For many patients, vision correction still means one thing: LASIK. But today's most advanced ophthalmology practices are offering significantly more sophisticated options tailored to age, anatomy, and long-term eye health. At Coastal Eye, patients have access to a highly advanced, technology-driven approach to eye care, combining state-of-the-art diagnostics, modern surgical techniques, and personalized treatment plans that go far beyond routine exams. From refractive lens exchange and implantable contact lenses to complex retinal surgery and advanced dry eye treatments, the practice is redefining what modern eye care can look like.
One of the biggest misconceptions in vision correction is that LASIK is the gold standard for everyone. In reality, Coastal Eye's team now offers procedures that, for certain patients, they consider even safer and more effective — the right choice increasingly depends less on preference and more on age.
Instead, a biocompatible lens is placed inside the eye, preserving the eye's natural anatomy while often delivering exceptional visual quality.
For adults roughly 20 to 45, that alternative is often Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) technology, one of the most exciting developments in the field. Unlike LASIK, ICL does not permanently reshape the cornea.
Instead, a biocompatible lens is placed inside the eye, preserving the eye's natural anatomy while often delivering exceptional visual quality.
Patients are increasingly drawn to the procedure because it avoids many of the concerns commonly associated with LASIK, including chronic dry eye and nighttime glare issues — which is often the deciding factor for people who were told LASIK wasn't a good fit for them.
For patients over 45, the conversation changes entirely. Rather than simply correcting distance vision, many adults begin struggling with reading vision and age-related lens changes. Refractive Lens Exchange offers a more comprehensive solution by replacing the eye's natural lens with a high-tech implant designed to restore a fuller range of vision permanently. An added benefit: it can also prevent cataracts from developing later in life.
For patients in their 60s and beyond who may already have cataracts, the same advanced lens technologies used in Refractive Lens Exchange can often restore what many describe as "vision of youth," with dramatically improved clarity and reduced dependence on glasses.
The larger shift happening at practices like Coastal Eye is personalization. Rather than applying one procedure to everyone, the goal is matching treatment to age, anatomy, lifestyle, and long-term eye health — so the question isn't "LASIK or not," but which of these options fits the patient in front of them.