Epi-LASIK is a refractive surgery technique invented by Dr Ioannis Pallikaris (Crete, Greece).
The techique is basically an automatic LASEK] without alcohol:
- a microkeratome (called epi-keratome) slides over the surface of the cornea, just underneath the epithelial layer of cells while suction is applied
- the result is a hinged sheet of epithelium that is at least partially viable
- it is reflected out of the way so that the ablation can take place
- the sheet is repositioned and a bandage soft contact lens is placed on the eye
The first cases outside Greece were performed in September 2003.
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