Khan on October 5, 2011 - 1:15 pm
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Fail to understand how “bladeless laser vision correction” is misleading. That is what it is (did they claim bladeless LASIK?). It’s fine if they choose to call it “advanced surface ablation” on their website as PRK, Epi-Lasik, LASEK and other types are all at a generic level called ASA (there’s no flap creation involved).
As for the complications you point out in the technique, I’d happily live with the three-day pain post ASA and have my corneal structure relatively intact for the rest of my life than go for LASIK’s “comfort” and risk far greater possible complications of flap issues, ectasia, dry eyes and night vision problems that are associated with it.
#2 by samir on November 15, 2011 - 2:34 pm
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Obviously, this is a “sponsored” comment. However, I will leave it here, because it does represent a point of view.