How is LASEK safer than LASIK? In a case of thinner cornea or dry eyes, how is LASEK better? Thank you.

Good answer by one of my patients!:) LASEK is non-cutting, unlike LASIK, which I had myself in 1999. LASIK involves cutting a flap in your cornea, which causes 3 things: 1) some dry eyes as this kills most of your corneal nerves, so your blink rate is abnormal (prolonged), 2) some night glare bc your cornea afterwards is in 2 pieces that don't ever fully heal, and 3) increased risk of trauma for the rest of your life, so if you get poked in the eye at area where these 2 pieces meet, your flap can come back up, and sometimes get torn off By skipping the flap-cutting step of LASIK, LASEK prevents dry eyes, night glare, and is much safer during the procedure and also afterwards, and virtually eliminates the chance of ectasia or iatrogenic keratoconus postop (the worst complication after LASIK, for which you might need a corneal transplant) LASEK can also safely treat much higher prescriptions than LASIK can, again because by not cutting a flap the MD has much more tissue to work with

I'm not sure in the case of a thinner cornea but I had dry eyes and I was told I couldn't have LASIK. However, after LASEK my eyes no longer feel dry. The difference between LASIK and LASEK, is that LASIK cuts the eye like a small curtain and there's more risk of infection with LASIK. LASEK is different because it removes a skin from the eye which grows back, there is no cutting involved. Also, some people have night glare after LASIK.