Smaller chance of haze. Usually no need to wear a post-operative contact lens to reduce pain. Fast visual recovery. The possibility of having surgery on both eyes on the same day.
Final vision is obtained within weeks rather than months.
Less painful enhancements. There are some benefits that flap surgery brings to laser vision correction. In general, the flap has been made in the same fashion for many years. Only the actual visual correction portion of the surgery has varied. During ALK, a device called a microkeratome was used to create the flap and then to make a second pass across the cornea to create a disc of corneal tissue.