WEST FARGO, ND – October 14, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –
Vance Thompson Vision, an ophthalmology practice located in West Fargo, North Dakota, has released new patient education comparing Custom LASIK and PRK for individuals evaluating laser vision correction. The practice, led by board-certified ophthalmologist Michael Greenwood, MD, serves patients across Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, Wahpeton, and Grand Forks. The educational resource outlines candidacy factors, procedural differences, and recovery considerations for the two refractive surgery techniques.
Custom LASIK, performed at the West Fargo office, is a two-laser procedure that combines a femtosecond laser and an excimer laser. The femtosecond laser creates a thin, hinged flap in the outer layer of the cornea, which the surgeon then lifts to access the underlying corneal tissue. The excimer laser reshapes that tissue based on a wavefront-guided or topography-guided map of the individual eye, allowing the correction to account for higher-order aberrations specific to that patient’s optical system.
Once the reshaping is complete, the flap is repositioned and adheres without sutures. Patients in Fargo, West Fargo, and Moorhead who undergo Custom LASIK at Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo typically resume routine visual tasks within one to two days, with continued visual stabilization over several weeks. Custom LASIK is intended to reduce or eliminate dependence on glasses and contact lenses for qualifying candidates.
PRK, also offered at Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo, is a surface-based laser vision correction procedure that does not involve creating a corneal flap. Instead, the surgeon removes the thin epithelial layer covering the cornea, after which the excimer laser reshapes the underlying corneal tissue using the same correction principles applied in LASIK.
Because no flap is created, PRK preserves more of the cornea’s structural integrity, which is one reason it is often considered for patients with thinner corneas, irregular corneal topography, or occupations and activities involving high-impact or risk of eye trauma, such as military service, law enforcement, and contact sports. Patients across the Fargo-Moorhead area and surrounding service areas of Wahpeton and Grand Forks who choose PRK should anticipate a longer initial recovery than LASIK. The epithelium regenerates over approximately three to five days, during which patients commonly experience visual fluctuation, light sensitivity, and discomfort managed with prescribed medications.
Both Custom LASIK and PRK use the same excimer laser technology to reshape the cornea and correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The principal differences lie in how the cornea is accessed, the recovery timeline, and which patients are anatomically suited to each technique. The educational resource from Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo walks Fargo and West Fargo patients through these distinctions, including how preoperative measurements such as corneal thickness, pupil size, refractive error, and tear film quality factor into candidacy for each procedure.
“Choosing between Custom LASIK and PRK comes down to corneal thickness, prescription, and lifestyle factors that vary from patient to patient,” said Michael Greenwood, MD, board-certified ophthalmologist at Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo. “Custom LASIK uses corneal mapping to tailor the laser correction to each eye, while PRK is often selected for patients with thinner corneas or specific occupational considerations. A thorough preoperative evaluation determines which procedure aligns with the patient’s anatomy and visual goals.”
Greenwood, a North Dakota native, completed his medical degree at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences and a fellowship at Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls that included refractive surgery training. Vance Thompson Vision has performed more than 80,000 procedures across its locations, with nearly 100 years of combined surgical experience among its physicians.
Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo is located at 354 23rd Ave. E., West Fargo, ND 58078, and serves patients throughout Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, Wahpeton, and Grand Forks. The office is positioned along 23rd Avenue East in West Fargo, providing access for residents across the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area who are evaluating Custom LASIK, PRK, or other refractive surgery options.
Consultations include corneal measurements and a comprehensive examination to determine candidacy for each procedure.
For additional information about Custom LASIK and PRK at Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo in West Fargo, North Dakota, procedural details are available on the practice’s LASIK services page, and information about the surgical team and Fargo-Moorhead service area is available on the Fargo location page. Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo continues to provide laser vision correction services to patients across the region.
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For more information about Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo, contact the company here:
Vance Thompson Vision – West Fargo
Vance Thompson Vision
(701) 566-5390
info@vancethompsonvision.com
354 23rd Ave E, West Fargo, ND 58078
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